Welcome to a new monthly feature: The AMR Traveling TriggerPoint™ Ultimate 6 Kit. We’re so excited about it—and if you’re injured, we’re guessing you might be too.
Here’s the premise: Something on you—your Achilles Tendon, your lower back, your knee—is hurting significantly. You want and need to keep running, but you’re not sure that hurt-y part is going to let you. So you tell us about it, and we send you the AMR Traveling Ultimate 6 Kit, excellent and effective self-massage tools for runners. We’ll also hook you up with a TriggerPoint expert for a lesson in self-care and a customized program for your situation. You’ll have about a month to focus on relieving your injury. And then—here’s the fun part!—we’ll help you document your journey back to running at full strength.
Our first injured runner is Cyndie Pelto, 40, mom of two in Beaverton, Oregon, who has plantar fasciitis.
What it is: plantar fasciitis (PF), a bring-you-to-your-knees painful condition under the heel of one or both feet. Caused when plantar fascia, the ligament that connects your toes and heel, gets inflamed or irritated. Pain is most humbling when you step out of bed in the morning or stand after sitting for a long time.
On a scale of 1 (a hangnail) to 10 (hospitalization required), I would rate this injury a: 7, like a knife or very large nail is being driven into my heel. It’s a shooting pain, but it stays fairly localized on the bottom and sides of my heel.
What causes PF: Excessive stress to the arch of the foot; folks with high arches or flat feet tend to get it more frequently. Being overweight, middle-aged, or a job that keeps you on your feet a lot doesn’t do your plantar fascia any favors. A tight Achilles tendon or calf muscle can add to the strain.
It also comes on with running too many miles too quickly or too intensely; I had a bout of PF about 11 years ago, then ran my first marathon last October, and a half-marathon a week after that. I knew around mile 6 of the half-marathon that I’d way overdone it.
What PF feels like physically: Whenever I put weight on my feet, there’s sharp pain—my left more than my right, but both let me know they’re not happy. My heels actually feel better when I’m running: It hurts for the first mile, but when my feet get warmed up, the pain drops to a 2 or 3.
You might have PF if: You feel an intense pain in your heel or arch when you step out of bed in the morning. The pain will come and go during the day (if you’re lucky!), but by evening, the heel(s) of a PF sufferer is usually throbbing. If you’re like me, it will probably hurt for a little as you warm up into a run, then the pain is minimal—until the run is over.
What and how to roll to help with PF: Releasing the inside, middle, and outside of your calves and quads with a foam roller or other TriggerPoint tool every day is key. (Here’s a helpful video to show a few more techinques.) Targeting the bottom of your foot, as this video demonstrates, is also a great call.
Keeping your muscles loose and the fascia lengthened helps alleviate the tight, pulling sensation with every step. Even if you only have pain in one foot, treat both legs and feet to keep things balanced. Rolling through injured tissue is painful, and it’s really hard to do something to yourself that hurts, so let the pain act as a guide to where you need to localize the pressure. (Read: no pressure that makes your face into a perma-wince.) For me, it helps to have a distraction: I use the Ultimate 6 Kit every night while watching DVR’d episodes of the new “Tonight Show.” (Thank you, Jimmy Fallon!)
What else works physically for PF: Stretch your calf muscles frequently, like 4-5 times a day. Wear shoes with good arch support all day long; going barefoot or wearing flimsy flip flops is not giving your fascia the TLC they need to heal.
Acupuncture can also provide significant relief, especially if you find a practitioner who works with athletes. Slightly more pleasant than needles, deep-tissue massage, especially to glutes, hamstrings, calves, and feet, helps loosen tight, over-run muscles.
That said, the number one thing to do is this: Stop running and focus on healing the fascia. Sucks to read, but it’s what I came to realize. Give away any upcoming race numbers and step away from the road/trail/treadmill until the pain departs or at least drops to a 1 or 2.
How I coped mentally: While it’s been really (really!) tough to give up running cold turkey, the hardest part of PF has been losing my time with my BRFs (Best Running Friends). Running nowhere in the pool or riding nowhere on the bike trainer doesn’t give the same soul-affirming satisfaction or quality girlfriend-gab time. During my running hiatus, I am virtually cheering on my BRFs and watching their training. I want to join them, of course, but until then I will embrace a few new training regimens and be proud of my girlfriends’ accomplishments. And plan a lot more girls’ nights out.
How I’ll avoid PF in the future: Once it’s (finally) gone, PF can be firmly in my rearview mirror if I continue to focus on keeping things loose and easy. Constant stretching and icing will be de rigeur for many years to come. So will TriggerPoint Performance Therapy products, like the FootBaller and TP Massage Ball, because they help me reach places a foam roller can’t. Finally, when I resume running, I will run slowly (promise!), with minimal miles and lots of walk breaks. My third season of coaching Girls on the Run just kicked off, and I’m looking forward to “wogging” around the track as I get to know my new team.
Anything we missed? How did you cope, both mentally and physically, with a bout of PF that is (finger crossed) in your past?
And do you have an injury that could benefit from the AMR Traveling Ultimate 6 Kit? Email us at runmother [at] gmail [dot] com and we’ll see if the Kit can make a stop at your mother runner house.
I am a 50 year old mother of 3 ages 6,7,13. Middle child is a girl. I work full time as a teacher. I had my first baby at 43 and then adopted 2 boys from fostercare. I allowed my weight to balloon to about 260 pounds during the time we were fostering and hoping to adopt the boys.
One day I was tired after trying to ride my bike 5 miles wih my kids. I was 47 and realized this needed to change. I was looking at my 50th birthday approachg and realizing that I wanted to keep up with my little kids into my 60s and 70s. Heck I wanted to be able to kick their ass at 90! I started running using a great couch to 5k podcast. I was so slow and out of shape I repeated the first couple of weeks many times. I never did finish it because I got injured with plantar fasciitis as soon as I started making progress.
I began doubts myself and wondering if I was too fat to run. I couldn’t walk so my friend got me training in the pool. Loved it. Had ridden long distance rides- centuries and seattle to Portlandi in my past so I knew how to ride. I swam until I could pool run,and did that until I could walk. Then I walked until I could run….I decided I liked all 3 sports and I would give myself a triathlon for my 50th birthday. Perfect way to flip the birdie at getting older.
I made a 3 year program up. Year 1 was get moving. Year 2 was eat right and exercise on a schedule at my local Y. Year 3 was train for a triathlon. I chose a sprint as the most realistic choice and went for it. Loved the traing except for my sore feet.
Then in my 2nd year I had a stupid hammock accident and whacked my head. Ended up immobile for 3 months with a fractured skull. A ‘mild’ traumatic brain injury. I came back from this only to have the plantars flare up again. ERGH. I kept biking and swimming and ran when I could. I tried all sorts of shoes and ended up with Hokas and Brooksin my rotation. My mantra was the slow fat triathlete s just keep moving forward….
I whipped myself into good enough shape and completed my first sprint tri when I was 49 but raced in the 50 age group because of the USAT age group rules. Nothing like a period from hell to make your first tri extra special! I finished in the last 20 athletes because my foot hurt so badly I had to walk…..and I was hooked.
I did Iron girl in Seattle and had a blast. But the plantar thing keeps sidelining me and keeps me from progressing in my running. My goal for this summer was an Olympic distance and an ironman 70.3 in 2015. But I suck at running and just when I start to get better I get a plantar flare up! My goal is to get my 5k time under 30 mins and then be able to do the Olympic 10k without bonking. I just keep moving and do what I can.
However in November of 2013, for my50th birthday ha ha, I got an antibiotic resistant sinus infection and subsequent chesty croupy thing that lasted 5 months. I am just now able to thnk about training again. I missed the whole winter base training time. I will be starting from scratch with no base and hammered by the plantars…
But I am doing a couple sprints, one a challenging one in a Bellingham in June. In a local IM 70.3, bike leg on a relay team, and a century in Sept. I will focus on the bike this summer and run as my plantars let s me….. I would love to try this kit!
I have a sortt of secret goal of doing my own 70.3 and a dream goal of a full IM for my 60th. I want women young and old to see me out there and keeping moving. I have been fortunate enough to have inspired a number of folks to tri with me, which is fun. I listen to you every week and love your open acceptance of all mother runners! Oh. And I’ve lost 35 ponds or so without really trying and am actively working on another 50 or so….. Maybe a lighter bod will help the plantars! Thanks, Amy
I’ve successfully warded off plantar fasciitis by including the “Toe Grasping” foot strengthening exercise in my routine. Stand barefoot on a carpeted floor with straight posture, your feet hip width apart. Alternate curling the toes of your right foot and then your left foot down and under. Pretend you are grabbing an object with the toes of each foot.
Repeat this movement (right foot then left foot) 50 times with each foot. Aim to “walk” a distance of 1-2 yards (meters).
Performing the exercise 3x weekly (for rehab) or 2x weekly (for prehab) has worked for me.
Great idea for a series! I’ll look forward to learning more about injury prevention.
I thought my chiropractor (a long time distance racer) was crazy when he offered to use ultrasound on my PF. It was free, though, so I tried it. I was better in 4 days. Definitely worth mentioning.
Wow, Amy, you are a rock star! My dad lost 130 pounds and started running for the first time in his 50s, so I know you can make your goals. Keep trying!
With plantar fasciitis, my first warning sign is generally pain in the joint of my big toe. I let it get really bad the first time before I realized what it was because I didn’t know the plantar fascia run all the way to the big toe. After one major and one minor bout of pf, I now rub out my arch after every run and before bed most nights. I just run my thumbs from my heel to my toes a few times in each foot and call it good. It takes about 30 seconds to feel the knots release. I haven’t had to take any pf running breaks for the past 2+ years as a result!
I was so excited when I got this email about PF. I had it in my left foot two years ago, got a shot from the doctor and it went away – never to return. About a year ago, I developed PF in my right foot. Unfortunately despite shots it has not gone away. I even ran my first half marathon on Disney Princess Weekend – barely able to put my foot to ground when I woke up that morning. Fortunately the long walk to the corrals loosened it up considerably.
It really is about following all of the advice you offer above, I need to do better – in addition to sleeping in the boot and wearing the arches my doctor gave me (perhaps “gave” is a lose word since I did have to pay for the arches, the boot was covered by insurance thank goodness!). As I head toward my 2nd half marathon 10 months from now, I’m determined to be pain free. Follow instructions, lose more weight and take care of myself.
Thank you so much for this post. It was actually perfect timing for me as I was just diagnosed with PF in the past week. I unfortunately ignored the growing ache in my big toe joint not realizing it was my warning to worse things! Hoping I can get this under control quickly and then keep it at bay. Looking forward to your future installments!
Good for you Dianne, on listening to your body. My doc has actually warned me against wearing the night boot, since it restricts blood flow to the injured tissue. I just spend some time rubbing my feet, arches, and calves in the morning before stepping out of bed. :-)
Had surgery to “correct my PF” approx. 10 years ago. Just this year it flared up again. Obviously what they corrected wasn’t the problem. I have to keep my calves and Achilles tendon stretched out all the time. I am hoping that this will straighten up and go away without the intervention of an orthopedic trip.
I had a sore foot before my second half but didn’t have a problem until mile 11. Then it was what my doctor called traumatic plantar fasciitis. I had to take some time off and it’s much better now but I feel twinges now and then.
TP Therapy is of paramount importance to runners and non runners alike. I teach a TRX yoga class that we follow with myofascial release using the Trigger Point therapy products. Hurts so good! And the improvements in people’s health and well-being can’t be measured. 15 minutes twice a day to hit some major muscle groups and the benefits are priceless!!! So excited to see AMR supporting this!!!
Changing where my feet strike when I run helped immensely. Heel straining often leads to PF (which as a new runner I did not know). Thankfully I made the change to a forefoot strike before my PF got too bad.
Nice detailed post. PF used to effect me but I adjusted my foot strike and now perform a series of quick stretches and massage my feet after every run. Not a pleasant pain but can be managed and avoided if you are careful
Plantar fasciitis struck for me when I was not stretching my calves enough after every run, and when I started spin class on the bike (without clipping in, which strained my foot in a negative heel stretch). I think it’s key to figure out what caused the PF in the first place, then implement proper stretches, and wear supportive shoes. I developed PF during my first full marathon training and switched to pool running and biking before I could get right back to running with KT Tape. Here’s my full list of advice from my experience:
http://fitfunmom.com/2012/12/03/how-to-recover-from-plantar-fasciitis-heel-and-arch-pain/
Plus how to make your own no-sew plantar fasciitis sock:
http://fitfunmom.com/2012/12/11/how-to-make-your-own-no-sew-plantar-fasciitis-sock/
I hope that helps!
Great post (and replies) with lots of helpful info.
Trust me when I say that PF is nothing to mess with. Get it treated, but DON’T do what I did. I wound up with a DVT (blood clot) that could have killed me. I am the poster child of what NOT to do. Bear with me…I’m going to share my PF adventure:
I began a rigorous walking routine about 8 years ago and developed PF after the first few weeks. I ignored it for over a month until I literally collapsed to my knees upon getting out of bed in the morning. The next three months became a horrible nightmare.
First I went to an orthopaedic doc who prescribed rest, PT and heel cups. (No help whatsoever.) Next came the expensive night splint prescribed by the PT…a Medieval looking contraption that I had to crank every night to increase the angle of my foot/toes. (Gave up on that in less than a week because it was impossible to sleep.) Then came a walking boot. It helped some, but there was still no permanent relief. I was determined to NOT have an injection and wanted this to heal on its own. As I neared my third month of unsuccessful treatment, I found the business card for a PT who specialized in PF, so I made an appointment. She was mortified to hear all I was going through and made me temporary orthotics on the spot. She couldn’t believe that 1) I hadn’t been to a podiatrist, and 2) that nobody recommended orthotics because of my flat feet. I began PT with her right away and finally found some minor relief. I also saw a podiatrist and had orthotics made that could be worn in most shoes.
The pain was less, but still there, plus I was now developing hip and back pain from my permanent limp. It was time for the inevitable. I went back to the ortho doc and I reluctantly agreed to the cortisone shot — and just for good measure — he recommended a full hard cast for 2-3 weeks. Talk about killing a gnat with a bazooka! Well, the pain was gone almost instantly, but within 3 days of getting the cast off I had a DVT. (I should mention here that I was also taking oral contraceptives. That, combined with prolonged immobility, is apparently a deadly combination. Sure wish someone mentioned that around week 1.) I was on Coumadin for six months and am now on an aspirin regimen for life.
Long story short, I survived. When PF developed in my other foot (which I’m told is very common), I began PT right away, along with stretching and ice. I also went to a running store and had my footwear custom fit by professionals who analyze my gait/stride first. Huge difference! I was PF free in about a month and it has never returned. I walk often, but have learned the importance of stretching, and also to vary my walking route and surface type.
The long-term affects of the DVT have been a bummer though. I was in PT for my hip and back pain for several months, and also have permanent valve damage in my left leg. I have had one vein surgery already to try to improve blood flow and will likely need more.
If you have PF, seek out a podiatrist or sports doc right away who knows the condition and how to treat it. Don’t wait. Also, spend the money on high quality running shoes and stretch throughout your day. One thing that also helped relieve my sore arch and heel: freeze a water bottle (pour a little out first), put it inside a sock, and roll your sore foot over it while you are sitting, watching TV or working at your desk. Also, my PT makes custom-fitted flip-flops with arch support so I didn’t have to give up my favorite summer footwear.
Friends, be kind to your feet! They need to last a lifetime.
Great information, thank you for sharing. Great material for people suffering foot pain. I’m also a runner and I often forget(well ignore) to stretch my calves as much as it needed. I also appreciate for sharing the video on how to use the Ultimate 6 kit.
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A complete guideline about Plantar Fasciitis with video. I watched the video and this is quite impressive that you have showed us on details. Really thanks for sharing such kind of information about the foot pain.