Injured Heel

Jeremy Jones · 04-28-2005, 04:39 PM

Started out as an annoyance I have had for the last couple of weeks. Just a slight pain in front of the heel, closer to the arch of the foot. I have been doing some running to improve my mile times (about 3 times a week), and last night I was running sprints (about 200m).

My third sprint my arch and heel started killing me! I thought is was a bruised heel, but I am not so sure now. I was on my toes the entire time (as I usually am, even during the mile runs). I have decent running shoes, and I haven't really ran more than a mile in almost two months.

Today I am having trouble walking. Any weight I put on this foot is causing me pain (not just the heel).

Anyone have symptoms like this? What should I do to speed recovery?

William Hunter · 04-28-2005, 04:51 PM

Plantar Fasciitis. Differentiated from a heel spur, in large part, because it hurts when you don't have pressure on the heel. The plantar fascia is like a coiled spring connecting your heel to the ball of your foot, mostly behind the big toe. You obviously ****ed yours off.

Rest, ice, and cross-friction massage is a good way to begin rehab.

Hope this helps.

Jeremy Jones · 04-29-2005, 09:44 AM

Whoa. that was fast. (I was hoping that Dr. Hunter would chime in).

This community is awsome.

Much Thanks - Do you know how long it takes for something like this to heal comletely? I know that a lot of these injuries can start to feel better, but can aren't completely healed for much longer. Is there a danger of that here?

Kevin Okerlund · 04-29-2005, 10:48 AM

Jeremy;

Depending on the severity you might want to look at wearing a night splint. I went thru the ice, rest, etc. and found that getting a night splint helped more than anything.
Kevin

Lincoln Brigham · 04-29-2005, 11:33 AM

Plantar Fasciitis can suck. Had a friend who had it and it took a long time for it to go away. Echo Mr. Hunter's recommendations. Custom shoe inserts might be worth looking into as well. Good luck.

William Hunter · 04-29-2005, 11:44 AM

Dr. Hunter? Mr. Hunter? What's the deal? I'm still a weak little CF newb compared to you guys.

I like Will or William :-)

Splints and inserts are both excellent ideas. PF sucks because...well...it's your foot, and you're always on it. It's not like a sore wrist.

Running and jumping are probably the worst exacerbators of this problem, so I'd limit myself to exercises where your feet stay planted on the ground. At least for a week or two. Then test it out gingerly.

Jeremy Jones · 04-29-2005, 04:50 PM

Will, just using a more 'official' title.

I have inserts for my shoes and I plan on avoiding running (which I don't like to do anyway). The inserts aren't 'custom' they are just made out of memory foam and seem to make a difference.

Night Splint? What is that?

Steve Shafley · 04-29-2005, 04:58 PM

It holds your foot at a 90° to your lower leg, thus keeping the PF stretched out during sleep.

Graham Hayes · 04-30-2005, 09:03 AM

I had some fun with this a while back after a 10km run.

Will's massage suggestion did a lot of good.

Don't run or jump. And be carefull with the O-lifts...that's jumping too.

I had pain for about 3 weeks, at that point I started running again but only on treadmills. Occasionally I'd get some pain back, but the next day it'd be fine. I kept using the treadmills for a couple more weeks before going back to normal running. No problems since.

John S. Powell · 05-01-2005, 06:58 PM

Don't really have anything useful to add here, except my sympathy. I got PF pretty often from fencing, until I stopped stomping my front foot so hard. Even so, I still suffer from time to time. But worse than that are my coach's stationary lessons. Nothing quite like holding a squat for an hour while people hit you with long metal objects.

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04-28-2005, 04:39 PM	#1
Jeremy Jones Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Concord Ca Posts: 1,218	Started out as an annoyance I have had for the last couple of weeks. Just a slight pain in front of the heel, closer to the arch of the foot. I have been doing some running to improve my mile times (about 3 times a week), and last night I was running sprints (about 200m). My third sprint my arch and heel started killing me! I thought is was a bruised heel, but I am not so sure now. I was on my toes the entire time (as I usually am, even during the mile runs). I have decent running shoes, and I haven't really ran more than a mile in almost two months. Today I am having trouble walking. Any weight I put on this foot is causing me pain (not just the heel). Anyone have symptoms like this? What should I do to speed recovery?

04-28-2005, 04:51 PM	#2
William Hunter Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Rome GA Posts: 967	Plantar Fasciitis. Differentiated from a heel spur, in large part, because it hurts when you don't have pressure on the heel. The plantar fascia is like a coiled spring connecting your heel to the ball of your foot, mostly behind the big toe. You obviously ****ed yours off. Rest, ice, and cross-friction massage is a good way to begin rehab. Hope this helps.

04-29-2005, 09:44 AM	#3
Jeremy Jones Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Concord Ca Posts: 1,218	Whoa. that was fast. (I was hoping that Dr. Hunter would chime in). This community is awsome. Much Thanks - Do you know how long it takes for something like this to heal comletely? I know that a lot of these injuries can start to feel better, but can aren't completely healed for much longer. Is there a danger of that here?

04-29-2005, 10:48 AM	#4
Kevin Okerlund Member Profile: Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Westfield NY Posts: 33	Jeremy; Depending on the severity you might want to look at wearing a night splint. I went thru the ice, rest, etc. and found that getting a night splint helped more than anything. Kevin

04-29-2005, 11:33 AM	#5
Lincoln Brigham Member Profile: Join Date: May 2003 Location: Kirkland WA Posts: 3,987	Plantar Fasciitis can suck. Had a friend who had it and it took a long time for it to go away. Echo Mr. Hunter's recommendations. Custom shoe inserts might be worth looking into as well. Good luck.

04-29-2005, 11:44 AM	#6
William Hunter Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Rome GA Posts: 967	Dr. Hunter? Mr. Hunter? What's the deal? I'm still a weak little CF newb compared to you guys. I like Will or William :-) Splints and inserts are both excellent ideas. PF sucks because...well...it's your foot, and you're always on it. It's not like a sore wrist. Running and jumping are probably the worst exacerbators of this problem, so I'd limit myself to exercises where your feet stay planted on the ground. At least for a week or two. Then test it out gingerly.

04-29-2005, 04:50 PM	#7
Jeremy Jones Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Concord Ca Posts: 1,218	Will, just using a more 'official' title. I have inserts for my shoes and I plan on avoiding running (which I don't like to do anyway). The inserts aren't 'custom' they are just made out of memory foam and seem to make a difference. Night Splint? What is that?

04-29-2005, 04:58 PM	#8
Steve Shafley Banned Profile: Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Saginaw MI Posts: 508	It holds your foot at a 90° to your lower leg, thus keeping the PF stretched out during sleep.

04-30-2005, 09:03 AM	#9
Graham Hayes Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Sidmouth Devon Posts: 880	I had some fun with this a while back after a 10km run. Will's massage suggestion did a lot of good. Don't run or jump. And be carefull with the O-lifts...that's jumping too. I had pain for about 3 weeks, at that point I started running again but only on treadmills. Occasionally I'd get some pain back, but the next day it'd be fine. I kept using the treadmills for a couple more weeks before going back to normal running. No problems since.

05-01-2005, 06:58 PM	#10
John S. Powell Member Profile: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: New Haven CT Posts: 89	Don't really have anything useful to add here, except my sympathy. I got PF pretty often from fencing, until I stopped stomping my front foot so hard. Even so, I still suffer from time to time. But worse than that are my coach's stationary lessons. Nothing quite like holding a squat for an hour while people hit you with long metal objects.