Feet, again

[cjsmith]

Told the physical therapist ("PT") what happened this weekend. He said that with an overuse injury I have to be very careful to ramp up slowly. Obviously I can't run on two adjacent days yet, therefore I shouldn't do that yet.

It had never occurred to me that this is "an overuse injury". But it acts like one. Other injuries cause the same level of pain two adjacent times, but overuse injuries do what mine does. I guess that makes sense once I think about it.

So it'll be sllllooooooww.

I'm still determined to do what I need to do to get back out there again. I'm also bummed at how long it might take.

Comments

[anisoptera.livejournal.com]

What sort of home care did they give you?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Not sure what you mean by "home care" - I'm guessing that means what I'm supposed to do on my own? So far, stretches. There's a particular way of messing with the joints at the ends of the metatarsals that I'll learn before this round of PT is over (next week).

[anisoptera.livejournal.com]

Right, what you are supposed to do at home.
What stretches are they having you do?

Are you supposed to ice after running?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Two different stretches for my calf muscles, oddly enough. Three times a day. Calf muscles apparently take a long time to loosen, or at least MINE are taking a long time to loosen! The PT also spent some time today stretching my ankle joint -- a concept I don't fully understand, but I sure could feel it. :-)

He didn't tell me to ice after running, although I suppose I could ask about that. Personally, I wonder how well I'd do if I could just do ultrasound after running. I bet those machines cost a pretty penny though, and aren't exactly meant for untrained people to use.

We've also discussed the possibility of different shoes for running. He and my podiatrist agree that the shoes I've got are "good shoes", but maybe there is something out there that's better for me specifically.

[wordripples.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about your owwwy feet. :-( I hope it gets better soon. I'd go nuts without regular exercise.

Are there other things you can do, like maybe rowing machine to get exercise without needing so much feet involvement? Sometimes people dump exercise equipment really cheap in the classifieds.

[redgrrl.livejournal.com]

Well, it'll be slow, but at least you'll be able to do it (or keep trying, anyway). I bet you'll overcome this.

Sending determination-strenghtening rays your way! :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Are there other things you can do, like maybe rowing machine to get exercise without needing so much feet involvement? Sometimes people dump exercise equipment really cheap in the classifieds.

Now there's a good thought -- cheap secondhand equipment intended to be temporary. Somehow I have (or I had?) a mental block saying "don't be silly in picking up exercise equipment that will then gather dust". It can gather dust when I'm DONE with it.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Sending determination-strenghtening rays your way! :)

Thanks! I can use 'em! :-)

I'm writing down what I want so I don't forget when I walk into the doctor's office next week. After one more week of PT I see the podiatrist again, and I want to remember to ask him how to fix this reliably and, second priority behind reliability, fast. If that means getting the nerve killed I want to know what the risks and negatives are so I can choose.

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

I'm still determined to do what I need to do to get back out there again. I'm also bummed at how long it might take.

Don't be -- just be glad you will get back out there again, even if it takes awhile. Knowing you'll never run again is much harder.

I don't intend that in a mean-spirited way ... I'm just trying to get you to see what a gift it is that you can look forward to running again eventually.

I know it's tough in the meantime. Keep your pecker up, as they say on the other side of the pond. ;-)

=sends hugs and healing energy to CJ=

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Knowing you'll never run again is much harder.

No kidding. I sometimes wish I were a more accepting sort of person, because I could see myself going into a bad spiral if I knew I could never [fill-in-the-blank] again. :-(

I know it's tough in the meantime. Keep your pecker up, as they say on the other side of the pond. ;-)

Okay, I'll take mine out of the drawer and make sure it's upright. ;-) Handy to have one that's detachable!

Thanks!