Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Update and Announcement

Several folks have asked how I am progressing with my recovery from Plantar Fasciitis so I thought I'd send out a quick update:

It's been almost three months since I finally succumbed to the pain and shut down my running. At that point I took a full month off from running and spent time in the pool and on the bike. In addition, I did all the usual home remedies in an attempt to get things cleared up. During that time I used the night splint, rolled my arch on a golf ball, picked up marbles with my toes, iced, gave myself massage, and stretched my calves and achilles about three times per day. After a month of that I was not seeing very much improvement.

At that point I went to Dr. Bob Wilder, running doctor here at UVa. He gave me steroids and high powered naproxen. He also told me to buy a Strassburg Sock and an arch brace. Finally, he prescribed eight sessions of Physical Therapy with the "enforcer" Eric Mangrum. I felt some initial relief as a result of the steroid but when that wore off the pain returned. But, when Eric began taping my arch, really hard with "Anchor" Tape I started to feel improvement. Then, I started very slowly back into running. Well, not really running but rehab.

Now, I am up to running five miles a day (only on the treadmill, totally flat and at an easy pace) and the pain is manageable. But, it's not completely gone so the frustration continues. This week I am starting Graston treatments at a nearby chiropractor so I am hopeful that those will get me over the hump. This is by far the longest I have been on the shelf with an injury and it makes me thankful for the five years of injury-free running I enjoyed before this came on. With any luck, once I shake this thing, I can enjoy five more years of injury-free running. We'll see...

And now, the exciting announcement:

I will be hosting a screening of JB Benna's film "Unbreakable" in Charlottesville at the Tandem Friends School theater on Sunday evening, December 11th at 7:00pm. For those of you who don't now, this is the highly anticipated documentary of the 2010 Western States 100 battle between Geoff Roes, Anton Krupicka and Killian Jornet. I hope that those of you in the area will come to see it and if you can tell your friends about it that would be great. Tickets will be $5 and I'll have refreshments available (including coffee for those locals recovering from Hellgate)

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

AJW

16 comments:

Derrick said...

Glad to see you getting some improved results and back out there.

Looks like you've tried a lot of different things. If things continue to not progress the way you are comfortable with you might want to look into Shockwave Therapy. Involves usually 3 treatments over 3 weeks. I had very good success with it.

Good luck!

Local Mind Media said...

Graston and laser (plus never walking barefoot and massaging the fascia before getting out of bed) cleared my one big case of PF. Now, at the slightest sign of it I attack it wholeheartedly. Frustrating for sure; at least it's still a long way out from June. Good luck with recovery. Tim

Hank Dart said...

AJW: You bring the same focus to treatment/recovery that you bring to your training. No doubt you'll get over this. Sorry it's been hanging on so long. Really frustrating.

Sophie Speidel said...

Glad to know Bob and Eric were of help. Hopefully the Graston torture will do the trick!

As for the WS screening...the Hellgate folks would like our coffee from Greenberry's, our unofficial C'Ville trail running sponsor, as noted in Trail Runner mag last month...!

Bob Clouston said...

Bob and Eric are the best, they helped me to my 3 best marathons by far last fall. Hang tough, it'll turn around for you soon. And I'm definitely In for the screening!

Michael said...

Hi there Andy,

I too was afflicted with the dreaded PF. I stepped up mileage too fast and then raced on less than supportive newer trail running shoes. Anyhow, after a period much like yours where I tried everything for a matter of months and then agreed to try cortisone injections: the PF was at least "at bay" - not hurting all the time. But running caused it to flare up immediately, so I resolved to give it the "normal 12 month shelf life" and quit running/climbing for what turned out to be 15 months. All of a sudden, not gradual, it went away. It had been in both feet and disappeared. Started running again in June and stepped in gradually, but now back up to 30 trail miles/week, which has been tremendous. Time is precious, but I can vouch for staying off the feet until things resolved. Prior to this I had 7 years of injury free running (I'm now 40). Hope yours just ups and goes away as well!

mtnrunner2 said...

Andy - Been battling PF myself since about April, and tried about the same list of things.

I would describe it as mild flaring up to medium when irritated, and pretty achy after runs. I've had to stop and massage my foot on more than one occasion even on a 10-15 miler. Mornings they were sore, or after sitting.

Last week I bought some simple footbeds, i.e. Sole DK, and shaved a bit off the bottom to make them comfy (didn't trim the arch). I wear them running and during the day, and wear flip-flops in the evening. 4 DAYS LATER symptoms are nearly gone.

Also been sleeping with feet hanging off the end of the bed this week, rather than using the Sock. Don't know if that figures into it.

Note: for other reasons I've only been running twice a week max. However, honestly the PF continues whether I run or not.

Plan is to get the symptoms gone, then worry about toughening/strengthening as necessary.

Hope you kick it soon. It's no fun!

TrailClown said...

I hate to be the one Chris McDougall "Born to Run" guy on this post, but I've been running for 20 years (41 now) and had the dreaded PF from 35-39. Tried absolutely everything, podiatrists, splints, taping, drugs, shoe changes, inserts, custom orthotics, stretching, etc. Was truly maddening. Went the minimalist way, and then had a host of other problems (achilles, neuromas, etc.)...but finally, this year, I am adjusting to zero drop and doing all the McDougall exercises (100-Up, etc.) and it's kept it away and my achilles are now strong enough to start regular training. It'll definitely slow you down, but maybe you could train in the minimalist and then race in the Crosslites, etc. Just a thought...I'd like to see you do a TapRoom post on minimalist shoes, I don't think I've ever heard your take on it...

mtnrunner2 said...

TrailClown - Curious what shoe(s) you're wearing.

Speedgoat Karl said...

you should just give those softies a try. :-) Not sure if it'll help, but worth a shot.

"McDougal" excercises? evaluate on that one please, Isn't McDougal a writer, not an athlete? hmmmm.

TrailClown said...

Right now I'm loving the Altra Instinct (road) and Altra Lone Peak (trail). Was wearing Merrell Trail Glove and New Balance Minimus most of the year, which wasn't enough cushion. Altras are working for me. I'd love to be a Hoka ambassador like Karl, but I don't think they make Clown-size Hokas! (size 13). Plus I only wear zero drop shoes these days, no goin' back for this old goat wannabe. Yeah, McDougall has some cheese factor, but the 100-Up (exercise from the 19th century I think) works wonders for the PF! Don't knock it till you try it Karl, might help your achin' back too :)

Speedgoat Karl said...

I won't be trying the excercises.....cuz' I don't have PF. :-) The back is fine, not sure what you're talking about.

And, run in what you like, although I may be called an "ambassador", I still feel all runners should run in what they feel is best. Hokas for AJW may or may not be the answer, but he's always run in tiny little shoes, so trying something different may help, and it may not.

Clown shoes are available in 13's.

TrailClown said...

If Hokas are in 13 now, I'd love to try 'em. I think they work the same magic as the minimalist shoes, just from the opposite side of things. Both Hokas and Zero-Drops are improvements on the typical running shoe of the past. Hokas are for bombing, Zero Drops are for tip-toeing, but both prevent typical runner injuries, I think. I agree about wearing what's best, and I was just teasing about the back because wasn't that what slowed you down from winning a dozen 100's this year? :-)

AJW said...

Karl,

Could you send me a pair of Clown shoes to try? Size 11.5? May be just the thing I need....

AJW

Speedgoat Karl said...

AJW, email me at speedgoatkarl@gmail.com. I'll see what I can do.

-OOJoe said...

Hey AJW, thanks for the update. Your "hoof" has been in my thoughts for weeks!

Your PT is the real deal: a "fella" in the North American Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapy -- the PT equivalent of "M10"!

To me it seems silly to say, but: be sure he looks *long and hard* at your foot strike pattern. You can do the snazziest therapy to a bruised thumb, but it means nothing if you keep slamming it in the door!

Good luck!
-OOJ