Saturday, January 8, 2011

ART

Last week I noticed my 1st metatarsal (1st MTH on picture) was really starting to hurt..again...still...whatever...little sucker was getting worse.  As I ran an 18 miler it was pitching a particularly violent hissy fit what made it worse was I was listening to The Marathon Show and, they were talking about ART (Active Release Techniques) as I ran.  So as they talked about curing such ailments mine went on a tirade.  I took it as a sign, a sign from the running gods and maybe Joe Taricani (host of the Marathon Show), lol.  I ran home, looked up ART in my area, found a doctor and got myself an appointment. 

Fast forward a few days, I had a dilemma, a real problem.  I could get into to see the Doc but, it was at the end of the 3.5 hr block that Chloe is at school.  These blocks of time are my only out door running time when Doug is out of town (which he has been for a few weeks now).  So what would I do?  Not run so I could go to the doctor?  Crazy talk, I had 2hrs between dropping Chloe off and the appointment time.  Run a short run then shower up and head to the appointment?  Nonsense I had a 2hr block of time, I couldn't waste 1hr cleaning up.  Eureka, I had it, the dude is a Sports Doctor right?  Surely he has dealt with sweat before...you know where I am going with this...yep, dropped Chloe off, sped over to the Doctors Office, hopped out and ran 15.6 miles before I ran in for my appointment.  Ok it was slightly embarrassing to be sweaty with some HOT Triathlete Doctor touching my feet but, I got over it, and at least I had shaved (thanks Cindy for reminding me to do that)  lol.  So what did the HOT doctor do for me?

He started by watching me walk.  Deduced my metatarsal was messed up, duuuuuhhhhh, that is why I was there.  But then I got up on the table and that guy, bent the hell out of my toe, holy crap, he bent it so far back I thought it was going to snap clean off.  You know what, it hurts, yep, might find this nuts but, if your metatarsal is really hosed up it hurts like the dickens for someone to mash their stupidly strong thumb into it and take their other stupidly strong hand and bend the toe in 1/2.  But dang, it worked.  Got up walked around and sure enough it didn't hurt so much.  Then Doctor McHotty got it in his head to "fix" my plantar fasciitis as well.  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I should have run from the room when he pulled out his magical plastic scraping tool but I had no idea what was coming next.  He opens a drawer and grabs some sliver of plastic, and then goes to town scraping, yes folks, scraping the fascia, it sounded awful (like he was dragging the plastic over cement) and didn't feel so great either.  But by the next day and especially two days later it was feeling pretty dang great and that was with 30+ miles run on it.  Yes, Doc McHotty did tell me it was best not to run on it for a few days but, when a patient runs to the office for treatment you sort of know the probability of them taking time off is somewhere between non existent and zero. 

The proof is in the pudding...foot is feeling a ton better.  Since I managed to crank out 92 miles in the first 6 days of this past week I am giving myself 2 days off to see if I can get this foot really feeling better.  Pretty psyched with ART and with my mileage.  I think ole Doc McHotty deserves a: WOOOT WOOOT! 

One more big mileage week before I begin my taper for Rocky. 

Happy Running Everyone.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Good information, hope it does not happen to me in the near future. I had plantar problems before but so far I think my better shoes have corrected.

Hungry Like a Hippo said...

I'm sure regardless of how sweaty you were, that provider has had to touch feet that were way grosser than yours. There are people out there with really scary feet!
Glad you are feeling better!

Anonymous said...

Just glad it is helping. I'm sure body can use a little rest. It is hard to beleive Rocky is almost here again. At lease this year you are only doing the 50 mile, right???? LOL XOXO Mom

NattyBumpo said...

Right on! Nothing like torture to feel better about running.

Unknown said...

Does Doug know about this McHottie GUY? :)

Awesome on the foot stuff! The toe thing sounded a little painful and Good God the scraping - UGH.

cathycrisp said...

As usual I am sitting here cracking up while reading your blog!! I can totally see you park your car, don your running stuff and off you go on that poor metatarsal!! Well, you were there to get it fixed right? Whats another 15+ miles on the sucker!!! SO glad dr mcHottie fixed you up!!! WOOT WOOT dr MCHOTTY!!

Bethany said...

Oh my heart. You've made me proud. :) Not just on this post but all of them. Great job!!!!