It was my first day back at work in over 11 days, I must say it took some getting up this morning when the alarm went off, my body just didn’t want to get up and my mind seemed to be in agreement.
As I walked to work this morning, I was surprised how good I felt, there was only a dull ache in my heel, unfortunately that didn’t last as the day wore on.
I’ve had this pain in my left heel for almost seven months now, after a three hour training session last November, the pain went from dull ache and occasional sharp pain to all out sharp pain, the only way I can describe it is like continually walking on a piece of lego.
Those who have kids will probably know what that’s like, that moment when you tread on a piece of lego or any other small sharp toy, you will know that pain the bottom of the foot, it’s an occupational hazard when you have young kids.
After that training session it was like I had that piece of lego in my shoe, every footstep was a sharp pain. So I had two choices, see the Doctor to see what they recommend or just pay for physio, so I booked a physio session. I had seen this guy a number of years ago about a torn muscle I had in my back, he sorted it out back then, so I was confident he could get to the bottom of the problem this time around.
I booked in but had to wait a number of weeks to get an appointment, that was a couple of weeks before Christmas, what I found out was that is wasn’t my heel that was injured or the bottom of the foot, it wasn’t the ankle, but it turned out to be a torn calf muscle!
He said it had been done some time ago, but it had failed to heal properly, instead the muscle fibres had knotted, because of this the muscle was tightening and shortening which in turn was stretching the Achilles tendon, causing the pain in the heel.
I can only think that I tore this muscle walking in preparation for coming out of retirement for the National’s back in June. I’m a kind of all or nothing sort of guy, instead of slowly getting back into training and building up, I just jump in and go for it where I left of, the pain started during that training, so I have carried the injury since then.
I have a certain stretch to do everyday, designed to stretch out this muscle, but this hurts to do and aggravates the heel, but when I went back to physio last week, I was reprimanded for not doing enough.
So far I have had two lots of treatment and am already booked in for another, it doesn’t seem like a quick fix like I had before with the back muscle, this one is way more complicated.
If I’m up on my feet it’s not to bad, if I’m moving around it’s generally okay, just the dull ache that very rarely goes away, but I’ve managed to tune out to that. If I sit down for just a couple of minutes and then get back up, then the pain returns immediately, it pulls on the heel really hard, so I hobble about for a while.
This morning I thought everything was fine, at work I managed to stretch the calf whilst I was up and about, but that just aggravates the problem for a while as it’s stretching it out and the pain returned for most of the day.
The physio said until this is fully stretched out, so the stretching no longer hurts and the muscle doesn’t hurt when he works it, we cannot move on to strengthening the calf, so the stretches have to stay and I suppose for the time being the pain has to stay, but hopefully it gradually fades away as each day passes.
I really want to get out walking again in the mornings, but until this problem is sorted I can’t do that. My plan is compete again this year, so I want to get ready with months to go, not weeks this time, so the sooner I can move forward the better, but for the time being, I just keep going with the painful stretching and wait to see what the next physio session is like in two weeks.
So for now, I have to keep walking with that piece of lego in my shoe!!!
INVINCIBLE by HEDLEY
Took a long hard look at my life
Lost my way while I was fighting the time
A big black cloud, stormy sky
Followed me while I was living a lie
So heartless, so selfish, so in darkness
When all your nights are starless
You’re running outta hope
But I found the strength inside to see
Found the better part of me
And I’ll never let it go
I’ve come a long, long way
Made a lot of mistakes
But I’m breathing, breathing
That’s right
And I mean it, mean it
This time
I’m a little run down
I’ve been living out loud
I can beat it, beat it
That’s right
’cause I’m feeling, feeling
Invincible
Whoa-oh-oh-oh [x3]
When you’re gone for a day on your own
Tear your heart out just to find your way home
I’ve been so high, I’ve sunk so low
I’ve come so far with nothing to show
For it mistaken, I got so good at taking
But now I’m tired of faking
This story’s getting old
So I found the strength inside to see
From the better part of me
And I’ll never let it go
I’ve come a long, long way
Made a lot of mistakes
But I’m breathing, breathing
That’s right
And I mean it, mean it
This time
I’m a little run down
I’ve been living out loud
I can beat it, beat it
That’s right
’cause I’m feeling, feeling
Invincible
Whoa-oh-oh-oh [x3]
Invincible
I’m not the only one
To crash into the sun and live to fight another day
Like a super nova, that old life is over
I’m here to stay
Now I’m gonna be
Invincible
Whoa-oh-oh-oh [x3]
Invincible
I’ve come a long, long way
Made a lot of mistakes
But I’m breathing, breathing
That’s right
And I mean it, mean it
This time
I’m a little run down
I’ve been living out loud
I can beat it, beat it
That’s right
’cause I’m feeling, feeling
Invincible
Whoa-oh-oh-oh [x3]
Invincible.
Whoa-oh-oh-oh [x3]
Invincible
The Bottom of a Bottle 