Sad feet

[cjsmith]

Ever since I had to stop running at one mile, I haven't run one step. Saturday I didn't run because even when things are going well I am not yet attempting runs on two adjacent days. Sunday I had a fair bit of walking to do in the afternoon, so postponed the run to avoid making anything worse. Monday I knew I would have square dancing in the evening, so again I postponed the run. During square dancing my feet hurt badly enough that the group stopped ten minutes early (gawd, I hate being the whiner), so this morning I didn't run either.

This SUCKS. I'm not making any progress. I suspect it's hopeless. It's been since December that I couldn't run (probably October or so since the pain started) and it's June now, f'r cryin' out loud. I am not so long-lived that I want to spend a year or more of my life trying to pussyfoot around this. Not if there's another way.

I wonder if what I'm seeing now is the anti-inflammatory injection wearing off. If so, then those aren't going to be a solution, even if I get another set.

There are lots of things I'd like to do that involve my feet. For example, I'd love to hike Half Dome again. I'd love to hike the Grand Canyon. I'd love to run for fitness and enter a few shortish races (10K, for example).

It's becoming evident that I can't do any of them until at least fall. Either form of irreversible medical intervention + recovery time + getting back in shape from half a year of nothing = too long. So whatever I choose, surgery or alcohol injections or just sitting and wishing for the Health Fairy to show up, I lose the summer. I can't hike Half Dome this year at all; I won't have time to train before the cables come down.

The Health Fairy ain't showing up. Time to educate myself about the other two options.

Comments

[rfrench.livejournal.com]

FWIW, you weren't being a whiner. I'm the one who noticed your feet were hurting and brought it to the group's attention. I'm sure no one thought badly of you for it.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :-) I guess I hate being the one who drops out and makes everybody stop.

Tim noticed at one point, too; he glanced down with a "?" look on his face, and I mouthed "neuromas" at him across the square. I bet he still has no clue what I was trying to say.

I probably shouldn't count as number eight for that group for a while. Feet (with potential surgery or whatever) plus erratic work hours coming up. I'll tell Jordan.

*big whiney put-upon sigh*

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Don't we have an unscheduled "date" to hike Half Dome sometime? I wasn't even thinking this year, mainly because I don't know when I'll get to California next, but also due to my own stupid left ankle. ;-)

*hugs*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Do we? I know I have at least two such unscheduled vaguenesses about hiking the Canyon. They're with two different people. (Well, I actually had three, but I think that third person is no longer under any illusions.) But I don't know about Half Dome.

gs just came back from hiking to the top of Nevada Falls with his family. Hearing about that made me want to hike Half Dome so badly I can taste it. *sigh*

What's with your left ankle?

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Maybe we talked about the Grand Canyon... or Half Dome... or neither or both. Who knows? I've slept since then. ;-)

I've got some sort of Achilles tendonitis. I've been having nasty pain after use for about a month. It will be fine for a bout of exercise and then swell up afterward to the point where I limp severely just to get across the house. Doc took an X-ray to rule out a heel spur, recommended ice, OTC anti-inflammatories, and some exercises. I also got new shoes that have helped a little (not orthotics, just not worn), but it still drives me nuts.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Ack, that sounds incredibly frustrating. Me, at least I have the calming thought that surgery could fix it. :-/ What kind of exercises? Stretching the hell out of your calf, or what?

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

They are all calf stretches. She had also suggested gel heel cups (almost typed hell there, and it would have been appropriate in my case), but I tried a set of Dr. Scholl's and they seemed to exacerbate the problem - the pain was more frequent and more intense, so they went away after only a couple of days.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Did the doctor recommend taking a chunk of OTC anti-inflammatories initially, then tapering off? (I could imagine this because a) it's already inflamed, need to knock that down, and b) you were just starting a new stretching regimen.) I'd love to know more about stretching out inflamed stuff.

Gel heel cups made it worse? Wow. How annoying.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Not really - she didn't even specify which anti-inflammatory to take, just "as needed". I'm going with Ibuprofen at the moment.

Maybe it was the brand/specific design of heel cup, or the combination with the old, worn out shoes. Right after I got new shoes, a couple of days after trying the heel cups, I also discovered that for 38 years it seems I've never even known how to properly tie my shoes. I have a very high instep, so I've always worn shoes a half size or full size larger than the length, just so the foot will go in. Because of that, I'd always felt the need to tie them pretty tight. When I was driving to Tennessee a couple weeks ago with the shoes still new, my driving (right) foot started bothering me quite badly (cramp) until I loosened the laces significantly. I felt like they were going to come off while walking, but were fine for driving. I've since gotten used to the looseness while walking, and the effect on the left ankle has been that the new shoes, worn more loosely, keeps the swelling from setting in as quickly, but hasn't eliminated it. I have yet to try the gel cups in the new shoes.

grand canyon

[ossie.livejournal.com]

you might want to add canyoncat to your friends list, he goes to the canyon yearly I think,

plus he posts great photos, and a lot of the canyon too,

Re: grand canyon

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! How cool. Right now I'm in the bummed-out stage though, so I'll hold off on hearing about things I can't do. But later. Thanks.

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

Major Medical Intervention is sometimes the best thing you can do. I was trying to keep my knee limping along (*groan*) with NSAIDs, steroid injections, physical therapy, exercise, glucosamine, whatever I could find. I finally realized I couldn't put off arthroscopic surgery any longer -- and once I recovered I wished I'd done it long before. Before the arthroscopy I used to depend on the endorphins to keep the pain bearable when I went for a walk, but they all got used up in the process. Since my surgery I have little or no pain in my knee and get much more pleasure from walking! It's been almost four years and (knock on wood!) it's still doing fine.

Please continue to keep us posted with how things are going. *BIG HUG*