Well the pain in my foot was just diagnosed as a stress fracture. I am trying to figure out what could have caused it and wonder if any of you have any input. I do not recall any point in time when the injury may have occurred; one day the foot was fine, the next it hurt. Here is my exercise routine around that time:
-- walking, outside and on the treadmill
-- elliptical
-- biking, primarily outside and some spinning
-- swimming
-- lifting weights*
-- yoga
*I lift at home on a hardwood floor in my bare feet, sometimes standing on a yoga mat. I know, probably not good, but could this be the cause??
My stress fracture was an overuse injury--I was training for a marathon and ramped up my mileage too fast. My foot was absolutely fine fine fine, and then one day it was really really not. I was also in a hormone-challenged state, on a medication that threw me into a temporary sort of menopause, and got getting a whole lot of calcium-rich foods, so my bones were sort of challenged right then. I don't know too much about non-running stress fractures, except that they do tend to be overuse injuries. Have you ramped up your exercise, distance, time, or weight (for lifting) lately?
Your foot injury was serious. I thought you were just sore. I have no input on the probable cause but your barefoot comment got me to thinking about someting I had read awhile back. About all our wonderful atheletic shoes actually making our feet weaker. I don't know if it is true but it was an interesting read. I hope you feel better ... so.. what did the doctor say.. how soon before you are better?
Jayde, at first I too thought my foot was just sore. Remember I joked about starting my new job and my feet not being accustomed to wearing shoes?
I am not supposed to do anything that puts excess pressure or weight on the foot until I am completely pain-free, and I understand that could be up to 8 weeks; I think I'm at week 4 or 5 now. It was an internist who made the diagnosis and he thinks I should see a foot orthopedist or sports medicine specialist to make sure it's healing properly and to prevent future occurences. The internist knows I like to exercise and was preparing to train for a triathlon, so that's why he thinks a visit to a specialist would be beneficial.
I had also read something in the past about certain shoes making feet weaker. Both my mom and aunt have had problems with their feet, which I want to avoid. I loved how my feet felt after doing yoga, so decided to lift weights barefoot, thinking it would help strengthen my foot bones, joints, and muscles. To get an answer to this question is probably a good reason to see a specialist. I also go barefoot around the house and in my garden as much as possible (thus the joke about wearing shoes to work ... had been out of work for 10 months).
Anne, my doctor thinks it's probably from overuse. As I mentioned above, I was preparing to train for a triathlon but hadn't even started running yet. And I had worked out a schedule in which I would increase distance or time by no more than 10% a week. I've had some bad experiences in the past with over-training so learned what my body can tolerate -- or at least I thought so! But your comment about diet gives me much to think about. Eating wasn't so great around the time I began to feel the pain; just started the new job and was a little too frazzled to prepare healthy food for each meal. As I get older, I am starting to see that diet is so, so, so important. Sigh.
It was an internist who made the diagnosis and he thinks I should see a foot orthopedist or sports medicine specialist to make sure it's healing properly and to prevent future occurences.
I agree. A foot is nothing to fool around with. You could really cause some damage if not careful.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sf40
I also go barefoot around the house and in my garden as much as possible (thus the joke about wearing shoes to work ... had been out of work for 10 months).
We check our shoes in at the door too. Thus most of my day is spent barefoot if I'm home.
I hope you are finding plenty of satisfying alternative activities. Oh, btw... I think weightlifting in barefeet could be dangerous... What if you dropped the weights?... That being said I use dumbells all the time in my barefeet.
Hey! I'm glad you found out what's going on with your foot. Keep us posted as to what the foot specialist says.
I hope it's better soon!!! I read somewhere that lifting in bare feet can cause ummm...not necessarily posture problems, but I think alignment problems? Ugh, I'm not very clear, I guess...but bottom line was it wasn't a good idea...lol. I'm with you though, I'm barefooted if I'm at home, and when I was lifting it was mostly barefooted. When I start back I will most likely remain barefooted because I will never think 'put shoes on even though you're staying home'....it's just not something I EVER do.
When I start back I will most likely remain barefooted because I will never think 'put shoes on even though you're staying home'....it's just not something I EVER do.
Yup.. totally understand. The only time I wear shoes inside is on the treadmill. And for that I have a special pair that has never been worn outside. Gotta keep the outside dirt and grim outside where it belongs.
I think though.. that when my workouts with the weights get really serious I should wear shoes. The pain of putting them on.. well I guess I'm just going to have to do the weights and the mill back to back. ... I can be lazy about a lot of things including tying shoes.
"For deadlifting, if possible, use your sock feet (or barefeet if you lift at home and aren't standing on rubber mat flooring like they have at most gyms). Yuh-huh, I said sock feet. No shoes. This provides you with both a flat stable platform (that being the floor), and you're lower down relative to the bar, which makes the lift easier. In competition many powerlifters wear deadlift slippers, which look sort of like ballet slippers."
FWIW I always lift in bare feet when I'm at home. Never had any problems.
The only problems I have is from kicking people with my feet!
We are MEANT to walk barefoot - cave people didn't have shoes! But for running, when the impact is high and gait irregularities can be exagerated then it's completely advisable to get properly fitted running shoes.
Have you had your walking/running analysed at a store to make sure you're wearing the right shoes? Or are you just wearing tennis shoes when you do walk?
stress fracture
