Heel problems

[Brooks1977]

Hi All, I haven’t posted on here for a while but all was going well until a couple of weeks ago. I completed week 4 with relatively no problems, then on one of my rest days my left heel became really sore and I ended up not being able to put any pressure on it. It felt like there was a very painful bruise on the base of my heel? It has been nearly two weeks now and I can walk on it again but have some heel pads in my shoes, and still feel uncomfortable walking without shoes on hard ground. Does anyone know what this is and how it happened and when it’s safe to go running again? I really felt I was achieving on this plan until this happened😕 thanks

[Anthie Graduate]

Hi Brooks77,

Perhaps you hould talk to your GP or see a physio if it's been a while... It sounds like your muscles there are in tension or inflamed. It could be for many reasons: shoes (see posts and recommendations from the mentors on shoes and gait analysis) or flat feet and plantar fasciitis (PF) in which case you need to get special insoles and running shoes more adapted to make it easy for you. You definitely need to check with a GP and a physio to make sure it's not PF before starting running again. Check this website (you need to unscroll to get the explanation):

webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/tc/...

I have flat feet and a problem with my right foot I'm dealing with special insoles (but it seems that in France we're lucky as we have GPs specializing in sports and podiatrists who check your feet and design insoles for your morphology). Massages help a lot: you need to relax the muscle in tension. In any case don't leave it untreated to avoid getting worse and a heel spur (the bone reacts against the rubbing of the muscle and inflammation by making a calcaneal spur). Good luck!

[Brooks1977 in reply to Anthie]

Thanks for your advice, I will try and get to the GP later this week if it doesn’t get any better

[Millsie-J Graduate]

I think after this while I would get a proper diagnosis as it could be a number of things.

PF is generally worse first thing in the morning (when you get out of bed), and directly after resting. If it is PF you do not necessarily need insoles, so it is important you know what it is. I say this from experience, I had a very bad bout of PF a while back........it wasn’t run related. I saw a physio, got the correct exercises, I never wear flat shoes , and when running have a shoe that suits.......a 12mm heel to toe drop is recommended for PF sufferers although I always (ALWAYS) have 10mm drop running shoes which have suited me fine for past couple of years.i don’t use an insole myself as it’s not needed. I’m sure some folk may find them helpful but get professional guidance.

[Brooks1977 in reply to Millsie-J]

Thanks, I will try and see the GP later this week if it doesn’t improve

[Rickne Graduate]

I am confident this sounds like a Plantar fasciitis type injury. I have had on and off issues with it for a few years but this year its like a constant bruise on my heel. Not so bad running but if i knock it or even when im just climbing out of bed in the morning its agony.

[Brooks1977 in reply to Rickne]

Haven’t tried running yet, but hoping it will be ok 🤞