Tag Archives: plantar fasciitis relief

OOFOS OOlala Recovery Sandals

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Disclaimer: I received OOFOS OOlala Sandal – Orange to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

The official start of summer is tomorrow but I’ve been in summer mode since the weather changed from dismal rain to sunny days.

I’ve always been a big fan of warm weather and summer time activities, but after a tough, long winter/spring filled with injuries and lots of precipitation, I’m loving this summer with all my heart (talk to me in September to see if I feel the same).

OOlala Project Pink Sandal

Late last summer I got my first pair of OOFOS OOlala sandals when BibRave teamed up with OOFOS to promote their Project Pink campaign. I’m happy to report that their initiative to raise money for breast cancer research is still going strong.

OOFOS donates $10 for each specific Project Pink pair sold. Additionally, 3% of all sales on shoes on their website go to Project Pink, breast cancer research.

I love my Project Pink Sandals so much, when the opportunity came through BibRave to try out the new Orange OOlala Sandals, I was quick to volunteer.

OOFOS, which is in its lucky 7th year, was created with recovery in mind. The folks behind OOFOS realized that while there were shoes on the market for exercise, there was also a need for a shoe that could absorb shock after the workout was over. OOFOS was born and through the past 7 years they’ve been rolling out more shoes, more options, and more colors.

Including my favorite… ORANGE!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkDH-GjFMhY/?taken-by=scootadoot

These shoes are everything. When I’m not sneakers for running/workouts, I’m in OOFOS. After two bouts of plantar fasciitis I’m not willing to take any chances when it comes to my feet.

In fact, a friend at my gym is currently dealing with the dreaded PF, Knowing that pain, I feel incredibly bad for her. Waking up in the morning and dreading that first step. Hobbling around after sitting, especially in the evening. Stretching and massaging and rolling and being in near tears because of the constant pain – it all came back as she was talking about it.

My first question was, “Have you heard of OOFOS?”

And of course, I brought my snazzy orange OOFOS to the gym for her to check out. After oo’ing over them, she said she plans to get a pair.

OOFOS do take a bit of getting used to when you first begin wearing them. While the OOlala look like flip flops, I wouldn’t place them in that category. They cradle your feet, giving them support and absorb 37% more impact than traditional footwear foams. They make your feet and calves work different muscles, that’s something you don’t get with a regular shoe but I also think that’s what helps with recovery.

If I’m not wearing sneakers, you can find me wearing these the majority of the summer. I wear them poolside, walks with my dog, running errands… basically anywhere and everywhere!

Since slipping my feet into OOFOS last year, I haven’t dealt with any sort of foot pain at all. *Knocking on all the wooden surfaces in my house*

If you’d like to hear more of what my fellow BibRave Pros think about Women’s OOlala Orange and Men’s the OOriginal Sport Geo Orange, be sure to swing by their blogs and check them out! I’ll be adding more links as reviews are posted.

Brenda

Bradford

Deanne

Are you on Twitter? Next Tuesday’s Twitter #BibChat will be sponsored by @OOFOS! Never been to a #BibChat before? It’s easy: at 9pm the @BibRave account posts a question (every 10 minutes or so, so there’s ample time to respond and check out other answers/interact). There’s usually a fun giveaway involved from the sponsor too *wink, wink*. I’ll be there on the @scootadoot account so look for me and say hi!

Have to considered joining the BibRave Pro family? The BibRave Pro application process is open now through this Friday so if you’re interested, be sure to swing by and feel free to tell them I sent you. If you have any questions about being a Pro or about my OOFOS, which I’m always down to chat about, leave a comment.

Plantar Fasciitis Follow-up

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Good morning friends!

I was recently thinking that often I find myself blogging about events in my life when I’m in the thick of them. I mean it makes sense to cover the down and dirty, the nitty gritty things. Like the dreaded plantar fascittis, for example. I’ve dealt with it twice since we started this blog three years ago.

This is my unimpressed face.

This is my unimpressed face.

While I’m hurting and doing things to make the hurt better, you get to hear about that dang ligament so much I’m sure you feel sympathy pain.

I lament those first steps in the morning, rolling my foot on a golf ball, rolling my foot on a frozen water bottle, and most importantly, not being able to do what I want to do when it comes to running!

(Some might consider walking more important but you know… not me.)

Anyway, I talk, talk, talk about the pain and then it finally subsides… I never really mention it again. But for something that’s such a big part of my life and affects not just me but so many people, I feel like I need to write a little follow up.

So, a quick recap… this last bout of PF started during a training run for last year’s Broad Street run and lasted throughout the summer before I decided that ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH. I put my foot down (see what I did there?); I wasn’t going to deal with it’s shenanigans any longer. I had training runs and races to do, PRs to hit, and I’d be damned if I was going to let a pesky ligament get in the way of my goals.

After three and a half months of just waiting for it to get better on its own (it did not), I started going to the chiropractor for treatments.

At first it was a few times a week, then weekly, then bi-weekly and now it’s monthly. There was a rest from running, Aleve to reduce the inflammation, and lots of tweaking and prodding to figure out what needed to be fixed.

Now it’s a monthly maintenance visit, to make sure I’m aligned (yep, like a car) and my body is working the way it’s supposed to. Each visit starts with about 15 minutes of intense physiotherapy.

chiro1

When I first started going there, at times I thought that I wasn’t going to make it out of that room. The therapists actually complimented my pain tolerance but maybe I just wasn’t vocal enough because I promise you, it hurt! You put up with the pain if you know it’s going to be fixed in the long run. At least, I do.

I don’t think the therapists have changed the intensity but my foot has become more malleable, more able to handle the manipulations.

Yes, Wesley. Yes.

Yes, Wesley. Yes.

After my visit with the therapist, I get adjusted by the chiropractor. I always give him a rundown of what runs I’ve been doing, my training (we train with the same personal trainer), and all the other fun in my life.

bones

The once a month visits keep me fairly loosey goosey and I’ve been feeling really good for the past 4-5 months with minimal amounts of plantar fascia pain. Which is exactly what we want!

I’m going to continue with adjustments because the less injuries for me, the happier I am. And the happier I am, the happier everyone around me can be. See how that works?

My goal from here on out is to consistently visit the chiropractor each month and be steadfast with my training. I know that I can’t always be 100% all the time but if I can do things to assist in remaining uninjured, I’m going to do them!

There you go, folks, that’s the scoop. Foot pain is much better, training runs are going very well, and I’m expecting good things to come during my spring races!

Have you ever dealt with plantar fasciitis? What did you do to relieve the pain? Have you visited a chiropractor to help? What races are you training for?

Plantar Fasciitis – I’m Just Not That Into You

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“Ouch, ouch, ouch.” Those are my first words every morning when I get out of bed. I hobble around my room, attempting to ease the pain shooting through my foot.

Not that you follow my every move (unless you’re my mom – hi Mom!) but you might have noticed that I’m not posting a whole lot about running lately.

Truthfully? The last time I actually ran a race was Sunday, May 1st, The Philadelphia Broad Street 10 Miler. That is a long 3.5 months ago. I’ve been running sprints at the gym but never more than a mile or two at in total and I usually pay for it for the rest of the day.

I’ve been hurting. Seriously hurting. Plantar fasciitis is an old enemy; it shows up from seemingly nowhere and totally messes with my mojo.

Praying, wishing, and hoping that time and babying it (along with my custom inserts, rolling it on various products promising relief, massage, etc.) would fix the foot has proved to be futile. The best way I can describe the pain is that my heel felt like it’s been stabbed with a rusty knife.

No me gusta.

Thanks for letting me know just how much I'm not moving, Fitbit.

Thanks for letting me know just how much I’m not moving, Fitbit.

In the interest of not just “waiting it out” any longer, I decided to finally take action. You know, three months later. Since I’ve visited my podiatrist quite a few times this past year, it’s time for something different.

Enter the chiropractor’s office.

chiropractor

My visits have been twice a week for the past two weeks. They’re guessing I have about two more weeks to go of treatments but they are confident they are going to cure me.

No, really! They said that they are going to CURE this. For good. I’m skeptical but if they can actually fix the foot permanently, I might have to do something drastic, like get the name of the practice tattooed on my foot in appreciation.

So far, it’s going well. Really well. SURPRISING WELL. Dare I say that I’m actually starting to feel an improvement? (I’m scared to say that out loud, no jinxing!)

The plan of attack:

1. Aleve for a week, three times a day to take the inflammation out of the foot. CHECK

2. NO RUNNING. (My trainer wasn’t pleased when I told him this but the chiropractor actually goes to my gym so he only grumbled a little.) CHECK

3. Twice a week of torture. Oh, I’m sorry, I meant to say massage, ultrasound, and adjustments. WORK IN PROGRESS

These massages are like nothing I’ve ever felt before. You hear the word “massage” and you think good thoughts. You can erase those thoughts.

Guys, I gave birth to my second child with no drugs. After having a c-section with my first. I’m pretty sure these massages hurt worse. (But after it feels really good. I think that’s their plan.)

Like I said, I’m halfway into the treatments and I think this might actually be it. Is my optimism showing? Fingers crossed, pajamas inside out, stroking a lucky rabbit foot… I’ll keep you posted.

Ever have plantar fasciitis or a niggling injury that just wouldn’t quit? What did you do to finally get rid of it?