Sunday, January 4, 2015

Plantar Fasciitis Is Cramping My Style


I wouldn't say that I am a fitness expert by any means; however, I do work out regularly and eat a fairly healthy diet.  My workouts include cardio, weight training, yoga, zumba, ballet, and occasionally PIYO.  For me, cardio is usually 20-30 minutes on the elliptical or a flat run on the treadmill.  In October I started experiencing pain in the arch of my right foot.  I thought maybe I pulled a muscle or something at ballet and didn't think much of it.  After a couple of weeks the pain was not any better. In fact, it was worse and my left foot was also starting to hurt sometimes too.  By that time, my right foot constantly ached and even had a hot, burning pain sometimes. I was being kept awake at night because of the pain in my foot!  Finally during a ballet class, one of my dancer friends, who happens to be a physical therapist, looked at it and said it was plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is basically pain and inflammation of one or both feet due to an overtight calf muscle or overtight calves.  All I know is that it was hurting and I was quite happy to have avoided seeing my doctor for a diagnosis and treatment directions.  My friend said to start wearing an arch support, ice it several times a day, stretch my calves two to three times a day and roll the arch of my foot on a tennis ball to massage it. She suggested taking a break from running, the elliptical, and jumping. She also said that I needed to wear flat shoes and not heels.

I took her advice and after four or five days I noticed an improvement.  I was icing my foot at least two times each day, wearing flat shoes, wearing my arch support brace and stretching my calves as often as I could.  People kind of looked at me funny as I took a quick break in the Target parking lot to lower my heels off the curb to stretch my calves out but I didn't mind.  Sometimes a girl just has to stretch and my calves thanked me.

Within a couple of weeks I was not having nearly as much pain.  Going to ballet still hurt but nothing could keep me away from ballet!  I missed zumba and running but focused on letting my body heal.  I credit the brace with most of my recovery.  I can definitely feel a difference when I am not wearing it.
Here's a picture of me wearing it:
It's very comfortable and not bulky at all.  Luckily since its cold outside the brace is always covered with a sock or shoe.  And one of the best things about this whole debacle was that I got to buy new flat boots and a pair of new running shoes.  I obviously needed new boots so I had a stylish alternative to sneakers.  I got a new pair of running shoes to replace an old pair with a lot of wear.  I need more support than those shoes were able to still give.  

It's been a couple of months now and I am definitely feeling better.  I am now able to do some cardio without pain but I do still ice my calves after I do zumba or running.  I also still frequently stretch my calves because when I don't my foot definitely hurts later.  I have worn heels for a few hours at a time on several occassions too- yay!  So there is definitely improvement but I have a feeling it will be an ongoing issue for that I deal with for awhile.  Anyone else dealt with plantar fasciitis or tight calves?  Any tips?  Leave a comment and let me know about any injuries you have worked with.

-Michelle

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