Well this is it troops...my first ever blog post. Could I be taking my arrogance to new levels by actually thinking people are interested in what I have to say? Perhaps.
This first post is running related and probably a very dull read for those of you fortunate enough not to have suffered from Plantar Fasciitis. For those of you that have, here are my PF experiences.
How I Got Plantar Fasciitis (in both feet!?):
Over Christmas, I began training hard for my second Brighton Marathon in search of that elusive PB (3:28 in my case!) - doing alot of speed work (tempo runs/interval runs) to start out. No session lasted more than an hour or so. One weekend at the beginning of January 2011, in a moment of madness, I decided to go out on a random 17 mile run. BIG MISTAKE! Next morning my heels and arches were completely knackered. It felt like somebody was stabbing hot needles into them with every step I took. In fact, the following week, it got so bad I had to take a day off work cos I couldn't even stand. Saw a doc - Plantar Fasciitis. Great. Five months without running and now I’m pain free. I have slowly started training again too (I've cranked my runs up to a mighty 20 minutes! Hurah!). Here’s how.
The Problem With Plantar Fasciitis:
Over the past five months, I honestly think I've read every single web article about PF. I kid you not. The biggest ball ache is that the self treatment varies from person to person. What works for one person, may not work for the other.
How I've Treated Plantar Fasciitis:
Well this is the most important bit, and it’s all down to the individual. However, these are the different bits and bobs that worked for me. I won't bother going into the science behind them.
1) Rest - Resist the temptation to run. I've had nearly 4 months off from running and I won’t lie, I've been grumpy. Recovery time may vary depending on the severity of the PF. Listen to your body.
2) Ice- In the early days of picking up the injury, ice helped reduce the angry inflammation of the plantar. I still use ice now if I've been on my feet for a while, or out on a small training run. Its not a remedy but it certainly soothes. I use a great ice pack from www.physioroom.com
3) Ibuprofen - Took some in the first week of injury to reduce the inflammation.
4) Calf Stretching -Tight calves tug on the plantar and irritate it. Stretch the calves like you've never stretched before. - I'm talking like 5 times a day and hold each stretch for 60 secs. The first session should be as soon as you hop out of bed. There are 2 parts to your calf you're looking to stretch: The Gastrocnemius and the Soleus (lower calf). For me, the Soleus stretch really helped. There are guides on the web. Google it!
5) Footwear - This was an odd one with me. Both the physio and doc banged on about getting orthotic insoles. I tried them and I didn't have much joy. They hurt and flared up the PF. I suspect its because I have normal arches. I pretty much wear Plimsolls throughout the day, with a gel insole to absorb some impact. Seemed to work well for me. I think if you have high/low arches you may need to use orthotics though.
6) Plantar Stretching - Hanging your heels from a step/kerb for 30 secs at a time helps. I drove my girlfriend crazy because every single kerb/step that I saw, I was hanging my heels off it. Infact, I still do.
Also, the crossed leg plantar stretch really helps too (this is when you sit crossed legged and pull the toes of the effected foot back). I do this a few times a day, 3 sets of 20 seconds. There are guides to the plantar stretch online. Google it! Do these 5 times a day too - first session as soon as you wake up.
7) Plantar Massage - Once the initial severe pain has subsided, you can start with golf ball rolling under the arch of your foot, and also that thick muscular bit you can feel that leads into your tender heels. Start off slowly and then after a few weeks you can really get in there, soften out all the knots and bubbles in the plantar. After a month or so, I started using heat therapy before going to bed too. Pop my feet on a hot water bottle for 10 minutes and then manually massage the plantar using your thumb, maybe use a dollop of Red Tiger Balm too just to get the blood going. The blood will help with the healing process.
8) Foot Strengthening - I think foot strengthening, stretching and massaging have been key to recovery. Only start foot strengthening once the real severe pain has died down and you feel comfortable doing it.
I do the towel pick up twice a day. I take my shoes and socks off at my desk (much to the dismay of my colleagues!) and I spend 5 minutes on each foot pick up and dropping a small towel. I've even used my sock and a marble. You'll be surprised how your feet tingle a bit afterwards….but a good sign that the blood is rushing into the plantar and making it nice and strong!
Another great exercise is the single leg calf raise. Stand on one leg with your foot flat on the ground, then slowly raise yourself onto your toes, hold for 5 secs, then back down. You can hold onto something if you like.
Anyway. The key to my recovery was stretching, massaging and strengthening.
Coincidently, I’ve recently bought a pair of Merrell Barefoot Trail Gloves, and use these walking daily to and from work. Using these, and continuing with the stretching have aided my recovery. More on that later.
