Advice on foot injury in time for Belfast

jbree

Hello guys, been training for the Belfast marathon, first time I have done any running of any kind in my life, was motoring along nicely until last week on week 14 of training, during a 20 miler, when I got pains in my left foot when I went down a hill. I ran on for a while but when I eventually stopped I could hardly walk again.
Doctor said it was either ligament damage or muscle damage. It's on the outside of my foot, under my ankle and above the edge of my foot. I rested it for eight days without any training, taking ibuprofen, and tried to stay off my feet the best I could and went out for a small three miler on Monday and completed it but the pain the next day was awful.
How can I get it ready for Belfast in under two weeks?
I've tried to keep the legs working with weight extensions in the gym. Will cycling keep me ticking over until it's ready?
Have I any hope of running the marathon? What's the best for me to do? I'm a real beginner so any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

--amadeus--

OK folks, this is a test case thread following the earlier discussion. Remember any medical advice and thread has to be closed. Personal experience and training / cross training advice is fine, medical opinion or discussion not so fine

RunToFart

Sound.

If you have pain then that is not good. You only have two weeks to go so you will lose very little fitness between now and then and anyway you should be tapering now.
Stay on the bike between now and then it will keep you ticking over. Just get the heart rate up towards that you would normally run at and try a jog in a weeks time. If there is any pain then and its as bad a you describe then trying to do 26.2 miles on it would be silly and could cause you serious problems. There will be other marathons if you cannot do this one dont worry!

RJC

Listen to your body. The bravest thing to do might be to pass up the marathon but that is a decision only you and a doc/physio can make. I had to miss my first one due to injury (totally different injury btw) and I was like the child santa forgot on the day of the marathon.

dna_leri

jbree wrote: »

Doctor said it was either ligament damage or muscle damage. It's on the outside of my foot, under my ankle and above the edge of my foot. What's the best for me to do? I'm a real beginner so any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

I had a similar complaint last year and went to a sports physiotherapist who was a lot more specific than your doctor seems to have been and net result was with with some exercises, stretches and better supporting shoes I was back running in a few weeks without pain.
Sometimes a sports physio is more in tune with a runners injury and recovery requirements than a GP, I would try and find a good local one.

Stupid_Private

Sorry to all doctors but skip them and go straight to a sports physio with this one. I got misdiagnosed with ligament damage by a doctor before - first time there he gave me some anti-inflams, second time (2 weeks later) stronger ones. Told me I'd be back running in 2 weeks - I limped into his office both times. In the end I was off running for 4+ months because I tried to run when he told me I should be alright and really messed my ligaments.

jbree

thanks guys for the good advice.
I think i might have found out the prob and maybe you guys might tell me if this sounds right.
I bought a pair of good asics when I started the training, but it seems I have a high-arched foot and the shoe isn't right.
When I was told this might be the prob, I went for a light jog to test the injury, and was conscious that my left foot, the problem one, struck the ground at a different part compared to my right. It seems that's the way I run and I couldn't get in the rythmn to change it. I have always had blisters on the inside of my left foot since I began running, nowhere else. I seem to run on the inside of my left foot and it's putting a strain on the outside ligament. Does this all sound plausible?
Thanks for the help so far.