This was a new one on me too! My regular physio is off this week on her holiday, so I'm booked in with an alternative. There are always difficulties in catching up with the history when you see someone new, but thankfully having typed a load of what has happened in here, I remembered a fair bit (unusual for me!).
I think we are all now moving away from Plantar to Posterior Tibial Tendinitis and the treatment again began with my confessions of poor ankle stretching during a busy week, followed by ultrasound on the tendon and then something new. I wondered why she was strapping electrodes at each end of my foot, and being the trusting sort, I didn't question. Until the "let me know if this hurts" comment.
It is weird seeing your toes twitch involuntarily as waves of power wash through your foot - I was suddenly reminded of Young Frankenstein, as Gene Wilder wakens the monster for the first time. Classic. Ever one for new experiences and assured that electricity is a good thing for me, I sat through a good 5 electrifying minutes before the machine went beep and it was all over.
If nothing else, I will definitely be doing my stretching and icing EVERY DAY now. I'm pretty sure that machine has a lot more punch in it - if I go back on Friday and admit to slackness, I might get my voltage upped! It looked pretty old too, so maybe I'll look for it's last electrical safety test ...
I'm being hassled / advised over my footwear. Having the good fortune to work from home 60% of the time, I've been wearing my old running shoes as "trainers" as they have a better shape than my normal, comfortable, old shoes. I'm not running in them though. Ever again. For the other 40% of the time, I'm in offices wearing those comfortable old shoes and they are just no good for me. So, the hunt is on for a good cushioning regular shoe, into which I might stick an off the shelf orthotic if I ever get to Boots in town. And these were recommended as a good basic orthotic before taking a plunge into custom orthotic territory. Somewhere I don't want to go.
Mr Stumble.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Saturday, October 28, 2006
If I was blogging about films, there would be so much more to say.
I'm sure I'm not the first to get blogger's block, and I'm sure I won't be the last. However, having finally dragged my fingers back to this particular keyboard, I have little to report on the running front. That is, I am still waiting for my foot to fix itself.
What has been happening is another physio session earlier this week and a further one booked for Monday coming. I noted the first session in my last post and was waiting for the post-massage pain to hit the following morning. Nothing. Not even a twinge. A strangely happy disappointment.
My last visit centred on a particular tendon - I think the posterior tibial tendon - which runs down the rear of the inside-knobbly-ankle-bone and supports the arch of the foot. This particular tendon got demonstrated by plucking it like a guitar string. I never knew it was there. There's some tendinitis in there so it's having some ultrasound therapy. I know ultrasound therapy is good, as it sorted out an Achilles tendon problem for me last year.
My 3 year old daughter continues to remind me every night to do my stretching, and I have a lot to do now, not just the calf and hams, but ankle ones too. Hopefully, only a couple of weeks until I'm able to start again - I'll be dressing for colder weather though!
Mr Stumble.
What has been happening is another physio session earlier this week and a further one booked for Monday coming. I noted the first session in my last post and was waiting for the post-massage pain to hit the following morning. Nothing. Not even a twinge. A strangely happy disappointment.
My last visit centred on a particular tendon - I think the posterior tibial tendon - which runs down the rear of the inside-knobbly-ankle-bone and supports the arch of the foot. This particular tendon got demonstrated by plucking it like a guitar string. I never knew it was there. There's some tendinitis in there so it's having some ultrasound therapy. I know ultrasound therapy is good, as it sorted out an Achilles tendon problem for me last year.
My 3 year old daughter continues to remind me every night to do my stretching, and I have a lot to do now, not just the calf and hams, but ankle ones too. Hopefully, only a couple of weeks until I'm able to start again - I'll be dressing for colder weather though!
Mr Stumble.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
The trouble with Stumble.
Apologies for yet another delay in posting. Partly busy, partly not having anything interestingly run related to post.
Following my ankle injury, I've laid off any running and taken things easy, aside from a 40 minute session at Laserquest - man that was fun - although I twisted the ankle on the outside this time, but with no permanent injury, just a bit sore for a day. What was worse was having fallen over (thinking the worst had happened and I would never walk again) someone leaned over a balcony and shot me. Unsporting, I thought.
I'm not a Laserquest regular, but this is turning into an annual event. We get an invite to a birthday outing at Laserquest every year from one of my son's school friends and, well, you just have to go along to "help". I did notice that this year, I was far less out of breath by the end than previous years, so running has done something for me, I'm sure.
Last Sunday, I thought I'd give my ankle a little more strenuous activity, so I went for a brisk 30 minute walk to see how my foot-mechanics were getting on. As it turns out, not very well. My ankle and underfoot ached after the walk and for the next couple of days. So given that it had been about a month since the initial injury, I went to see my GP on Tuesday. After a short discussion, and a prod of my foot, he recommended I go back to the podiatrist.
On calling the Podiatrist, I had a discussion with them on the phone and they recommended that I actually see their physiotherapist for assessment and treatment initially. They could fit me in Thursday (today).
So, after some more prodding and standing, we reach a diagnosis. Plantar Fasciitis, the root cause being over pronation and probably the frame in my old shoes bashing into my plantar fascia. Bah.
The treatment - firstly a foot massage along the band of affected muscle (this was not bad, mmmmmm!), and then a deep tissue massage on my right calf muscle because of the connectedness of the calf and foot muscles. This was pretty painful, and damn good! My physio warned me that it might feel great for the rest of the day, but tomorrow morning it might feel like it's been run over.
Next, I had my foot taped up to support the arch, and that's going to stay on for several days. Unless I get sick of it. I'm not looking forward to removing the tape - very sticky stuff.
Next, an analysis of my regular shoes which were embarrassingly covered in grass clippings from chasing down our pet rabbit in the back garden, across freshly mowed lawn the evening before. Simply put, I need to consider shoes with more cushioning and better support. I'll consider whether to consider this, as with my feet and the high street choice, it'll be difficult to comply.
Finally, some more stretches and advice on compression and ice. I'm going to have a word with my medical insurance company to see if they'll stand some more physio sessions, probably weekly until I start running again, which looks like it will be another 4 weeks.
But I *will* run again ...
One last thing, whilst looking up Plantar Fasciitis I came across these interesting articles on therapeutic massage you might enjoy:
Plantar ...
and then
Tension Headaches
Low back pain
Shin splints
Neck pain
Tennis Elbow
Back and hip
Jaw clenching a personal favourite
Quads
Pecs
Upper back Pain
Lower Back pain
Use with caution!
Mr Stumble
Following my ankle injury, I've laid off any running and taken things easy, aside from a 40 minute session at Laserquest - man that was fun - although I twisted the ankle on the outside this time, but with no permanent injury, just a bit sore for a day. What was worse was having fallen over (thinking the worst had happened and I would never walk again) someone leaned over a balcony and shot me. Unsporting, I thought.
I'm not a Laserquest regular, but this is turning into an annual event. We get an invite to a birthday outing at Laserquest every year from one of my son's school friends and, well, you just have to go along to "help". I did notice that this year, I was far less out of breath by the end than previous years, so running has done something for me, I'm sure.
Last Sunday, I thought I'd give my ankle a little more strenuous activity, so I went for a brisk 30 minute walk to see how my foot-mechanics were getting on. As it turns out, not very well. My ankle and underfoot ached after the walk and for the next couple of days. So given that it had been about a month since the initial injury, I went to see my GP on Tuesday. After a short discussion, and a prod of my foot, he recommended I go back to the podiatrist.
On calling the Podiatrist, I had a discussion with them on the phone and they recommended that I actually see their physiotherapist for assessment and treatment initially. They could fit me in Thursday (today).
So, after some more prodding and standing, we reach a diagnosis. Plantar Fasciitis, the root cause being over pronation and probably the frame in my old shoes bashing into my plantar fascia. Bah.
The treatment - firstly a foot massage along the band of affected muscle (this was not bad, mmmmmm!), and then a deep tissue massage on my right calf muscle because of the connectedness of the calf and foot muscles. This was pretty painful, and damn good! My physio warned me that it might feel great for the rest of the day, but tomorrow morning it might feel like it's been run over.
Next, I had my foot taped up to support the arch, and that's going to stay on for several days. Unless I get sick of it. I'm not looking forward to removing the tape - very sticky stuff.
Next, an analysis of my regular shoes which were embarrassingly covered in grass clippings from chasing down our pet rabbit in the back garden, across freshly mowed lawn the evening before. Simply put, I need to consider shoes with more cushioning and better support. I'll consider whether to consider this, as with my feet and the high street choice, it'll be difficult to comply.
Finally, some more stretches and advice on compression and ice. I'm going to have a word with my medical insurance company to see if they'll stand some more physio sessions, probably weekly until I start running again, which looks like it will be another 4 weeks.
But I *will* run again ...
One last thing, whilst looking up Plantar Fasciitis I came across these interesting articles on therapeutic massage you might enjoy:
Plantar ...
and then
Tension Headaches
Low back pain
Shin splints
Neck pain
Tennis Elbow
Back and hip
Jaw clenching a personal favourite
Quads
Pecs
Upper back Pain
Lower Back pain
Use with caution!
Mr Stumble
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Still here, Still static
Hi folks. Sorry for not posting for a while. I'm in the midst of so much stuff! Anyway, very quickly: no running yet; ankle not fully mended; stretching still going well; still determined.
Mr Stumble.
Mr Stumble.
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