Lisa Sabin’s - Running And Being

Plantar Fasciitis And Cortisone

May 31st, 2007 Edit

I called my coach this week. We determined that since I have taken 5 weeks off of running now, and my plantar is not completely gone, that I should go ahead and get a cortisone shot. I have had one in the past, and my doctor prefers not to give them. But, if the injury continues to be chronic, as mine has, and then it is a good form of treatment.
I saw DR Mari Adad yesterday and told him about my hope to run the Boston Marathon in 2008. He looked at my foot and right away was able to determine the site of the swelling. He said “We need to get the foot calmed down so that you can train. Take 2 more weeks off running. You can cycle, swim and do the elliptical, no impact, Then start slow, like 20 minutes of running. You have plenty of time to get ready for your race.”
The shot wasn’t as painful as I remembered. He numbed me up with a cold topical pain reliever first. He also told me to get back into my cushier Asic Gel Kayano’s, instead of the Brooks Adrenaline.
Cortisone is a naturally-occurring anti-inflammatory hormone that is found in your body. The body is a balance of inflammation (a preparatory step to healing) and calming down of inflammation. When your body is out of balance, it may benefit from an application of cortisone. Cortisone injections are useful in treating many conditions, for example, trigger fingers, tennis elbow, and plantar fasciitis. The purpose of the injection is to calm down the excessive inflammatory process that may be going on because of injury, excess use, or similar problems. Cortisone injections can also be used for diagnosing some conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, wrist ligament tears, etc.
My next step is to continue to comply with the healing process. I am going back to my chiropractor, who is using lazer technology to break up the inflammation. Dr. Scott Hammons, has worked with a lot of runners, including the Arthiritis Foundation Team In Training. He also helps keep me in aligment etc. He does a combo of massage and chiropractic, which works well. I’ve know Dr Scott for about 6 years and he has worked with a lot of my running clients.