L Foot, Other
2021-03-28 – 2021-10-16
Grade: 2
Bruised my left heel a week or so ago. It seems to be getting worse and was really sore yesterday after running. Will need to rest starting today until it heals.
Kim Baxter 25th April: Sounds like its probably a bruised heel pad. They can take a while to settle. You can try some gel heel cups in your shoes to protect it a bit more and try to gradually build up its tolerance to walking?
Started to walk a bit more in early May (with gel pads in my shoes) but there did not seem to have been much improvement even after X weeks of rest.
9th May: Fed up of my heel not getting better and wondering if it is more than bruised. It was sore even just walking along the lakeshore this morning. Finally bit the bullet and went to the walk in centre. Had an x-ray and the doctor was "not convinced it's not fractured" so he referred my images to a specialist who will call me with a second opinion.
Thankfully the consultant from Lancaster Fracture Clinic was confident it is not fractured, so I felt happy to go away to Pabbay as planned. This involved walking every day over rough ground with a heavy rucksack. Bizarrely it felt much better than expected so I returned wondering if it has become somewhat mental...
29th May: Heel feeling sore after trying to run (a tiny amount) this week and the walk on Thursday. Started a week of taking Ibuprofen to see if that helps to settle the bruise and/or break the mental cycle. [it didn't make any difference]
11th June: Physio with Cat Slater. Good to finally see someone face to face. Whatever this started as (and she agreed it sounded like a heel pad injury)... I now have plantar fasciopathy. I need to avoid doing anything that triggers an adverse reaction within 24 hours, which at the moment seems to include any running or jogging. Cat advised two weeks off running to focus on rehab exercises.
Consistent physio from mid June to the end of September brought steady progress and I was able to reintroduce running. In September it actually started to become enjoyable again.
Tentatively closing this injury in mid October after two weeks on Arran, where I was able to do consecutive, long days in the mountains, interspersed with coastal walks and runs. Only very mild tenderness and tiredness in my foot occasionally.
Starting a training programme with Paul Tierney to build up my running during autumn/winter.