Forums >General Running>Question on running after an injury
This is my first time posting on here, although I lurk from time to time. I mainly have used this site to log my runs. Introducing myself…I’m a 51 y/o female and started running a little over 2 years ago. My husband started to run with me about a year ago and we enjoy running together. I’ve run 4- 5K’s and 1- 10K. My PR for a 5K is 26:39 which I was thrilled with back in November!
I had been running 14-15 miles per week and am happy at that. 3 – 3.5 miles each Mon. Wed. and Friday and then 5 to 5.5 miles on Saturday. I’m not interested in running much more than 6 miles at a time at this point.
Now to my question, in December 2013, I started to double my efforts with hill training (on a bridge – live in FL so no actual hills!) to train for an upcoming 4 mile race over this same bridge. For 3 Saturdays in a row I ran the bridge 4 times (mileage ends up about 5.75 miles total) and the last time at a faster pace than the 2 previous weeks. After that last run, I had horrible heel pain and stopped running for 5 weeks. I went to an Orthopedic Podiatrist and was X-Rayed. The Dr. said I did not have full blown Plantar Fasciitis, but definite tightness there that was causing my heel pain. He told me to get inserts, possibly new shoes and gave me a prescription for inflammation and stretch my calves 3 times/day.
About a 1 ½ weeks ago I started to very slowly run again. I started with 1 mile, then 1.5 and now 2 miles. I don’t know whether I should just run 3 times/week for now and allow rest between each run. My foot is not in pain really, but when I run, I am very aware of it and it can be uncomfortable. I don't know how else to describe it.
Do I still continue to run and eventually my foot will feel normal? How long will this last? Or do I stop until this uncomfortableness goes away? Sometimes it gets better toward the end of the run. I know everyone is different on how you heal, but I’m unsure if I’m hurting it more. I’d like to prevent this injury from recurring, and wonder if I’m just running too fast for my everyday runs and should just slow down.
Thanks!
I have not had experience with your specific injury, so I won't comment necessarily on what you should or shouldn't do to take care of your PF, but I did want to comment on something you said. "My foot is not in pain really, but when I run, I am very aware of it and it can be uncomfortable." It has certainly been my experience that after an injury I am hyper aware of the affected area when I run. I've had a couple surgeries on my left knee in the last few years, and I would say that almost every single day *still* I am "aware" of my knee when I'm running. I'm thinking, "did that hurt just now, or was it just a little somethin'", etc. Doesn't happen every single moment of every run, of course, but this is almost a daily occurrence for me, and I guess I've just learned to blot out the thought and keep running. I'm not saying that's wise in your case (or maybe even mine!). I'm just saying that I think it might be normal to have a sort of hyper-sensitivity to previously injured areas that amplifies the "discomfort" more than is real.
- Joe
We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.
not bad for mile 25
I'm not qualified to comment specifically on your injury, but it sounds like you ramped up your training way too fast:
Bad:
Now to my question, in December 2013, I started to double my efforts with hill training (on a bridge – live in FL so no actual hills!) to train for an upcoming 4 mile race over this same bridge.
Good:
And, to what joescott said, if I stopped running until 100% pain free, I would not have logged the last 3000 miles, and wouldn't be running today. I had a bout of tendonitis, took two months off, but there was, and is, still some residual pain. I think it's sensitized nerves, as Joe said.
That said, I would hate for you to re-injure yourself by running too much, too soon. Only you and your doc can make that determination, and even then, it's not black and white. Ease back into it and see how it goes. Pain increasing is bad, but pain that comes and goes, without getting any worse, may not be something to worry about.
Thanks for both of the replies. Doubling my running on the bridge did it. I was starting to feel great with it, but maybe the 3 weeks in a row was too much. My husband did the same runs with me and was not injured. Although, that same last run he had some issues with breathing. Maybe a little too much too soon for both of us!
What you both say makes sense. I have some residual pain, but it doesn't last. The other day I did have pain afterward on the outside of my foot, but it was gone within 24 hours. The Dr. gave me the advice of staring slow with 1 mile and increase as I feel I can.