Forums >Health and Nutrition>Peroneal Tendonitis
Hi!
I'm running a half marathon on Sunday (my second) and began to have severe pain down the outside of my left shin and down into the outside arch of my foot yesterday afternoon. I ran my final long run of 11 miles last Friday and ran 4 miles yesterday morning. I suspected Peroneal Tendonitis after researching online and my doctor confirmed this diagnosis this morning. He gave me an air cast to wear until Sunday and an rx for anti-inflammatory pills. He didn't seem to concerned that the tendon might rupture while running, he basically told me to wing it and see how I felt that morning and as the race went on. He said if I was in terrible pain afterwards, to come see him next week. Thoughts? Is it crazy to try to run? Right now it hurts to walk but I'm hoping with rest, ice, and anti-inflammatories for the next 3 days, it will feel better by the time I reach the starting line. I think I can run through the pain/walk/rest throughout the race if needed, but I'm worried that I'll make it worse and possibly need surgery if I run. Has anyone had experience with this injury so close to race day? Thanks!
I have never had this injury but the question that you have to ask is: "How important is this race to you?"
Yes, you can cross the finish line of a half marathon while injured. Sometimes it makes recovery harder, sometimes it doesn't.
When I was younger I would run every race I signed up for regardless of injury. Now, not so much. If I can get a number for Boston 2014 I'll "run" it regardless of injury even if I need to drag myself along by my elbows and I will run any USATF-New England Grand Prix race as long as I am capable or running close to race-speed but any other race I'll sit out if I'm injured.
There will always be more races to run so if there isn't something special about this particular race I'd say get healthy and race another day even if running it won't mean that you need surgury.
The thing about acute tendonitis is that it can be a real PITA if it turns chronic -- tendonosis. Do what you gotta do if the race is important, but then get it taken care of.
You might also want to see a PT and figure out what's *really* causing the tendon injury. It might be random, or it might mean that something else -- a muscle imbalance, stride problem, whatever -- is out of whack.
Prince of Fatness
Get a foam roller on the peroneal muscle just below the knee on the outside of your leg. Chances are that you will find a sore spot there. Google "peroneal foam roller" to find plenty of examples.
Not at it at all.
Thanks for the advice. As much as I don't want to hear it, I think I needed it to reconfirm what my body was telling me - to take it easy. There will be other races and it's not as though this one was so important to me
flashlight and sidewalk
I had a minor bought of this about a month ago...
I read somewhere that you can run through it...not true/wise. Trying to run with this aggravated it and probably set my recovery back 4-5 days.
I recommend taping your ankle for walking around throughout the day (you-tube has decent how-tos for this)...aircast is probably fine, but I really liked the taping.
I recommend 0 running and doing the RICE routine for at least 10 days. At least. If you feel anything at day 10, walk it back.
I found I could use the elliptical with no pain after about day 3.
Possible causes - general TMTS, running on a cambered road (common on downhill foot), running fast downhill. Unless you continue having problems, this is one time that I wouldn't worry too much about your mechanics/root cause of the problem.
Good luck. Don't run the race. Don't walk the race. Rest up, get ready for the next one.
**Ask me about streaking**
I think your decision to skip the race is a wise one.
I will share my personal experience with this dastardly condition in the hopes that you can benefit from my mistakes.
I started to have issues at the end of 2011 - my ankle was constantly swollen, stiff and sore but not painful to the point I could not run on it. So as any smart, responsible person would do - I basically ignored it.
Until I finally had to stop running in May/June of 2012 because of the original ankle issue and the follow on issues that came with it - hip, hamstring, glute stiffness and pain all on the same side as the peroneal issues.
I agree with the poster that recommended finding out what is really causing the issue. I tried to start back a couple of times hoping that time off would do the trick - but always ended back up with a swollen and sore ankle, and stiffness in my hip, hamstring, glute area.
I finally went to the doctor in late 2012 and found out that my ankle issue was related to high arches and supination (under-pronation) - this causes my foot to not collapse as it should and stresses the peroneal. My doctor recommended an orthotic.
Now, I was not a proponent of orthotics, but I figured it couldn't hurt to give them a try since nothing else seemed to be working. To my surprise they have done the trick for me. Simplistically, they lift the outside of my problem foot and relieve the stress on the peroneal tendon which has eliminated the stiffness, and swelling in the ankle. I was still having stiffness in the hip, hammy, glute area, though. I tried rolling, and stretching but was really resigning myself to the fact that I was just going to have to live with it.
But recently, I have started a new strength training program focused on those areas and in just a few weeks have noticed a marked improvement. The stiffness has all but disappeared.
The moral of the story is spend the time now to figure it out and deal with it or you may end up missing more than one race. I am coming up on a year, I have lost much time and fitness due to that darn little tendon.
Best of luck. (Sorry for the novel )
You can call me Anna