Plantar Faciitis - advice

[Anthony]

For anyone who has had this and got thru it, im after some advice.  of course it had to be NOW that i get it.  Came on after my last 50 km run on weekend.  Haven't run since and of course I'm freaking out.

Questions:  1.  How long for recovery - i've just noticed it had had it diagnosed straight away.
2. Little over a month away, should i NSAID up, ice, massage, stretch but continue to run then deal with it after the NF100.
3. I have done a pretty good prep for a first timer i think and am comfortable with 50 k runs and 100 k weeks.  i have no other injuries.
4. if the PF doesn't setle, how about massive time on the bike, swimming and water running - how detrimental would it be if a hardly run from now to race.

Any advice would be great.  Happy trails you lot.


Anthony

[Paul]

Hi Anthony,

I had PF in my left foot a couple of years ago, leading up to an Ironman race.  I sought help for it: from my local doctor, a physio, a sports exercise physiologist (I think that is what he is) and a podiotrist (spelling!).  To cut a long story short, nothing worked, until I came across the Trigger Point Therapy kit (www.tptherapy.com.au).  It worked a treat and the PF has not come back - I am running more now than when I was trainig for Ironman (no bike and swim at the moment) and I have has no PF.

PS: I have no association with TP Therapy - just a person who has used it and gained a benefit where nothing else worked.

Paul Mc

[Paul]

(Different Paul from the last poster)

I got a nasty case of plantar fasciitis two weeks before 6ft two years ago. I stopped running entirely for the final two weeks leading up to 6ft and as a result felt fine for the first hour on race day, but then it hit me. The pain was almost, but not quite enough, to make me drop out, so (and here’s some really bad advice) I kept going. The upshot was that I finished, but didn’t run again for about eight months.

I went to a physio and a podiatrist without much joy, then eventually went to a sports doctor who gave me a cortisone injection. Within a few weeks of the cortisone I was back into it.

That may not be much help to you 6 weeks out from TNF. But you might want to consider seeing a sports doctor who is familiar with the injury and, better yet, is familiar with an ultrarunner’s desire to make the next race, no matter what.

[Paul]

Paul No.3

Anthony

I have not had PF but my advise is to stop running completely and let it heal up, fully.

NF 100 is only six weeks away and your fitness will not drop bewteen now and then, You are already running 50km comfortably and you are doing 100km weeks so you need a long taper. The fact is had you planned it right you would have been tapering in 10 days or so any way.

Sometimes an injury is a rest you didnt know you needed in disguise.

Your own interim suggestions are perfect. Swimming and water running are excellent. You can also focus on your core while your PF is healing. Core is not usually given enough attention for long events so dont hesitate to smash yourself in this area over the the next few weeks, it wil pay dividends in the latter stages of  your NF100 run.

Like the other Paul that posted I also was an in position prior to a race where I had a Knee injury and I couldnt run with the pain, a sports doctor diagnosed the problem and applied intense pyhiso for about ten days, as a last resort I demanded a cortizone shot and away I went. Not the best option but thankfully the injury never returned.

[Anthony]

Hey Paul's above, thanks very much. 

Some good advice.  An injury this close really is a mind F$#K.  Have I done enough so that this hiccup wont impact too much?  Is this going to leave me short of miles?  What If? What If?  Got appointment with an AFL club Dr (Sports Medicine), early next week.  Decided no running until then, ice, limping, stretch, massge etc.  Hopefully he can help at least get me to the start line.  6 months investment for this event feels like too much to not get there.

[James]

Hi guys,

I developped plantar fascitis about 6 months ago after running for an hour or so for the first time in barefoot shoes. I have been running for 10 years or so and am in the medical field. I too tried all sorts of advice and treatments from physios, podiatrist, chiro etc and rigourisly did all the treatments as I was running the Motatapu Marathon in March in NZ. My training was being severely affected. The only relief I got was from 1. Firm taping of the foot worn constantly and 2. 6 weeks before the event I had the steroid injection from Dr Paul Annette a sports doc at Hurstville( and Dr for the St George league team). This provided 90% improvement, though I still need to tape the foot for long runs. Good Luck.