Damn Vibram Shoes (aka OUCH!)

My epic Vibram (barefoot shoe) injury saga continues almost one year later. Unbelievable. You can read about my initial injury and outcome here: Barefoot v. Vibrams…the Vibrams Lose. Then I tweaked it again in January, but didn’t blog about it because it didn’t last long. I was in the Vibrams and walking the dog while Colson and his friend were riding bikes. I didn’t want them to have to stop and start while waiting for me over and over to catch up, so I jogged back in my Vibrams. Big mistake!! But not so bad.

I was jogging in regular running shoes in preparation for the Rugged Maniac Race, and all was great. Ryan had a lung illness, ran the race anyway, and became sicker, which left me with walking the dog every morning for two weeks. Because I was running so well and enjoying it, I ran (in my running shoes NOT Vibrams) most days. On the last day I ran, I had terrible pain in both ankles (no signs prior). Damn Vibram injury from a year ago!! Ryan was able to massage the pain out of the left ankle, but the right has persisted. The right ankle pain hurts so much that I can barely limp around the block with the dog some days.

I hadn’t walked in over a week when I took Colson to Feldenkrais physical therapy (long story, but he is working on proper use of his legs because his outer leg bones grew too quickly throwing off his skeletal structure. It has been corrected with chiropractic, but his leg muscles are rebelling because they have not been properly used ever. Both the PT and the chiropractor are brilliant and Colson is improving lightening quick). The PT says that I have injured my tibialis posterior and if I keep on going I will shred it, need surgery and take a year to recover.

I couldn’t keep going if I wanted to. I rested a few more days, massaged it and iced it (it likes ice!) and things got better a little bit. I tried taking the homeopathic Arnica, but that didn’t help. So, I emailed my incredible Homeopath, Hart Matthews. He said that since it likes ice and Arnica isn’t working, I should take Ledum 30C. I took the Ledum and the next day the pain was gone. With the pain gone that meant I was going to try a bike ride (the PT said biking would be ok). The injury was minorly annoyed but the pain was gone an hour or so after the ride was over.

That brings us to today. I woke up pain-free. It is Sunday. Ryan had a super long six day work week and I thought I would spare him getting up early and walking the dog. I took her on a very slow, ginger walk. I did ok the first ¼ mile, but then the injury flared up. Luckily it was moderately annoying, and I wasn’t limping and sucking in my breath in pain with each step the way I did over a week ago. I got home, took another Ledum 30C and will wait another week before I do anything. Poor husband…he will be walking that dog hard. Again.

What have I learned? Fortunately (I suppose you could say that), I have a past experience that has me prepared for this quiet time – even though I want to run and run and run because I am stronger and better at almost 45 than I was at 28. At age 29, just after getting married, I fractured my back on an adventure outing. I thought for sure I would be paralyzed. The western MDs missed the fracture, but the chiropractor said that I was seriously hurt and should do NOTHING. Not even sweep the floor. I was really strong – able to bench press 120 pounds, run 10 miles and had 12% body fat. Then it all came to a screeching halt. If you know me, that is NOT my nature. I struggled with this quiet time until my really wise injury massage therapist counseled me on cycles in life. After a robust cycle, this was my quiet time – a time for reflection and focus on strengthening another part of my life. A quiet part of my life. It took two visits for his wisdom to sink in, and I quieted down.

Now it is time for me to again be strong in a new way. Fortunately, not all of me has to be physically neutral this time, and I want to get cardio in some way. So pushups it will be. Lots and lots of pushups. In a week or so I will add back squats and lunges between pushup sets. And I will figure out how to strengthen these messed up ankles – probably need a PT visit myself.

I need to figure out what to do about shoes. I am uncomfortable in regular arched shoes and prefer barefoot. Vibrams are too hot for the summer, so I will need to find something. I just know that arched shoes don’t feel so good. And, when I am healed, what am I going to run in? My dog is missing me and I am missing her on our morning jaunts.

Oh yeah. It is time to be quiet and patient. I don’t need to figure it all out now.

Off to do those pushups. 

Comments

[Amanda]

You should try Soft Star shoes. They make soft-soled shoes for babies all the way up to adults! The have a running shoe called RunAmoc I think... I love the shoes for my toddler and I want to get some for myself too!

[Laura Combs]

Thank you for reading and for the comment! It is on my list of purchases.