For those of you 'hanging up your running sneakers'....

[banslug]

.....do you find that other impact workouts are okay for you? Interesting, isn't it? Long story short is that I've been fighting my PF for about a year now and as soon as I think it's getting better (notice I did NOT say 'gone'), I start picking up my miles again. I'm a few short weeks shy of a half marathon, but my PF is unbearable anymore and I'm seriously considering hanging up my running sneakers NOW as opposed to waiting till after the half. However, I also learned while fighting this PF that other impact workouts like IMax, Drill Max, Low Max, LIC, and Plyo Legs are not so bad and my PF isn't aggravated by them (I'm thinking it's because a lot of landing is toe-ball-heel.

(sorry to ramble)

So what, besides biking/spin and ellip do you do for cardio while trying to heel your PF???

Gayle

 

[CollinsMom]

Gayle, I'm really sorry to hear that you are feeling like this. I can totally relate, as you know.... I hate to hear that you are in "unbearable" pain, but I also hate to hear that you are considering hanging up your runners. Is there ANY way that you can still run? Sports Med Doc? PT? Prayer?

I am also closely monitoring an injury as I draw nearer to my race day, and at this point I am determined to cross that finish line (as I told my husband the other day, "...even if my body breaks in half!").

I can't really answer your question because right now, my pain is present with everything - step, running, climbing stairs, walking, sitting But it is different than PF too. I really hope you find a solution that you can be content with.

 

[fitg]

I am sorry you are dealing with this. When I had symptoms I iced and rolled my foot on a tennis ball. I also did a lot of yoga. Rodney Yee's Power Yoga really helped because it has a lot of downward dog poses and stretched my feet. I have inserts in my running shoes to help too. What shoes are you wearing? Are they the right type for your feet? Do they need to be replaced?

I'm sure the eliptical and bike would be good choices for now. Also, if other workouts are not hurting it, I am sure that is just fine. My orthopedist always told me that if it did not hurt, it is okay.

Good luck, and I hope you are able to run your race.

 

[janie1234]

.....do you find that other impact workouts are okay for you? Interesting, isn't it? Long story short is that I've been fighting my PF for about a year now and as soon as I think it's getting better (notice I did NOT say 'gone'), I start picking up my miles again. I'm a few short weeks shy of a half marathon, but my PF is unbearable anymore and I'm seriously considering hanging up my running sneakers NOW as opposed to waiting till after the half. However, I also learned while fighting this PF that other impact workouts like IMax, Drill Max, Low Max, LIC, and Plyo Legs are not so bad and my PF isn't aggravated by them (I'm thinking it's because a lot of landing is toe-ball-heel.

(sorry to ramble)

So what, besides biking/spin and ellip do you do for cardio while trying to heel your PF???

Gayle

Hiya Gayle! You know I've stuck with mountain biking and hiking for now but I'm with you Drill Max, Cathe cardio including kickboxing do not bother me. I've also bought new superfeet inserts, . .pink one. I ran 2.5 miles the other day and my foot just started to hurt towards the end. I'm just going slow, . . .taking my running slow. I went from 20-25 miles a week to heck, . .I'm lucky if I get 10 in a week. I'm just keeping up with my cardio whatever other form I decide to just to keep my heart strong for the days when my PF does not kill me too. Hang in there Gayle.

 

[banslug]

Thanks, guys.

Katie-I KNOW! The simple thought of NOT doing this half is killing me; I've been looking forward to it for quite some time.

I've been doing all that we've all been saying.....stretching, icing, wearing shoes all the time, inserts, etc. And it does come and go in its severity. But this weekend, while at the beach with my kiddos, I could HARDLY even walk on the sand on our way out to the water (yup, boogie boarding Mama! HA!). And I just kept wondering how much value does running really have when I can't even walk to the water with my kids?!?!?!?! Is all this running really worth it. I mean, yes, I like to run. But, honestly, do I really REALLY want to take the time after every single run to ice, stretch, rest, elevate, etc every time??? It honestly feels like 'work' at that point, for me. I don't LOVE it that much.

I know myself well enough. I can pretty much predict what I'll do.....I'll back off the running and start putting in other cardio (as mentioned above), do the half with a simple goal of not cutting my foot off at the ankle before I cross the finish line, then take an extended break from running to rehab. But this really got me thinking, as you can see.

THANKS for all your input!

Gayle

 

[Worknprogress]

Gayle - have you ever taken a total break from working out to heal your PF?

I had it so bad about 2 years ago for months. It was so painful I couldn't even put weight on the foot to stand and wash dishes. Every kind of workout hurt - even weight training as it added more weight to by feet. I did the stretching, the ice, etc.

I finally couldn't take it any more and stopped all of my working out. I got inserts online called Powerstep and put them in all of my shoes. I never went barefoot - I always had "tie" shoes on that had the inserts - not flip flops, etc. I would ice it and stretch it 3 times a day and at night I wore a splint that stretched my calf/foot while I slept. It was a little awkward but I managed.

I kid you not - 2 weeks later I was pain free. To this day I still wear the same inserts in all of my shoes - running, aerobic, cross-trainers and my every day tennis shoes. I am still pain free - run about 30 miles a week along with weight training - don't skimp on stretches after.

What kind of inserts are you using? I have tried others from the pharmacy store or athletic stores but they are not the same as the Powersteps and they didn't really help so I will never use anything else again.

It was hard to not do any form of exercise for 2 weeks but in the long run it was well worth it.

 

[RunnerGirl]

I didn't read all of the responses yet but here's my thoughts. I have dealt with PF for over a year now and it has never gone away until I took this summer off from running. I mainly did low impact everything and weights. I now feel that my PF is gone. I also think that I may never do long distance running again. I think that I am going to stick to 5k's. I also noticed that other high impact workouts didn't really bother me but I wanted to give my body a break so I kept it all low impact. Now we will see how I feel at the end of Insanity because I am just getting into it. No foot problems so far.

 

[jodijodi]

This is another one of those things that is different for each person. I had PF last year and I don't run at all, never have. Mine seemed worse with step, maybe not quite as bad with other cardio, but still hurt all the time including when walking. What it really needed, in addition to all of the usual advice (icing, stretching, etc.) was a good break from pretty much all kinds of cardio for a while, including walking when possible. And as you know, now I'm back to all of my usual cardio and activities with no problems in that foot. (Starting to feel a twinge in my other foot first thing in the AM, I am sad to say, but it goes away once I have shoes on.)

So you may find that if you take a real break from running, and maybe from all cardio for a while, you can go back to it later. You might not have to give it up for good.

 

[banslug]

OH NO! A complete BREAK from working out! Don't even SAY it!

Seriously, I am very seriously considering the same thing as LaDonna....no more long distance running. Part of my 'problem' with my PF is that I am NOT happy when I'm only doing one type of cardio, and right now, my ONLY cardio has been running 3-4 times per week which includes a long run. It bores me after a while. LOL I was just telling a friend the other day that even NOW, after several half marathons, tons of 5 and 10Ks, and a full marathon, I STILL don't consider myself a "runner". Isn't that strange, for someone that runs? lol

Back to the PF. I am going to move to all low impact stuff, including spin, low impact step, etc for my cardio right now, with a run thrown in here and there up until the Half Marathon. After that, I'm going to SERIOUSLY, whole-heartedly, consider breaking from cardio for a while. OH MY! Can't believe I just said that.

Ladies, I truly appreciate all your input, advice and support on this. I think it's really time to heel this instead of just tolerating it. THANKS AGAIN! You all rock!

Gayle

 

[sherry916]

Hi Gayle. There might be hope! I had a bad case of PF in both feet about 6 years ago. It came on after I started to really increase both my miles and the speed at which I ran. I wasn't able to run or do step (my two favorite cardio activities) and I was really bummed out thinking I would never be able to do them. I was able to do the elliptical, Cathe kickboxing, and weight lifting. The elliptical isn't as much fun as running IMO, but the workout intensity is comparable to running for me. Anyhow, I know you didn't ask for advice on how to cure PF, but here are the things I did.

1. I started wearing this thing called a Strassburg sock to bed each night. It's uncomfortable at first and takes some getting used to, but it really helps to stretch out the feet while you are sleeping.

2. Every night before I went to bed, I would take some of the really thick foot cream and massage my heels. I would really rub them hard (like a deep tissue massage). At first it would really hurt, but after a while it wouldn't hurt as much. I don't know if I was breaking up the scar tissue, or just loosing the fascia (or maybe some of both), but it helped.

3. After I did my heels, I would use The Stick to roll out my hamstrings and calves. I had soooo many knots in my calves. I don't think stretching my calves and hamstrings was enough. The stick really massages the muscles and loosens them up IMO.

4. After about a 3 month layoff from running or step, I started back up again, but I taped my feet first. I used 3 strips of tape and put them on the bottom of my foot from the heels to the ball of the foot, similar to this picture http://heelspurs.com/tape.html. I used a type of tape called Hy-Tape. Any athletic tape will probably work though. If you PM me, I can mail you a couple rolls to try out. Taping my feet was a huge help in preventing the PF from coming back. It really helped to take the stress of the fascia. I probably used the tape for at least a year until I was sure the PF was gone.

5. I know everybody has their own preferred brand of inserts. I use the Spenco walker/runner type. I still use them to this day.

Hope these ideas help! Good luck.

 

[banslug]

Thank you, Sherry. I am actually going to get myself some of those 'stretchers' for night time, to try them out. Every little bit of advice helps!!!

Gayle