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Unproven Theory While Running (Read 951 times)

PRESTOALOE


PRESTOALOE

    Hello!

     

    Long time reader, first time poster here.  Gonna be a long one I think:

     

    About a month and some odd days ago after a long run, I was about 2 miles from my stopping point when I felt a sudden twinge run up the left side of my foot.   When it happened, the first thing that shot into my mind was "Not again."  Adding insult to injury, I had upped my running mileage and workouts over the winter to prepare myself for the Shamrock Shuffle!

     

    The previous time this had happened to me was while I was up in Wisconsin for a bit.  I trekked out for another long run, and around mile... 12 or so, i fell victim to this sudden twinge on the outside of my left foot.

     

    I haven't seen a physician about it - either time - but I'm fairly certain it's a stress fracture on my fifth metatarsal (left foot).  There was no swelling, or bruising, but It was painful to walk on at times.

     

     

    Now, in the down time - both times - I resorted to cycling and rowing to stay fit, which didn't hurt the affected foot at all.

     

     

    So, today, I happened to be in New York City, and decided to try my luck running around the city streets (literally).  I had no idea just how crowded and clogged with traffic this place was.  As a life-long Chicagoan, I figured I had seen my fair share of bums, traffic, dirt, and people, but New York takes the cake on every level - especially dirt (no offense).

     

    I decided to head out on a casual run, but ended up looping around and through Central Park for an easy 10, and my foot didn't hurt at all... Now, during my run, I noticed something: I was running on the left side of the street, where things drain to the curb on the left.  When i look back on the previous injuries, the pain had started while I was running on the right side of the street where draining to the curb means down and to the right...

     

     

    Is it possible that the small gradient designed for streets and curbs to be just the right incline to be easy to run on, is just the right amount to be overly stressful on the outer foot while running??  In my mind, it can be, but I haven't had much input from friends - as they would rather fart around than run and fart around.

     

     

    I understand if this was a tl;dr.

    AnneCA


      The term you are looking for is road camber.  It is often cited as a possible reason for running injury, although, of course, whether it has anything to do with your injury, who knows. 

        Yes, gravity and the flow of water causes pain....

        My first running injury was from a 1/2 marathon where the 1st 2+ miles was on a bridge with significant drainage down the sides.  All 10,000 people were running in the center of the road, and I was wondering why people weren't running along the side of the road.  I ran "alone" along the left side of the road with significant camber.  At the end of the race, my IT band was unbearable (hammer hitting pain).

         

        I learned my lesson.  (I've long since recovered).

        I haven't felt the foot pain that you described, and I hope never to have another running injury.  Wish me luck!


        Cheers,

        Life Goals:

        #1: Do what I can do

        #2: Enjoy life

         

         


        Feeling the growl again

          Road camber (crowning) can indeed be a significant issue and cause injuries.  Roads have a lot of crown where I run.  I laced my shoes just a little wrong for my long run last weekend, now I have a hole worn into my ankle from the top of the outsole on my uphill (right) foot.  So I have been on the treadmill all week (flat) to let it heal.

          "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

           

          I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

           


          A Saucy Wench

            camber sucks

            I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

             

            "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

            BeeRunB


              If you can, switch sides of the street during your run. Even bike trails can be cambered. So make sure to not go too far one way without coming back the other way. Bill Rodgers had a problem from all those miles he ran on the same side of the road, I do believe.

               

              --JimmyCool

              PRESTOALOE


              PRESTOALOE

                Thanks!

                 

                Now that I have a specific term associated with the street gradient, I'm getting more hits on goooooogle. 

                 

                If you can, switch sides of the street during your run. Even bike trails can be cambered. So make sure to not go too far one way without coming back the other way. Bill Rodgers had a problem from all those miles he ran on the same side of the road, I do believe.

                 

                --JimmyCool

                 

                I've been thinking about that; doing at least half my run on separate sides.  Originally I thought it was the shoe - and although that may have exacerbated the issue - I'm thinking it has more to do with the streets/pathways.