SCIFT group (Short Course is Fast Twitch)! (Page 7)

Well damn!  Looks like I'll be sitting my butt down for a while.  I was really hoping it wasn't PF.  Thanks for the info Lani because I'd rather have a name for this.  But dammmmmn.

Thanks, working on it. Wish I could add something to what lani said about your trouble. Definitely take it easy and consider having it looked at to be sure. From the descriptions in the link, I should keep an eye on myself too. Have had some stiffness in the heel area, though it's well short of painful.

Lani, since you had already suffered thru this, your opinion carried a lot of weight but I wouldn’t heap the responsibility on you for an official diagnosis.  But your take was excellent to help with my head re-adjustment, plan formulation, and internet searches.  I went to our local running store today (who thus far has given DH and me excellent advice).  One of the guys touched the trigger point on my foot and said, “If it started there, it’s PF.”  So now I’ve got a plan of attack – exercises, RICE, an apt with a massage therapist with PF experience, and if all that fails or it’s lingering, I’ll go to our sport med place.  (Unfortunately my regular doctor would not be able to help with this.)  I really appreciate your help!!!

Brigby, in hindsight, I think I had some tightness that I ignored.  I’m not sure tho.  Just be careful.  I thought since I hadn't encountered this in my 3 years of running that I was immune to it.  Not so.

Agreed!!  Hope you're able to get through this relatively quickly!  I've heard that freezing water in a water bottle and then rolling it on the ground under your foot is supposed to help with PF issues.  I've not had PF issues, so I'm just going based on what I've read.

My knee decided it might be a bit early to start running still.  I'm now giving Active Release a shot to see if the lingering knee pain might be due to some weird muscle tightness (likely from altering my natural walk/run to accommodate the pain) or scar tissue.  I had an appointment yesterday, one tomorrow, and hopefully a couple more before I go back to the ortho and he wants to open me up!!

Really hope that they can help the knee pain before the ortho.  I know that you are so frustrated.

PINK SOCKS -

Coming over here from the "sister site"...............and to me it also sounds like PF.  The two big indicators are (1) pain on medial side, usually at the front of the heel bone, and (2) pain first thing in the morning, then getting better as you move around some (except when trying to run!).

Rest is the best thing you can do for it, but here are a few other modalities:

• Ice massage, using a styrofoam cup.  Fill it 3/4 fulll, put it in your freezer, and when ready to use, peel off an inch of the styrofoam and start massaging.  A few times a day for five or so minutes will help some.
• Go to www.tptherapy.com and see what they recommend for PF.  You'll see lots of calf work, which might surprsie you but there it is -- calf tightness can manifest as PF if it persists.  The Trigger Point "toys" are very expensive, but most can be simulated with household materials. 
• Go to www.injurybegone.com and look at their "Night Splint", I think it's called.  It is a big, ungainly-looking boot, meant to wear while sleeping, and at least for me it was surprisingly comfortable.  I am a poor sleeper, but my sleep "patterns' were hardly affected by the boot.  It works to keep the foot in dorsiflexion, which is highly desirable in the healing process.  A product with a similar goal is the Strassburg Sock, although i have never tried it.
• Once things have settled down some, roll the affected area over a golf ball.  That will help with some strengthening of the area, as will picking up socks with your toes.
• You may need to pay a ton of attention to your calves -- especially if you felt them being a problem leading up to the onset of PF.  By "attention", that would be some stretching, some rolling, some basic strengthening exercises. (oh, noooooo......)

Don't try to run through this; I did, and the condition become much worse than it could've been.  Unless you have a big all-important race coming up within the next 3-4 months......this is the "perfect" time for PF.  That is, lots of opportunity for rest and recovery!

Finally, I have a very simple taping procedure that you might want to try when you get back to thinking about running.  PM me about that, as it worked really well for me.  Between the taping and the use of the boot, I made it through the '08 season pain-free and very successfully.  PF is unpleasant and in some people it is chronic, but for most it is beatable.  hope that's the case for you!

"Fast Twitch Tri". "Sister Group" would likely describe it better.

WESTYNH -

Yeah, I wasn't cleasr on that.  It's Fast Twitch, here at BT, birthed at the same time as SCIFT.  Well, maybe birthed a few minutes earlier, but essentially twins!

PINKSOCKS again -

When/if you check out the boot at www.injurybegone.com, do NOT be tempted by the thingie that is designed to cinch around the arch.  My experience tells me that it neither stays in place nor can get as tight as the taping strategy that I alluded to earlier.  JSYK!

Lesser mileage last week, all single run days too, and what I was feeling seems to have subsided. It wasn't quite the same thing and was only to a much lesser extent. Mine was back farther, more towards the heel/achilles as well. It's from adapting to the shoe style change (less drop) awhile back and increasing mileage. It's close enough in proximity that PF could have been possible from what I read in the links.

Ok, I get it now. You're better off over here Steve, our ladies are much better looking.

@Steve, thanks for all of the info!!!  I swear I didn't mean to hijack the thread for me.  I've read about PF for years and could never understand it.  When I posted, I never thought my injury was going to go to the PF route.  But once it was suggested, I googled and immediately started with many of the exercises and the rolling.  And I went to our local running shop who has a wealth of knowledge.  (I know that a lot of shops don't have knowledgeable sales people but this one does.) They showed me the Strausberg (sp?) sock and even told me how to do it right (and wrong).  I may go back and get it but at the time, I held off.  I'm stretching everything, rolling out everything, picking up marbles with my feet, icing as you suggested, scrunching the towel, etc.  So far, my favt has been the pulling the top portion of my foot back gently with a rope and holding it (so I'm definitely thinking about the Strausberg sock).  I must admit that the "pain" has gone away and now there is a just a little something there that reminds me that I don't want to go back to the pain.  But thank you for all of the links and suggestions and I'm definitely looking at any and all.

Brigby, so glad that your pain isn't the PF!

Kevin, I like that statement about the women being better looking here but I know you are talkiing aobut Lani, LT, and others.  But I'll pretend like I'm included too.  I love getting old because I can delude myself and actually forget that I'm deluding myself and believe it.

Oh, you were included Pink. I'll take Brownie points anyway I can get them.

What's everyone up to this weekend? I'm running on a 40+ Co-ed 5 person relay team. I have the last leg which is 4.75 miles. I'm starting to have anxiety about it. I swear I will NOT be DFL.

Nah, it's just for fun. Really.

Getting unsick. Bleh!

I started doing some Active Release therapy for my knee and have another session this afternoon -- he said he wants me to try running this weekend to see how my knee feels.  So the plan for tomorrow is a longish ride followed by a short run.  Hoping for some improvement, but I'm also being realistic enough to know that this will not be an overnight kind of fix....gonna take some time still.

Sounds like a fun race!  I did Ragnar (200ish mile race with a 12 person team) earlier this year....at the time, it seemed like torture, but looking back now, I had a really great time.  Wish we could do it again this year, but it's not going to work out.  Have fun with it!  Also, it's awesome to be able to finish the race out....I got the honor of doing that too

Oh Lani, Yuck!  I say be pretty dang blunt with him (not quite mean - YET).  If another text comes in or another face to face comment, say something like "I'm sorry but I do not like the way this is going.  I don't think lunches are needed between us and no more pecks.  Makes me uncomfortable."  If he doesn't back off, he is a dirty old man that is really trying.  Maybe one more BACK OFF.  After that, go for the jugular (spelling?).  I used to try to be nice about people like that because I thought I was mis-interpreting and I didn't want a scene.  But if you warn them nicely, and then maybe more forcefully, anything after that is NOT your fault.  I had one guy so scared that he would bolt when he saw me coming; could have been because I told him I wasn't a great shot but I could definitely hit close enough to a general area that he wouldn't be able to pee standing up anymore.  Sweetie, good luck with it but don't that that crap from him - even if he is a neighbor.

X2. I would give him the benefit of the doubt, I've given up on trying to figure out what is going on in some peoples heads. I would also tell him your next conversation will be with his wife.  Should do the trick.

Thanks, getting there! Hope your guys are ok soon too.

Wish I had something useful to say for your situation.

Anyone using TrainerRoad?  I used to dread getting on the trainer....and I'd basically have to bargain with myself to stay on for an appreciable amount of time (and still ususally didn't make it an hour!).  I've found that TrainerRoad makes riding on the trainer much more tolerable....even though the workouts I'm doing are way more intense than the ones I was doing on my own!

I'm doing Jorge's plan....and I curse him pretty much every time I ride, but I know it will only help me.  And for a change of pace, I finally bought a couple fans to make it even better. [Something weird happened with the weather....it wasn't so bad when the lows were in the 40's, but now that the lows are back up in the 60's, I've been struggling, so I knew it was time to get some fans]

Hope everyone is doing well....getting through sickness and injuries and such.  Any update on your "situation", Lani?