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2014-08-22 9:37 AM


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Subject: Plantar fasciitis
I'm nine weeks away from my first IM and I think I have plantar fasciitis (according to my family doctor). I have a podiatrist appt. next week to get help. The good news is that I am ahead on my total training plan, the other good news is that I can still ride and swim without any problems. Bad news is that I have not run in ten days. I can run with limited pain, it just hurts afterwards.

I have the modest goal of simply finishing the race before they kick me off the course.

Couple questions:
1. How long is the average heal time for plantar fasciitis?
2. Treatment ideas?
3. If I am limited or can not run train at all for a lengthy period, can I still finish the IM? As I indicated above, my ride and swim training are still going great. I also have no problem having to do a large amount of walking just to finish.

Just trying to determine if I have lost the race.


2014-08-22 9:45 AM
in reply to: tjudson

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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis

I used this and it made an almost instant difference.  I have recommended it here before and it has helped others as well.  No, I don't own stock in the company or anything like that......but I suffered for 3 months and tried the boot and every other "remedy" with no luck.  I wore this sock 24 hours per day and in about 5 days I was running pain free....and ran with the sleeve on as well.

Whatever you decide, good luck.....PF can be lingering and brutal.

 http://www.feeturesrunning.com/index.php/plantar-fasciitis-sleeve

2014-08-22 10:20 AM
in reply to: tjudson

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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis
i dealt with PF leading up to my 70.3 last year - switching to a run/walk plan really helped me feet - then like LB said that worked - using a golf ball and rolling it on the bottom of your foot; inserts in my shoes helped; and a variety of other things
2014-08-22 11:47 AM
in reply to: tjudson

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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis

healing time varies considerably- depending on how bad you've damaged your PF

1.  get a night splint:  http://www.amazon.com/Medium-Cronin-PLANTAR-FASCITIS-SPLINT/dp/B001B5JVIA/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408725658&sr=8-1&keywords=plantar+fascia+night+splint

2.  roll, massage and stretch your foot (there are plenty youtube videos on this) a lot.

3.  orthopedic shoes.  ditch those low drop minimalist shoes you love for a while, and get something supportive and cushy (perhaps a Brooks Adrenaline GTS).  And/or- get an off the shelf insert (like a superfeet).

PF can last for months or years, but I've also had a pretty sharp case of it crop up 4 weeks before a marathon.  I cross trained for 4 weeks, did a couple little test runs, and BQed that sucker with minimal PF pain (well, other parts of me hurt way worse)  You WILL be able to do the IM.  it just may hurt quite a lot afterwards and take months to heal.

good luck.  everyone's PF experience is different.  The sad part is, that you'll likely be battling and working around the PF issue for years to come.  But- it's not always completely debilitating.

2014-08-22 11:49 AM
in reply to: tjudson

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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis

IME, there is no average healing time.  It varies drastically depending on a number of variables, including primarily how early it was caught, and how stubborn the athlete was about continuing to run through it.

I had one athlete who recognized the pain within two runs, told me about it and got to the doctor immediately to confirm his suspicions.  We stopped all running until he was pain free about a week and a half later.  Then we resumed training at a lower volume and with a more conservative progression.  That was 18 months ago, and he's been fine since.

I currently have an athlete who didn't tell me about it initially, then down-played the severity of the pain, and did longer runs than I scheduled.  It eventually got so bad that I banned her from running at all, and insisted she see a doctor.  She has been getting ART treatments for the last few weeks, and I prescribed deep water running in the interim.  It's been a few months since the issue started, and she's still not 100%, in part because she refused to allow it to heal.

Approaching it with the philosophy that being healthy and injury-free is a higher priority than gaining fitness is crucial for dealing with this type of injury.  Aggressively resting it can make all the difference.

If your training is where it should be at this point, there isn't any reason you can't go on to finish the IM the way you describe.  Keep building that swim and bike fitness, and you'll be fine.  If your goal is just to finish ahead of the cutoffs, a solid swim and bike for most people can allow enough time to walk the entire marathon if necessary, but if you treat your PF correctly, you won't need to walk all of it.

Good luck.

 

2014-08-22 11:50 AM
in reply to: austhokie

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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis
Originally posted by austhokie

i dealt with PF leading up to my 70.3 last year - switching to a run/walk plan really helped me feet - then like LB said that worked - using a golf ball and rolling it on the bottom of your foot; inserts in my shoes helped; and a variety of other things


I use a tennis ball at my desk that I roll my feet on.


2014-08-22 12:26 PM
in reply to: TriMyBest


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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis
Thanks for the information. At the end ofthe day I was most concerned with losing the race.
2014-08-22 12:41 PM
in reply to: tjudson

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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis
Originally posted by tjudson

Thanks for the information. At the end ofthe day I was most concerned with losing the race.


doing my first IM in 5 weeks...

if you have a solid swim/bike then you should be good - i would think - i've seen people (a friend) do a slower run, than bike due to compression syndrome in leg and still finish
2014-08-22 1:21 PM
in reply to: deboerkj

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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis

Originally posted by deboerkj
Originally posted by austhokie i dealt with PF leading up to my 70.3 last year - switching to a run/walk plan really helped me feet - then like LB said that worked - using a golf ball and rolling it on the bottom of your foot; inserts in my shoes helped; and a variety of other things
I use a tennis ball at my desk that I roll my feet on.

A frozen water bottle can work well too.

 

2014-08-22 2:24 PM
in reply to: tjudson


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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis
If helpful, this is my history with it and how I've managed it.

I got PF on both feet on my 20-mile training run in January about 4 weeks before my first marathon (Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth in February). I switched to the Brooks Adrenaline GTS with blue superfeet insoles and compression sleeves for my calves.

Did a lot of frozen golf ball rolling to massage/stimulate the tendon along with some marble and theraband exercises to strengthen all those little supporting muscles.

Biggest thing for me was to roll and stretch the calves. That was the source of the problem. I've always had tight calves and have gotten a bunch of old man strains in the calves and achilles.

Got through the marathon at a much slower pace and though i could feel it still there. I just made sure not to try to push it on pace nor while going up hill. Just shortened my stride going up hill.

Did a 1/2 marathon a month later and was able to push it a little more. Did a 1/2 iron distance a month after that and still felt the PF but still no pain. Since them I haven't done any races, but kept my volume up and training for another 1/2 iron at the end of Sept and NYC marathon in Nov.

Presently, I still feel it whenever I do a threshold run and after a particularly long run (anything more than 13 miles). I'm planning on shutting it down after Nov for two months but focusing on yoga and stretching/strengthening calves in the off season.
2014-08-22 3:29 PM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis
Originally posted by morey000

healing time varies considerably- depending on how bad you've damaged your PF

1.  get a night splint:  http://www.amazon.com/Medium-Cronin-PLANTAR-FASCITIS-SPLINT/dp/B001B5JVIA/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408725658&sr=8-1&keywords=plantar+fascia+night+splint

2.  roll, massage and stretch your foot (there are plenty youtube videos on this) a lot.

3.  orthopedic shoes.  ditch those low drop minimalist shoes you love for a while, and get something supportive and cushy (perhaps a Brooks Adrenaline GTS).  And/or- get an off the shelf insert (like a superfeet).

PF can last for months or years, but I've also had a pretty sharp case of it crop up 4 weeks before a marathon.  I cross trained for 4 weeks, did a couple little test runs, and BQed that sucker with minimal PF pain (well, other parts of me hurt way worse)  You WILL be able to do the IM.  it just may hurt quite a lot afterwards and take months to heal.

good luck.  everyone's PF experience is different.  The sad part is, that you'll likely be battling and working around the PF issue for years to come.  But- it's not always completely debilitating.




^ This

IME the boot has helped the most. shoe inserts the next most effective. I'll have to toss in that Hoka's have been key as well, in lessening the heel pain.

Edited by metafizx 2014-08-22 3:31 PM


2014-08-22 3:47 PM
in reply to: strawdog18

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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis

Originally posted by strawdog18.... Biggest thing for me was to roll and stretch the calves. That was the source of the problem.....

^^^ and this.  Forgot to mention that one.  Good advice.

2014-08-22 4:05 PM
in reply to: morey000

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Subject: RE: Plantar fasciitis
Originally posted by morey000

Originally posted by strawdog18.... Biggest thing for me was to roll and stretch the calves. That was the source of the problem.....

^^^ and this.  Forgot to mention that one.  Good advice.




I came here just to mention this!

I had it in January so bad that I couldn't run, and when I walked in the mornings I winced in pain. I did a few things:

Put PowerStep insoles in my work boots
Rolled my feet on a frozen water bottle in the early weeks
Switched to Brooks Adrenaline GTS shoes
**Stretch my calves and feet before bed and when I wake up (only takes about 2 minutes each time)**
**Bought a The Stick (sprinter stick) and roll my calves with it after runs and before bed**

It doesn't bother me at all anymore. I starred the two things that I think helped the most. Through my quest to fix it I found that it is more of a calf problem than a foot problem and I believe it. I haven't stopped doing any of my routines because I really enjoy doing them now and I'd hate to ever get that again.

I never stopped running, and was increasing my distance weekly. I only added these things to my life and felt full relief in a couple of months.
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