I have found the solution to plantar fasciitis. No really. It is a cure that works 100% of the time. It is amazing. It is called time. Lots and lots of time.
I was looking through my old show scripts and saw the initial complaints of an achy heel on the first of June this year. That means I probably ran on it for 2 weeks before I noticed it, but June 1st is a nice even date. That means I have been suffering from plantar fasciitis for 4 months.
I didn’t know I had it until the middle of June. I ran my last run July 17th. I kept bike training through July and August. I rode my last serious mountain bike effort on August 20th.
Thinking about it like that, it really doesn’t seem that long. It is getting better.
I had my second cortisone shot this week. My recovery had plateau-ed. I’ve been staying off it as much as I can. Dr. Hester and I decided that it would be best to try to knock it out because the last shot made a dramatic positive impact. We’ll see where this goes. Got to bring the swelling down before it can heal.
It isn’t painful, just a low-level heel pain. I have been icing it at the end of the day. I have been keeping it taped almost all the time. I sleep with the hard boot. It really doesn’t hurt that much, but it is still there.
It flares a bit when I have to do a lot of walking in my business shoes.
Time heals all wounds. That is my theory and I’m sticking with it. Depending on how you look at it I’ve been battling this for 4 months or just a few weeks. I’m ok mentally to wait another month or two or three. Before you know it we will be looking back on this as a funny story.
I have told people to encourage them, and I will tell myself now, that injuries are a great gathering of strength. They allow you to do some things that you haven’t had time to do. They allow you, or more accurately, force you to grow.
Lean back. Exhale. Breathe deep and give it some time my friends. Everything needs space to heal .
And when it heals I’ll see you out there.
Chris,
Some people hold on to the mindset that they will never recover and life will always be horrible. But if you fight and overcome you can turn around and be living proof that that type of mindset just doesn’t hold water, ya know?
The only way to find out what works is to keep up the fight.