Advice or reassurance please, it’s a daft ques... - Couch to 5K

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Advice or reassurance please, it’s a daft question...

Vintage61 profile image
Vintage61Graduate
21 Replies

My plantar fasciitis has been a monkey this week. Doing stretches, ice etc but up overnight as painful. I clearly need to rest it which is killing me as I really want to run. My daft question is, for someone like me new to running, will resting mean I go backwards quickly? I’m

so chuffed with what I’ve achieved and the thought of losing it is making me very anxious.

Sorry for ramble, feeling bit emotional this morning, what am I like? 🤦🏼‍♀️

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Vintage61 profile image
Vintage61
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21 Replies
Realfoodieclub profile image
RealfoodieclubGraduate

Resting it will help you go forward quicker. You don’t lose much with a couple of weeks or so off but without proper rest for an injury that can quickly turn to months off needed, early rest with an injury is always preferable. I know it is so hard but it really is worth it. Take care. Rfc x

Vintage61 profile image
Vintage61Graduate in reply to Realfoodieclub

Thank you. I’m doing the Poppy Run late October and don’t want to miss that. My brain says rest is sensible, just need to deal with the mental connection for me. Thank you again 🙏

NettieNoo profile image
NettieNooGraduate

I had plantar fasciitis a couple of years ago and it was excruciatingly painful, so you have my sympathy. I wasn't running at the time, so I can't comment on how it, or resting it, will impact on that, but just wanted to say I got rid of mine REALLY quickly by massaging it on a wooden rolling pin. I looked up how to deal with it and found a YouTube video. As I remember it involved warming the foot up with hot water, then rolling it over the rolling pin for about half an hour. I did it while I watched the telly. It hurt like mad, but was completely better in about a fortnight.

Vintage61 profile image
Vintage61Graduate in reply to NettieNoo

Thank you. I’ve got massage ball etc but haven’t done the warming up thing. Will try that today 😊

NettieNoo profile image
NettieNooGraduate in reply to Vintage61

I can't remember exactly what I did, but it was either sitting with the foot in a bucket of hot water, or putting it on a hot water bottle. Did the trick, anyway. Hope yours is better soon.

SlowLoris profile image
SlowLoris in reply to NettieNoo

Are you sure you weren't watching Bake Off?

Buddy34 profile image
Buddy34Graduate

You know you're doing the right thing by resting and not running. Hopefully won't be too much longer. Good luck 😊

grumpyoldgirl profile image
grumpyoldgirlGraduate

It's a *##*er, don't worry about it hitting you hard, it does everybody. I think it's the frustration, and the worry about losing fitness, and losing the endorphin hit that the running gives you. You'll be ok though 👍

shrinkingjaz profile image
shrinkingjazGraduate

Have you gone to a physio and gotten stretches and exercises to do to help with it? My dad has plantar fasciitis and the stretches have done wonders for him :)

Vintage61 profile image
Vintage61Graduate in reply to shrinkingjaz

I’ve got lots of stretch exercises, I’ve just got to get a grip of doing them! I’ve been trying to power through but think I need to pay it more respect. Thx for your suggestion, really kind of you 😊

Oldgirlruns profile image
OldgirlrunsGraduate

PF stopped me starting C25K for 6 months and it was horrible so much sympathy here for your plight! I would tend to rest up for a while but keep doing the stretching exercises - there are some on the NHS website which I used and my PF didn’t improve until I really started doing them properly. When you start running again, start where you think you can cope, say 20 mins and just see how you get on, which is probably what I’d do. Good luck!

Vintage61 profile image
Vintage61Graduate in reply to Oldgirlruns

Thank you, I need to be more focussed on them 😊

tiggs1 profile image
tiggs1Graduate

Hiya, I suffer from PF too and on occasion have needed the use of crutches due to the pain. I went to a physio and they recommended a sock that I got off amazon which stretches the foot while you are sleeping. It took some getting used to but worked wonders.

Sorry it’s not a direct answer to your question but I thought it may help :)

Vintage61 profile image
Vintage61Graduate in reply to tiggs1

Thank you! I think I bought the very thing in the middle of the night as up and it was so painful. They arrived this morning and they definitely seem to be helping 👍🏻

UnfitNoMore profile image
UnfitNoMoreGraduate

You may go backwards a little... but you know you have what it takes to get back to where you are, and that it won’t take long. Rest is what you need, and when ready some gentle short runs. Injuries are frustrating, but not resting leads to longer periods of frustration.

Have a look at seated cardio routines, they’ll maintain and increase your base fitness. Just be sure to watch them through before doing them, the odd one suddenly has a lot of leg work in for reasons that are beyond me! Plenty of good ones out there though. We have a couple linked in the pinned posts on Strength and Flex.

Vintage61 profile image
Vintage61Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore

Thank you for this. Think there’s more to successful running than just more running isn’t there 😊

UnfitNoMore profile image
UnfitNoMoreGraduate in reply to Vintage61

There is. Injuries suck, but they do point is in the direction of other bits we can be doing. According to my Garmin I have 603 active minutes this week so far 🤣

RunningChocoholic profile image
RunningChocoholicGraduate

Hi Vintage, I too am suffering with PF and I’m not really able to run much at all lately which is not great. I have seen a podiatrist and she has given me some great stretches which I’m sure you are doing. One I find really effective is before I’ve even got out of bed I wrap a scarf round my foot and pull it towards me for about 15-20 seconds. Do this about 4-5 times. Whilst doing so bend the other leg slightly. It hurts but you can feel it stretching the foot and calf. Mine is also related to an old ankle injury but you might find this helps.

I’d be interested to know how the socks work. Hope the pain goes soon x

Vintage61 profile image
Vintage61Graduate in reply to RunningChocoholic

Thank you so much. I have many scarf so will give that a go 👍🏻 so far loving the socks btw

Oddity profile image
Oddity

Hi Vintage. Sorry to hear you are suffering, it sounds really painful. Fingers crossed you improve soon. In the meantime you can come and join me on the injury couch if you want? Got a scan booked for my foot on Monday but itching to get out running again.

GoGo_JoJo profile image
GoGo_JoJoGraduate

Not being able to do what we want is so frustrating and most of us are really not good at not getting our way!!

Focus on your stretches. Also if you can check out Caroline Jordan on you tube. She does seated cardio and floor workouts for people with foot injuries. It feels silly but it means you can do something, work up a bit of a sweat and feel better for doing anything rather than feeling like you can do nothing. Plus it helps your overall fitness!

It saved my sanity when I broke my toe 👍🏻😁

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