Feeling Numb

I went to the podiatrist today to get some answers. I left there feeling a little but numb in the head.

My foot has been feeling so much better. I was thinking that I could give running a try soon. I was hoping even today. But the appointment changed things.

First, I was interviewed and examined by a medical student. He was thorough and verified that x-rays, if done too early after the injury, do not reveal hairline stress fractures. But his exam didn’t indicate a fracture. I could push and pull with my foot easily. The only issue was when he pushed on the tendon behind the protruding bump on my outer ankle.

He went outside and I could hear him reporting his findings to the doctor. They were in the hall for a good many minutes before they came in together. She immediately asked me to stand. Then she asked me to hop. I had done it yesterday, but today, in bare feet, I had to work hard to convince my body that I could manage the move. When I finally produced the hop, it HURT – in my foot AND in my ankle. *That* was the pain that I felt at Rock ‘n Roll.

I returned to the exam chair and she continued her exam. I underwent more pushing and pulling and with a much greater force than when the med student did the exam. But it didn’t hurt. We talked about the options. Icing, ibuprofen (which I was already doing), and I could also have some ultrasound treatments. I asked about running. I even asked about running the Nike 1/2. The doctor didn’t even flinch. She said that I could “try” to run “if I wanted to.” She said that if I could run 5 miles this week, I could probably make the 13.1 miles.

As I was putting on my socks I wondered what to do. I was tormented. I want to run/walk at Nike. Just for fun. But I know that it won’t be any fun if I am in pain.

And then something happened…

With the first step, post exam, I felt pain again in my foot. I guess it made sense that it was aggravated by her exam. I continued out the door and towards my van. I was now limping through the parking lot. I got into the van, started the engine. Then I turned off the engine, got out of the van and returned to the clinic.

I asked for the medical student and explained that I was now feeling significant pain and that I wanted to have the ultrasound treatments. He set it in motion and, within the hour, I was over at the hospital in the PT department.

– I now have exercises to strengthen my ankle.
– I am now icing my foot and my ANKLE.
– I now have new metatarsal pads in my shoes because apparently I have thin fat-pads to protect my bones.
– I now have new shoes (again) because the doctor thought that the new version of my Brooks Adrenaline was NOT the same as the old ones. Tim, at Running Revolution, confirmed that the ankle is a bit tighter in these.

So, I did the cross trainer tonight. My butt is getting sore from too much time on the bike seat. I jogged from the car to the door at In ‘N Out. That’s as far as I am running for now. Then I came home, did my exercises and stuck my foot and ANKLE into a basin of ice water. Now my feet AND my mind are numb.