I've been experiencing some discomfort in my feet lately. I haven't vocalized it out loud since I'm still trying to dismiss it. Every morning when I step out of bed, the muscles in my foot (arch area) are sore and tight... like I can barely walk. I massage them with muscle rub and do heel raises. The soreness works itself out eventually. I'm able to walk and run again, but it's still nagging and reappears every darn morning.
Have you ever experienced this before?
Any ideas on what is going on?
TWO
In less than a month, I'm taking the AFAA Primary Group Exercise certification test. Sigh. I haven't even begun to study yet and am getting a little sick thinking about the homework that lies ahead. Next week, when the girls head back to school, so will I... hours each day reading and studying to pass this mother test! The expense of the certification alone makes it a must-pass situation for me.
Are you AFAA certified?
Any tips for me on the test?
THREEJust in case you missed it, I announced my next virtual event earlier this week... a Virtual Ride for breast cancer. #RideOutCancer Even if you don't have a bike, you can hit the stationary bike at your gym or take a few Spinning classes. Hey runners, this is great cross-training! There are participation prizes, finisher's medals, tank tops, headbands and more! I greatly appreciate your participation and support in the fight against breast cancer... Details HERE.
Have a great Thursday, my runner friends!
The same thing happened to me last yr with writing for my CanFit pro exam for Personal Trainer. I was training for a 30k (which was scheduled for the same day as the test--evening run) AND 4 kids home for summer.
ReplyDeleteI had to reschedule, which I have rewritten yet.
Maybe something I should also look into for Sept/Oct......hmmmmm
GOOD LUCK. Ouch on the foot!
Signing up now for ride! (whats the cost for Canadian shipping if I do the medal part??)
Sounds like it could be plantar fascia issues. My chiro was able to work mine out pretty easily, and now I work extra hard at stretching my calves because tight calves seem to aggravate that area for me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jenn. PF. Darn. Check out my calf stretch yoga post and start doing some!!!
DeleteAgree as well! I had PF and it took me out for 10 months b/c I kept pushing it. Calf stretches 4-100 times a day were the only thing that really helped, the best for me was face a wall, put your hands on the wall and then extend each leg back behind you, trying to keep your heel on the floor so you can feel the stretch in the calf. Doesn't seem like it would help the feet, stretching the calves, but it did!
DeleteSounds like plantar fiscitus (sp), myself and a few friends have dealt (it's continuous) with it. One friend went and got fitted for inserts and it's helped tremendously! Calf raises help me, it comes & goes depending on my miles for the week. Good luck on studying and your test! I need to get my butt moving on that too!
ReplyDeleteI swear PF is contagious right now! I feel like so many runners I know, myself included, suddenly are having issues with it! No fun. Hope you feel better quickly.
ReplyDeletePF - do the iced water bottle roll and stretch toes up the wall, not calf raises. You may need to rest from running for a week. You dont want it to turn into tendinitis. GL :(
ReplyDeleteDefinitely PF...definitely do your exercises.
ReplyDeleteYep, Plantar Fasciitis. I have that right now too :(
ReplyDeleteWell hmmmm, it must be a very mild case of PF then. All my friends who've battled PF always describe it as "daggers on the bottoms on your feet" and "impossible to run". I must have high tolerance to pain, then huh?! HaHa! Okay, doing my exercises... WebMD recommends toe stretches, calf stretches and towel stretches several times a day... but it's not extreme enough to stop me from running! :)
ReplyDeleteIt could just mean that it's starting to flare up. However, it's one of those nappging injuries that if you don't nip it in the bud, it can easily spiral out of control. And it's one where there is no sure fire fix that suits everyone.
DeleteYou are at the very beginning stages, when you can easily deny and hope it goes away. If you don't want it to get to the point of what you've heard about, get to a chiro who does graston. They will rub it out for you. Can be an easy/quick fix if taken care of now. I'm the poster child for what can happen if you choose to ignore it (and get cortisone shots to keep running). Mine wasn't bad in the beginning and didn't even hurt when I ran so I thought I was okay. Then it got bad and I wanted to get thru "one more" race season before I took time off. Yeah, that didn't happen.
DeleteDon't panic, I had a friend who got rid of it in two weeks with a good chiro!
Jess --- I've had the same problem after long runs, although probably not as bad as you. What works WONDERS for me is a lacrosse ball ($3.00 from your local sporting good stores). Roll out your arches, toes, heels, ankles, calves before and after running, and this really helps loosen your muscles and get all the junk moving around! I also recently invested in some custom foot orthotics. A little spendy ($350), but the chiropractor said they'd last for 3-4 years. I've been running in them for just over a month and my feet have never felt better. Totally worth the investment given the amount of miles I log and not having to deal with foot pain!!
ReplyDeleteI have had PF and been able to run with it. Actually walking felt worse than running for me for some reason. Ice, stretch, massage, and supporitve shoes. Mornings are usually the worst. Hope your feet feel better soon:)
ReplyDeleteI had the same thing last year during a training cycle. It was not PF, it was tendinitis in the arch and the treatments for PF didn't help a bit. What did help was a very painful massage that released the pressure my inner quads were putting on the tendons and nerves in my upper-inner leg. Everything trickles down...it was making my calves tight and the arch of my foot hurt so bad I could hardly walk, let alone run! I have had one little flair up a few months ago and a combo of a massage and the STRASSBURG SOCK, wore it for a week when sleeping, worked wonders. I have focused on prevention. I foam roll every day, even rest days and target the inner thigh, when things feel like they need extra attention I use this peg board for more targeted pressure pointing: http://www.healthykin.com/showproduct.aspx?ProductID=3237&SEName=fenix-rehab-system&gclid=CPuM5abb_7gCFQpxQgodsn4APQ
ReplyDeletethe peg board is like magic! Good luck!!!
I agree with the PF diagnosis. I have had it in the past and a combination of stretching and visitng my chiropractor (he worked on my calves with muscle vibrator thing :)) fixed me up. Now I just went out and bought an electronic back massager
ReplyDeletehttp://www.walmart.com/ip/HoMedics-Thera-P-Compact-Percussion-Massager-Model-PA-MH-THP/15747203
thing and can pretty much control it myself with that. That massager is also good for tight IT bands and rear end muscles.
Sounds like plantar fasciitis to me as well. Look into wearing a Strassburg sock at night. It helped me. Good Luck on your test!
ReplyDeleteI had a mild case of PF while marathon training last year. I spent $40 on a pair of Super Feet inserts. And it made all the difference. The pain was gone in about a week. And has not returned. The inserts lasted about 10 months.
ReplyDeleteMy arches have been giving me trouble this training cycle too! I've had great luck with rolling them on a golf ball that I've kept in the freezer. Hurts so good! And really, really helps if you do it every day.
ReplyDeleteJess, I like your blog and loved it on blogionaire.com
ReplyDeleteYup, PF. Good luck! =(
ReplyDeleteJess-I had PF and that's when I took up trigger point, its been a HUGE healer in PF and Shin Splints, its worth the expense as much as you run/spin.
ReplyDeleteI've also been AFAA certified, honestly it wasn't for me, now mind you when I did it, it was 13 some years ago but back then I didn't feel like they taught me enough to be in instructor and you have to do way to much, and spend to much to keep the certification, which was why I switched over to Les Mills for my certifications. However, your doing so well with the spin that its probably right up your ally.
Yeah, I wouldn't be doing AFAA if I didn't have to... but we get paid more (per class) if we have the certification at Landmark. In the long run, it'll be worth it I hope. I'm on chapter 3 in the textbook and there is some great info that I'm finding interesting - more so for my own personal running/training. ;)
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