After breakfast I laced up my tennis shoes and started out on my walk. Yeah, I didn't make it very far before the pain in my heel started shooting both towards my toes, up the outside of my foot and through my ankle.
Last night, I was a little sore from the walk but I figured it was simply because I hadn't been very active recently... So I kicked back and watched Glee, Raising Hope and who was eliminated from Dancing with the Stars. When I went to go to bed my heel was tender but tolerable.
This morning it was still sore but I wasn't really moving throughout the apartment too wildly. When I started out on my walk I went about .2 miles and could barely stand the pain shooting through my foot. I text my mom about what was going on and she advised me to get it looked at (her guess was that I had Plantar Fasciitis)- which was perfect because I had already text my friend to see if she had her car (her husband is also in the Army - and they share a car much like I do with my husband). As luck(?) would have it - her husband had his wisdom teeth removed earlier this morning so he was off work and she had access to the car. My husband drove the truck to work (not that I would have been able to deal with the clutch as my left foot is the one effected) and still isn't home.
Anyway, I started at Urgent Care in the hospital but they were so backed up they actually asked me to go to the Emergency Room to be examined instead. I had my vitals taken and settled into the book I'm reading (Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen). I don't believe I sat there for more than 30 minutes before I was taken to the exam room.
The doctor was very friendly and asked me a few questions about recent activity. She then examined my foot by poking around to find the sore spots (which is so fun), asking me to stand and walk. She explained that there was no need for x-ray as she knew I had Plantar Fasciitis. She then gave me directions for how to heal the injury, a prescription for orthotic shoe inserts/a night splint boot/anti-inflammatory medicine. Lucky me?!
I've read up on it thanks to the many papers and handouts from the doctor and here's what I've learned... Plantar Fasciitis is an injury to the Plantar Fascia. The Plantar Fascia is a long band of fibers that go from the bottom of the heal to the toes that helps support your arches and provide shock absorption for the bottom of the foot. When you tear or stress the Plantar Fascia (ie: sudden increase in workouts) it causes inflammation and lots of pain (as I have found out).
Well, I have low arches to begin with (not quite flat footed but close) so that right there was a problem. The doctor told me that it would take 6-8 weeks to feel improvement and anywhere from 3-18 months to fully heal the area since it's such an overly used area.
Recovery is pretty simple - I'm supposed to try and stay off my foot as much as possible while I have pain and inflammation - listening to my foot to know when I can return to my walking routine and even then, taking it slowly. I also will be icing the bottom of my foot via a frozen water bottle. I am to put it on the floor under my foot and gently roll my foot back and forth across it which will help with the swelling. I have these very comfy pair of orthotic shoe inserts that I am to wear in all my shoes (no flip flops) and a night splint that I wear while I sleep. The night splint will keep my foot from bending downward while I sleep and also stretches the area helping it to heal. Also, stretch-stretch-stretch with a side of an anti-inflammatory medicine 2 times a day.
It sucks getting old. LOL!
Anyway, I came home and decided to have leftover Ziti and strawberries with a Coke Zero for lunch with my new medicines. Yum!
I laid low the rest of the afternoon and just finished a lovely "frozen bag" dinner. I didn't feel like cooking much tonight or standing long on my foot so this did the trick.
The serving is a cup and a half so I am filled up!! A glass of water for good measure and probably no dessert. We are low on groceries and I had to beg my husband to go to the store tonight for fruits, veggies & eggs. Oh well, I'd drive if I didn't think it would cause a lot of pain and complications driving. I'm going to probably continue to lay low tonight and keep icing my foot and taking care of it.
What a bummer way to start day 2?? I'm not going to let it slow me down! Instead I have to be extra conscience of what I'm eating and find an alternative way to get exercise. I cannot let this affect my goals!!
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