My Journey With Health And Fitness – Pushing Through

The past 2 days at the gym I have had a new instructor. Yesterday was Circuit Friday but the regular instructor was sick so we had a sub. I’m not great with changes like this as I have that whole routine thing but most of what she set up was stuff I had done before and none of it would be challenging for my various knee/ankle/back issues. I have to say it was a tough class and I burned a lot of calories. Today it was the same instructor and again we were doing a circuit. I looked at some of the stations she had set up and let her know of my limitations. She asked some great questions about what I could and couldn’t do and she committed to giving me modifications whenever I need them. Like yesterday it was brutal and many calories were burned.

When I was in Mexico I started having pain on the underside of my heel. I thought it was being caused by my brace irritating my foot so I stopped wearing the brace. Unfortunately that didn’t really provide much relief. I stopped wearing sandals and only wore good, supportive runners. It still didn’t get better and I thought well, I have an appointment with my doctor when I get home I might as well bring it up with her.

Now of course you know I had to research online what it was because that is just what I do. When I had the call with my doctor I told her I thought I had plantar fasciitis. I described the symptoms as having burning pain at the back of the bottom of my foot, it is worst 1st thing in the morning, it feels better when I am walking and I had had it for about a month. She agreed, it was plantar fasciitis and recommended I search online for some exercises to help it (many are similar to those that I do for my ankle) and to roll my heel over a bottle of cold water several times a day.

Plantar fasciitis is caused by straining the the plantar fascia, or the main ligament at the bottom of the foot. The name simply means inflammation of the plantar fascia. One of the primary causes of plantar fasciitis is overuse/repetitive exertion with inadequately supportive shoes (ok, over use maybe but I have properly fitted shoes with custom orthotics). Sadly I have learned it can take up to a year for it to subside.

But you know what? I am not letting this stop me. Yes the pain is annoying but it is not debilitating. I’ve found once I start moving it feels better. I do sometimes walk without my brace because really that does seem to irritate it at times but I wear my brace as often as is tolerable. As a matter of fact I think the plantar fasciitis has been caused by the torn tendons/detached ligament which causes my foot and ankle to be so messed up.

So, I am going to just keep pushing through unless the pain becomes too much and it hasn’t yet. I’m careful about where/how I walk, I do my ankle exercises, I am stretching more and I am rolling my heel on a cold water bottle 3 times a day. Moreover, I have started using my anti-inflammatory cream to help reduce the swelling. No, I don’t think I am making it worse or doing more damage, I just think I am not letting it be an excuse to not push myself.