Blog M.D. - Diagnose my Injury
(aka, diagnose my injury so I don't have to spend time or money going to the doctor).
Are all of our contestants ready?
Alright. Today's clue is...
Foot pain
We'll take a short break while you consider how much you want to wager.
Press play button for interlude music
Ok. It's time to give you a little more info. Let's look behind door number 1.
Door #1
Hi. I'm a 25 year old triathlete and I am experiencing a pain on the inside of my foot. I have a slight underpronation. About a week ago, I began feeling a pain on the top of my foot along the bones for my big toe. My big toe would also go numb at times. I thought it was my shoes just being too tight, so I loosened them. That helped the numbness, but not the pain. Now, I have a pain on the inside of my foot even while walking around the apartment. I'm not sure if it's the same pain just expanded, moved, or changed or if it's something completely different.
Any hypotheses, guesses, or stabs in the dark?
Let's then move onto door number 2.
Door #2
My recent weekly mileage is posted on the left sidebar and my daily workouts are posted on DailyMile. I've stuck to under 20 miles per week recently, however, this past week I cut back to only three runs and increased the distance of each. My long run on Saturday was 9 miles. For me, that's three miles longer than anything I've done in a couple weeks. The run felt great though, so I'm not sure it had any cause. I also spent some time yesterday barefoot. I had a dance program in the afternoon that I did without shoes. Do you think I mess myself up by jumping around barefoot for an hour?
Any thoughts?
Ok, our final door, door number 3.
Door #3
....A New Car!!!!
Ok, not really (though I could use one). I did a bit of research myself and I doubt it's plantar fasciitis since that is swelling at the bottom of the foot and my pain is on the inside (and top early on). My best guess at this point in time is inflammation of the posterior tibialis tendon due to increased mileage but moreso my barefoot stint. The Q & A HERE from Running Times Magazine is the best fit I've found and it tells me to ice the foot and try various exercises like picking things up with my toes (swimmers are really good at that, so I already do that a lot).
And let me tell you, trying to focus and write a blot entry while ignoring the feeling/pain of an ice pack applied to your foot is incredibly difficult!!! I'd like to see THAT on "Minute to Win It."
Ok, now it's time for you to write down your answers; preferably in the comment box below or in an email. Once you've done so, we'll open the phone lines to let America vote on who will be our next Blog M.D.
Thanks for playing. We'll see you next time on Blog M.D. - Diagnose My Injury. (It even rhymes!)
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Normally I would give myself a couple weeks before freaking out about a new injury, but I was really hoping to up my workouts this week, so this bummed me out something fierce! Any ideas or thought would be helpful. Thanks!
Stay fit. Stay healthy.
13 comments:
Injuries are even more mentally than physically challenging!
It is not what you want to hear, but: take a week or 10 days totally off from running. You won't lose much if any fitness over that spell, especially if you keep on biking and swimming (but if foot hurts cycling, skip that too). Water running is boring but good for maintaining fitness, esp. if you do intervals. You don't want this injury to become chronic, and you have a whole long summer and fall ahead of you to train - pace yourself for the whole season, not for this month.
The recovery protocols for the kind of overuse injury that affects tendons and tissues are quite different than those for a stress fracture, so if your foot is really still hurting in another couple weeks, please go to the doctor and see if you can get a bone scan or MRI to rule out stress fracture!
I'd go to a physio therapist (or some other sports doctor) ASAP and get it diagnosed.
Why wait around to see "if" it clears up? Find out what the problem is and address it. By continuing training you could aggravate even more and that could be the end of your race season. For example a stress fracture and turn into a full blown fracture and then you get to spend the summer walking around in a cast
It sounds like a Sesamoiditis. Also do you Pronate alot when you run?? This is a conmmon injury in runners and dancers alike. I would rest for a few days. No running or dancing. If pain persists I would get an xray to rule this out.
Can my foot and your foot go out on a date?? They'll just sit there and not move. Or they can go to an ice festival, just sit there and be cold and marinate!
I would pay good money for a pain free day.
My vote is plantars - I had the exact symptoms. The 'top of the foot' threw a wrench into my self-diagnosis but eventually it was exactly that - plantars.
why wait? go get it looked at asap. and put some shoes on eh.
first of all...sorry I have been MIA from reading blogs lately! i have missed you yungson.
Now, you are funny, seriously I know this is a serious post but i cracked up with the format and the Jeopardy music. Genious. Really.
As for the diagnosis, I got nothing but I do have a recommendation for you: Type your next blog entry with your feet. No really...I want to see how funny it is...Type it with your feet then translate it with your hands. I bet you will feel much better!
Good luck buddy!!!!
My guess is mild tendonitis!
I say this because of the barefoot thing. And I've had tendonitis (achilles-it was a biotch) and how you describe it is kind of how it felt!
DISLIKE. No injuries!
UGH!! It SUCKS huh! I'm supposed to be in a Half Marathon this Saturday and my foot started hurting last week... Im pretty sure Im not going to be able to pull it off. Mine is also Tendonitis.... Sounds a little like what you have... ICE ICE and ICE, and Good Luck!
I wish I had some wisdom for you, but I don't. I hope you get it figured out soon though so it doesn't stop your training. Good luck!
I would highly recommend seeing a sports medicine doctor or podiatrist about your foot. I hope it feels better soon!
i can't diagnose any injuries, but as far as your question on my blog, i'm not thinking about a triathalon anytime soon. i would freaking die. but, maybe one day... who knows?
AHHHHH THIS IS GOING TO MAKE ME CRY!!! Injuries are the worst!!! I know it isn't fun to hear but I wish I did go to my doctor earlier so that I could have gotten on the road to recovery faster!!! I am PRAYING FOR YOU!!!!
post tib tendonitis... again xrays to rule out stress fx... post tib tend plus plantar fasciitis also often go hand in hand. and PTT can lead to PF if not fixed... rest, ice, and inversion strengthening...
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