Injured

The day after running the Good Life Fitness Half I woke up and it hurt to bear weight on my right heel. It was a very localized almost line of pain along the outside of my foot under my ankle.   Felt exactly like the injury I had back in June. I didnt think too much about it because last time it went away in a couple days. I iced, elevated and took ibprofuen, but this time it was different. I tried after 4 days to get out for a run but could only manage if I ran on tippy toe on that foot, so I had to end that run after a couple miles (yes...I still ran 2+ miles on a foot I couldnt fully bear weight on, so I know I didnt help my cause!). 

As much as it killed me I told myself to rest it until the pain completely disappeared. I hadnt gone more than 5 days without running in years. But I told myself it would be good to give my body a little break and maybe fix up those achey spots. 

Day 8 I woke up with no pain. I was so excited to get out and run. I decided to do a 5 mile out and back route. The first two miles were great. It was pouring rain but I couldnt help but smile, I was just happy to be running again. Then at the half way point I could feel my heel start to get sore and by mile 3 I was right back to where I started. Limping, couldnt bear weight on the heel and had to tip-toe run back to the office. I was pretty devastated. I got back to work took some ibprofen and iced it. Then oddly enough the pain went away. I had assumed I was going to be hobbling around for days again but I got home and was able to walk normally and couldnt feel any tender spots. So the next day I decided to give it another shot...

      

I decided this time at least I would do it on the treadmill so if I got sore again I could just stop and I wouldnt be stuck far away somewhere trying to get back. So I started my run feeling good and at right about 2 miles again it kicked back in. This time I shut it down quickly and by the time I got back to work the pain was pretty much gone. That afternoon I looked up physiotherapists in town and found a woman who specializes in running injuries. I made the earliest appt. I could get. I also booked in with a registered massage therapist who does sports massages. I am not a patient person, I dont like to rest and I just wanted to be fixed as soon as possible. Running makes me happy. I have a busy job and 2 little kids, running is what helps me de-stress, it makes me less anxious, I sleep so much better and the world is a brighter place. There is a reason I'm so passionate about it...it has literally changed my life! 

The RMT was great. He confirmed what my frantic googling had led me to believe which was that it was a tendon issue. He said I very obviously had a dominate leg as he could tell my left hamstring was much stronger than my right. He was wondering if running the race and pushing it so hard my right leg might not have been able to "keep up" with the left and I stressed my right Peroneal tendon cause my foot and calf were having to over compensate. He worked on my legs a bit and then gave me some hamstring exercises to help develop both sides more equally.

The physical therapist I also found to be super knowledgeable.  She did an initial assessment of my gait and balance and flexibility. She did an ultrasound to rule out a stress fracture and thankfully that was negative. Those are about a 4-6week recovery and can cause a lot of issues. She also confirmed it was inflammation of the tendon.  She could feel some swelling and actually said you could physically feel the heat coming from the injured location. She did an IMS treatment which was interesting. I have never had acupuncture or anything like that so this was new to me. The needles going in didnt hurt much but then she wiggled them around. It makes the muscle contract and can make your toes twitch. She only did 6 needles and the last one was close to a nerve and made me jump. It sent a lightening bolt down my shin and through my toes. Not very pleasant! 

She very apprehensively told me at the end of the appt. that I couldnt run for a week. I had expected it though and had already mentally prepared myself for the news. I just want this fixed properly and was willing to do whatever. She gave me the ok to swim, walk or bike but not much else. 

I went to the gym a few times, swam a couple times but it was a battle. I just dont have the same enthusiasm for any of those. I'm such an all or nothing person. If I cant run I just want to sit on the couch and self-medicate with chips...

I went back the following week feeling optimistic. No pain at all. Not even if I flex my foot outwards which previously had made it twinge. She had me do a bunch of flexing exercises and did another round of IMS. She felt around the ankle and said it was no longer hot and the swelling had gone down. Then she broke my heart and banned me from running for another week. I wasnt expecting that...I had even packed my running gear for that afternoon. She said she thought I was just below the pain threshold and that I might run once or twice and be ok but that I could very easily push myself back over the edge and end up right back where I started...sigh...another week. Cue up the mental pep talks and dramatic texts to friends and family with phrases like "wallowing in despair" lol

I remembered just as I was about to leave that I was signed up for a race with my daughter on the weekend. I told her it was only 3k, my daughter does a run/walk and we had already bought cat costumes :) 

I think she knew I would be running the race regardless of what she said so she begrudgingly ok'd me to do a walk/run as an experiment to see how my foot held up. 

So I was being really good...until Friday... then I had a stressful drs appt and needed to burn off some anxious energy. I decided to go to the gym but instead of driving I ran there...it was just under a mile each way...it felt so good :) Saturday I did the race with T and we ended up doing the full 5k, but she walked a decent amount of it so I never really hit that 2 mile running barrier that was giving me issues before.  

My next appt is Tuesday morning, but I've already decided to run at lunch tomorrow. I need to. Fingers crossed it goes well and then I will do my best to listen to what the PT has to say about how quickly to reintroduce running. Did I mention tomorrow starts my 10 week training plan for my next 10k... :)