I’ve been suffering with heel and foot pain since I did the 14.7 mile walk. It’s inevitable that pushing a 274 lb body such long distances, is going to bring with it some injuries. This worries me as the ‘5 weeks to go to the marathon’ passed yesterday and I can’t now walk long distances for fear of making things worse. I’m getting moderate to severe foot and heel pain when I put weight on my foot after resting it which dissipates, after several minutes to a bearable soreness.
What I’ve got is ‘Plantar Faciitis’ which is quite a common injury for those who walk or run long distances and more common the heavier you are. If I’ve any chance of being fit enough to do the Marathon (walking) I’ve got to do the following
a) NOT walk very long distances from now until the Marathon (am going to concentrate on very intense short work outs through the week and a single 5 mile walk at weekends)
b) Wear my ‘Plantar Faciitis’ insoles daily and don’t go around bare foot all day in the house.
c) Do ‘Plantar Faciitis’ exercises 3 times daily and also stretch my calf muscles and achilles heel before exercising.
d) Lose as much weight as possible. ( 10-20 lbs in the next 5 weeks )
Achieving this goal means such a lot to me. It’s been what I’ve been working towards for 3 months now which has involved losing 35 lbs and giving up most of my free time to go to the gym and/or go walking at weekends. The hard work had been paying off…
The cause (Cancer Research UK) is important to us too. Although I’ve been quite private on family and personal matters, my kids lost their father to colon, liver and lung cancer 2 years ago. This shouldn’t happen to a man with half his life ahead of him. I’m passionate about investment in finding a cure…
I healed my PF with massages to “exquisitely tender” “trigger points” in the back of my calves. Or look up PF and “myofascial release.” Honestly it’s about tightened points in the fascia. Really easy to ease the pain once you understand where it originates. Also I got a supernal and rolled it under the soles of my feet according to Youtube videos I googled. Good luck.
I will check those videos out and do more Googling! Thanks for the heads up! C xx
supernal was meant to read “super-ball” LOL Docs were going to give me steroids and surgery and honestly, simple calf massage solved the (albeit very painful) problem…
I will soooo try that then!!! I have to go and get steroids (oral) for my allergy flare ups as a last resort so hopefully they will help too while I do those exercises and massaging! xxx
You could try the marathon on a scooter (and do twice the distance as only one foot is on the ground). Only joking. Good luck with the healing. I stopped running because of shin splints, so know how you feel. My thoughts are with you.
hahaha! I can only run for about 2 minutes although I’d love to do some running again one day when I’m below 200 lbs!! Thanks Paul- just over 4 weeks to go until D-Day!!!
I had this and was given school shoe gel insoles to wear and they helped a lot as I know how painful it is you could try these to help ease it 🙂 Joy
I’m wearing some special insoles for PF, not the most comfortable things to wear but hopefully they will help, the gel ones sound comfie though!!
C xx
I may have missed it if you said, but have you seen a qualified podiatrist? Best wishes for healing your feet, and well-done on your weight-loss progress. Glad I looked in to see how you are doing 🙂 Good health to you,
Thanks Valerie, if this doesn’t improve over the next week or two I will see someone qualified, it seems to be easing a little! C xx
A great cause, one close to my own heart having lost my mum to secondary breast cancer in 2008.
Best wishes and good luck etc!
Thank you xxx Sorry you lost your Mum. Cancer is so cruel. xxxx C
I struggled with pf until seeing a physical therapist for a balance problem and was advised the following
Foot/ankle/calf massage(very gentle),foot stretches and exercises, using orthotics. all of which I was doing. I was advised to add ice. Icing bottoms of my feet for 20 min after walking and towards end of day. It hurts at first but you get used to it. It reduces inflammation.
Use my orthotics correctly which meant NEVER get out of bed barefoot. Puts too much stress/stretching on the plantar fascia causing micro tears and re-injury every day. Barefoot only in bath/shower and NOT first thing in the morning. Made a difference after only couple of days. I HATE it as I was a barefoot in the house gal but now I have to ice my feet just when I am on my feet an extraordinary amount of time. Try it and good luck!!
Hi,
Just wanted to add my 5p!
I definitely second massage- you can do itself with a tennis ball but better results with a qualified massage therapist, icing your feet (roll your feet over a cold can a few times a day, and the stretching you’re already doing. Once it’s less painful, start strengthening your calves with heel raises. Ask your doctor to refer you to a physio. I have seen a few physios and podiatrists now, tried various orthotics, frankly I think I should have just stuck with what I found on Google in the first place as different people gave me different bits of the puzzle, and it’s only now I’m doing it all that I’m seeing progress.
Icing is definitely good for pain!!
Good luck,
Sally