Green light
I met with the sports medicine doctor yesterday morning. I made sure not to wince when he applied pressure to my sore spots so he would give me the go-ahead to run.
Just kidding! There was no faking*. I felt good, and told him that, and I DID get the green light to start running again!
With a few contingencies, of course:
- THE BIG ONE: listen to your body
- Better repeat it: listen to your body
- Run only on trails or the track – no running on paved streets, sidewalks or the treadmill
- No speedwork or tempo runs for awhile
- Stretch, stretch, stretch
- Pick one pair of shoes and wear them out – don’t alternate between shoes
- Wear arch-supporting inserts
- Continue to take calcium and vitamin D
- Try to find a coach to help with my gait
We went over my running and leg-pain history, and the doctor recommended a slow plan to get back in to running (only if I am feeling well):
- Week 1: 3 runs @ 2 miles each = 6 miles total
- Week 2: 3 runs @ 3.5 miles each = 10.5 miles total
- Week 3: 3 runs @ 5 miles each = 15 miles total
- Week 4: 3 runs @ 6.5 miles each = 19.5 miles total
By the end of four weeks (July 26) the idea is that I can do a long run of 8 miles and start to build up from there.
He kept stressing that I listen to my body. Don’t run if it feels bad. Take more rest days if you need to. Run less if you need to. But also, run more if it feels better! He told Steven he should run with me, to tell me if my gait is off. And that I should learn how to tell if my gait is off so I can auto-correct it.
The thing about all this is – I was listening to my body! Was I ever! I took way more rest days than I wanted to during half marathon training and paid attention to every little pain. It’s kind of frustrating. The doctor has no hypothesis as to why this happened to me – “it’s just you.” Yeah. That was his answer. What the hell does that mean? I just have bad luck?
So, I am trying not to be too optimistic about my return to running, although I will admit there have been some dramatic slow-mo running reenactments with humming of the Rocky Theme song by yours truly.
Steven and I ran 1.5 miles last night. We walked, stretched, ran 1, walked, ran .5, then walked and stretched. I felt good, except for those silly arch supports. They make me land on the outside of my foot funny. They might have to go… or the original Adrenaline supports may have to go.
Do any of you have experience with using arch supports? What are your thoughts?
*I’m not a faker.
Themocracy
Yay!!! Congrats on getting the go-ahead to start running again!
Awesome! I am so happy for you.
I will be interested to see what everyone says about arch supports because I have been feeling like I need them and have no idea what to try.
Why did he say to pick one pair of shoes and wear them out? I always thought you were supposed to alternate shoes…is that just a myth?
I think he told me to pick one pair and stick with them because while I have two pairs of Brook Adrenalines now, one is the 9 series and one is the 10 series and they are quite different!
I am thrilled you got the green light so quickly but wary at the same time. Don’t the sfx need more time to heal completely? Or did I miss something?
Until recently I’ve had no experience with arch supports. But I’ve reviewed insoles that had significant arch support. I agree they seemed like they were throwing my foot to the outer edge a but but nothing terrible.
Have you read Chi Running and/or considered becoming a mid/forefoot striker to minimize impact?
The doctor put me on Calcitonin to help speed up the bone re-building process, and I haven’t run in over a month. Honestly, he told me I had three stres fractures, but how could they be that serious? That seems kind of ridiculous! I have not read Chi Running but do usually strike midfoot.
Congrats on the good news. Let’s hope you case ease yourself back into running without your body hating on you again!
I’ve been wearing Super Feet inserts/arch supports for years, because I find what comes with running shoes pretty much sucks. My cousin is a sports podiatrist – he told me Super Feet are the next best thing to getting customized inserts.
When I first started using Super Feet, I did feel like they were making me land on the outside of my foot. But, the reality (for me) was I was actually finally running in good form. Once I got used to them, I began loving them. I won’t ever buy a pair of running shoes without them!
YAY! on getting the go ahead! I’m so happy for you!
I’m curious to hear about your experience with inserts – my sister swears by hers, but I’ve never used them. My feet are a complete mess (gigantic bunion) so I’ve always wondered if they’d actually help me or not…
Believe me, I will keep you guys updated on the inserts! I hope they get better!
Wow – the recommendations from your Dr. are so not what I would or have ever done.
1. I always thought treadmill running provided cushioning needed to avoid injury or prevent it. Did he tell you why T/M’s not recommended?
2. I have so many pairs of shoes and some days, one pair feels better than another. That’s why I thought that was good.
3. Have to be careful with arch supports, some can do more damage than good. I have one pair that really annoys my left arch. It pushes into it too much and causes extreme achiness by the end of my walk or run.
4. Hopefully if you find a coach, he/she won’t change your gait. That can cause more strain than benefit.
Looks like a great plan to easy you back into running. Fingers crossed all body parts will feel 100% after each run. Good luck, Kim! 🙂
When I asked the doc if I should run on the treadmill he asked if I run on it now, and the answer is a big fat, no. I avoid it. So he told me to stay off of it so that I am not introducing something out of the ordinary to my running. Also, he said you compensate a bit differently when running on a treadmill and he wanted me to avoid that. I think he’s worried about my gait. And about the shoes, the two I have are the same model but different years and are quite a bit different. So he said to just wear whichever feels better until they wear out then break in new ones.
I’m glad that the doc approved you for running again. It sounds like he had great advice for supporting your legs better with stretching, calcium, etc. and avoiding things like paved streets and speedwork that might aggravate them. The biggest challenge will be keeping from overdoing it while you get back in the groove! You can report back to us for accountability. 🙂
Cute picture, by the way!
Thanks 🙂
Oh darn, an excuse to run on the trails? I bet you were so sad 🙂
Ha, I know, right? What am I going to do during the winter though. Maybe I can run on the sidewalk by then? Ha ha. I am sure I will be able to sooner.
Congrats!!!
I think listening to one’s body IS the hardest part. I am struggling to remember to stretch (not just stretch like I used to, but really do it along with my active dynamics) as well- you would think I would be insane about it because I am so afraid of reinjury, but I have never been so lazy in my life as I have been since I got the green light. I think I am caught up in how slow I am now- UGH. Okay, maybe I need to post about this!!
Please post about it! I am sure I will be able to relate! I am so anxious to just get out there and run, I DO NOT want to take the time to stretch. But I will. For now.
Good luck getting back into running! I’ll be thinking about yout. I hope your pain stays away!
Congratulations on getting the green light!! 🙂
I’ve used custom arch supports before — not for running, though. I found that they were extremely uncomfortable unless I took out the original arches from the shoe… and you kind of have to wear them in a little before they’re remotely comfortable.
<3 <3
I think I will have to try that. Having two inserts in there made my feet feel all bloated.
Yay for green light!
I should probably wear inserts in my shoes because I think I have flat feet. I’m not a runner but I still walk funny or so I have been told. I can tell because of how my shoes wear out in certain areas.
Yea for the green light! Very exciting!
I am supposed to wear inserts in my left foot because I broke my foot/had a bone removed. However, when I got the inserts back in the day they hurt so much worse than my foot does. I am sure the inserts now are better I just haven’t gotten around to trying any.
Yayy for getting the green light!
I’ve never used arch supports but I’m sure they would help. I over-pronate a lot so it seems like it’d be a good solution!
I wear arch supports, or specifically customized orthotics. I wrote a post about my experience here: http://sunapeegirl.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/the-orthotic-option/
I had a bad history of overpronation and shin splints. I got the orthotics and have seriously never looked back. They’re not for everyone but they’ve been amazing for me.
Oh, how I wish I could afford the real ones 😉 I do have the spenco brand you mentioned! I read you can heat them up and mold them to your foot.
I love the contingencies. I think there’s some great advice in there. For most people, it really is about listening to the body, not just pushing through. I use arch supports in my regular shoes because my feet roll in. I have a past of sore knees and heel pain and I’m not even a runner. I’m just used to supports now. I don’t even notice them. If I don’t use them, I have pain the next day (just from walking around in my normal daily routine).
I wear Power Step (the newer one)inserts for arch support. My foot doc hooked me up with them and I never realized how nice it would be to have arch support until I got them. Now I love them!
So glad you are back to running. Hopefully by continuing to take the Vitamin D and Calcium you wont have any more problems! I haven’t used arch supports at all, so I am no help.
That no switching between shoes is interesting. I have been running for awhile now but JUST started experiencing pain in my ONE shin back in January. Coincidentally around the same time I started switching it up between 2-3 pairs of running shoes, all with different amounts of wear and tear on them. I wonder if that could be part of my problem… Hmmm
I started switching between two different versions of the same shoe in about Feb or March and my pain hit a few months later. I wonder if we are going to switch it up, if we should just stick to the exact same version of the shoe? who knows!
I’m glad that you got the green light to start running, even if it is with a million and one conditions. Like people have said above, I’m surprised that you have to stick with only one pair of shoes. I thought that a lot of foot specialists recommend switching them out for different runs.
I think he only said that since I have two different models of the Adrenalines and they are kind of different. I bet it would be okay to wear two pairs of 9s, or something. Right now, I have 9s and 10s.
Don’t you hate when your body is fighting against you? I want to scream “STUPID BODY, I’M DOING THIS FOR YOU SO YOU DON’T END UP A FAT BLOB, NOW STOP THIS SILLINESS ALREADY!”
Ugh.
I started taking a BUNCH of vitamins once my hip pain was flaring up, and it’s been about 6 weeks or so (maybe more?) taking them, and it seems to help. Calcium, Vitamin D (though all the sun we get from running helps), Magnesium, Glucosamine… And the list goes on. I’ve been really good about it, and no new aches and pains since. Yay!
Where does that put you regarding Chicago training? Are you still on for it (assuming no new injuries)?
Yes! That is pretty much how I feel! Love that you are taking the drug cocktail as well. I am still on for Chicago, but won’t get to do long runs until August (if I don’t get injured again). Yay. Heat. Not!
haha, i’m the poster child for the “huh, well, we don’t know what happened or why you hurt” movement. going on 4 months for my tailbone. i want to strangle people. (especially, say, MY TAILBONE.)
Awesome that you can start running again. I’ll have to go back and read your blog archives for all your running posts.
Back in February I started running again for the first time in years. Since then I’ve ran on and off (mostly off if I’m honest) but really started running consistently at the end of May.
This morning I managed to run 5.04 miles in 48 mins (according to the Nike+ thingy on my iPhone). Mind you I had to get up at 5:00am to beat the Phoenix sun. Didn’t really matter, it was still 91° 😉
I’ve been meaning to do a blog post about it but it slipped my mind until I read this post of yours. So thankies for the nudge 😉
YAYYYYYYYYYYYY. This is great news. and I LOVED the picture. It reminded me of the fonz with his short sleeves rolled up “eyyyyyy”.
I’m sure you know, but for me it was SUPER annoying how much I had to hold it back when I was coming back from my sFx. Slow and steady.
(so, I’ll admit, I read the first few comments and then I skipped to the bottom….. I saw in one of them about your 9s vs 10s. What do you think about the differences? you’re right, there are a TON of them – and I am not a fan. I liked the 9s a lot more – but it is all relative, I still like the 10s quite a bit too)
I haven’t consciously noticed a difference… I guess I am not that in tune with my feet! But I know I loved my 9s!
Glad to hear that you are able to run again. Go slow and take it easy. You will back into it in no time.
Oh my gosh, that is GREAT news, Kim! Just think…before you know it, you’ll be banging out those long runs again. 🙂 You deserved some good news from the doctor!
I am so excited to hear that you got the go ahead to run again. I like the idea of working into it, and it sounds like you are doing great with listening to your body.