Hey Rose. I totally understand and sympathize.
I was out for 8 plus weeks and just came back 2 weeks ago. I tore my calf muscle in a zumba class. I did 2 weeks of a walking boot and 8 weeks of PT. Not running for over 8 weeks was unbearable. I am so slow with my running now, and every time I'm out there, I'm worried about my leg. It hurts, bad sometimes, but my physical therapist and sports doctor both assured me that I am healed and just have a weak leg now. It's almost like I'm completely starting over. I have managed to fill my life with running and running people, so when I was out, I felt like I had nothing to talk about and nothing to do.
What did you do to end up in PT? Are the doctors pretty sure you'll make your Christmas deadline?
Hi Tandy.
Hugs to you, I so get the feeling of having nothing to do or talk about. Our weekends revolved around running and I just still feel a little lost. Mike and I had to negotiate a little with schedules, because he planned on training for a full in late January, but instead is going to put it off until March. I can't even ride a bike outside right now, so I just didn't want to be alone so much on the weekend. I'm being a little needy, but he's been very supportive. Have you tried pool running? I do it 2 or 3 days a week and it might help a little bit with getting some of your cardio back without feeling like you are putting to much burden on your leg. I can't say that I enjoy it, but I do it.
Maybe ask your physical therapist what is "normal" coming back from an injury pain and what is "time to stop and call the doctor" pain.
I had surgery on my foot in August, after breaking a small bone in it nearly a year before (right after an awesome tri). So, I've been sidelined for a year, really only doing strength training. It's been so lame.
Luckily, I've been cleared for the eliptical for the last month. My goal is 2 tri's next summer.
Oh, a year. I'm so sorry. I can't get on the elliptical for a couple more weeks, and I'm really looking forward to it! Are you doing full tri's? Foot surgery is really scary to me, cause I have read a lot of horror stories about things gone wrong, so I'm glad your's seems to have done the trick.
Rose Been there, done that! Still haven't shaken the herniated cervical disc, but 5 months of no running was enough. Am now working my way back and really trying (not successfully) to take it slowly. Still want to be as fast as I was before, and it just isn't there.
Tandy I have that same "starting over" feeling, and also I just felt like I lost routine in my life without running or even any regular training. Glad you're healing. The weakness thing can be frustrating, I know. I still haven't built back up the tricep/arm strength that I had before (and it wasn't that great back then!)
bekkiz If you can survive a year without going nuts then you must be one tough person!
Maura
Maura--I'm sure the taking it slowly part is going to be the hard part of the whole recovery process for me, too. I get a little too competitive. How do you fix a herniated disc?
******
So, my story.
February--diagnosed with gluten intolerance, went gluten free. Ran a pr at Princess and felt fabulous. I had developed some foot soreness, but chalked it up to plantar, and did the ice, stretch, etc thing at home.
March--signed up for a 1/2 at the end of April and the very first run after Princess developed a nasty case of itbs. I I was running in shoes for pronating and after losing 50 pounds stopped pronating, so that was probably the culprit.
end of April--after going to a sports chiropractor for the itbs and dealing with horrendously painful therapy, managed to finish the half I signed up for. I was 30 minutes slower than Princess and in so much pain at the end. I shouldn't have run it, but I was being very stubborn.
May--no running. Continued the itbs treatment. Spent a lot of time on the elliptical. By now my right foot was getting sore a lot. Sometime in May I strained/sprained the same ankle with the foot pain. Iced, taped. Didn't go to the doctor. Bad decision.
June-October--Continued to run on the foot with the ankle/heel pain. Eventually it got to the point where it was pretty painful and I cut out all my other workouts, but kept running. I knew I shouldn't, but we had some other stressors and I just couldn't give it up. I finished the w&d faster than the year before, but was in a lot of pain. My itbs was flaring up in the same leg. My ankle was swelling, my heel was killing me and I couldn't even wear regular shoes anymore because of the heel pain. I ran a couple more times after we came home and finally went to the doctor 3 weeks ago. And of course I knew the first thing would be--stop running--and I did. I was ready at that point because the pain had gotten so bad, I couldn't live with it anymore. She took xrays and when they came back clean, I started with a physical therapist who is good a treating sports injuries.
I've been to physical therapy for two weeks and I'm 1/2 way through my third week of not running. (I am so crazy, I ran the morning of the xrays, cause I knew that would be it for a while.
Not too bright I know, but I've been told I seem to have a pretty high pain threshold, so I just ignored it and got in 4 miles or so.)
So, I have plantar fasciitis, a weakened ankle with residual pain from the sprain/strain and a fat pad injury in my heel. All in the same foot. Not running has helped a lot--big shocker. And the therapy seems to be doing the trick. I go to pt twice a week for an hour. Right now I am cleared to do anything which does not put pressure on my foot, which does not leave much. I can ride the bike, but not on hills, no standing up, etc. No elliptical. No strength training if it involves pressure on my foot. You get the picture.
The first week I was in mourning. Now it's getting a little better. I pool run, ride the stationary bike, lift weights--upper body only. I miss getting nice and sweaty.
My pt knows I want to do Princess, and is basically looking at the treatment as--whatever we need to do to get you running again without pain and without doing more damage. The therapy is extremely painful sometimes, but doable. The pain from the injuries tires me out some days, so I definitely want to fix it for good this time. And I'd like to be able to wear regular shoes again!
I know I made it worse by not going to the doctor sooner. Bad decision, but I would probably make the same one again. It got me through a pretty stressful summer, and I'm in a better place to deal with it now. Though I did try pretty hard to just wish the whole thing away.
I'm hoping to be back on the elliptical by the end of the month.
Sorry for the book, but it was kind of therapeutic to "talk" about it.
