Foot pain?

[Renee5]

So I have a question for the more experienced runners....

I recently have been increasing the duration and speed at which I walk/jog because I would like to do a 5k race in April, however the last two times I have been on the treadmill, the right side of my right foot has been having intermittent sharp pains.  

No pain in my left foot at all.

When I slow down the pain decreases, when I get off the treadmill, the pain will go away.  

Basically im looking for a suggestion in a course of action.... do I push through the pain?  Do I still get on and walk just slower until it's feeling better?  Should I take a break?  

Its not like I broke anything, I can stand the pain, it's just not entirely comfortable, and it's weird that it's only on the side of my foot.

Also as a note, I have good fitting new shoes so I don't think that's it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks!

[WendyB]

See your Dr?

You ned to make sure nothing is wrong

[Bhuvana · Accepted solution]

@Renee5: When you have discomfort or any pain, your body says something is not right. So do not push through the pain. Listen to your body and consult with your doctor or physio therapist.

[GershonSurge]

I don't believe in doctors unless something is broken. Haven't been to one since 1993, and that was only for a physical when I retired from the Air Force. A doctor will likely say you have some sort of -itis, meaning a tendon hurts, and associated inflammation. The doctor might even stupidly give you medication that makes it feel better. Then you will run and make the problem worse and possibly chronic. To make more money, the doctor might even send you for a foot doctor who will suggest expensive shoes. I could go on and on. Worst case is they will prescribe a medication that has a fatal side effect.

If you keep running, there is a litany of small problems in your future. If you take a long break and start over, the same litany will likely repeat itself. It's part of getting in shape. As you improve, you will be blocked by the next system that is stressed. It might be a sore muscle in the back, heel pain, knee pain, etc. The recovery process is always the same.

Pain is the body's signal to stop doing something. Take a couple days rest, and see what happens. Reduce both the duration and speed for a few days. The same pain will likely come back. Repeat the process if it does. Eventually, it will disappear and then another pain will appear in time.

If something hurts when you aren't running, that's most likely inflammation, which is part of the healing process. Do not take any medications unless you can't sleep. Then take something before bed. I sometimes use a single aspirin. Do NOT use medication to relieve the pain and then go running.

Now for some shoe suggestions. Let's assume your new shoes fit perfectly. What about all your other shoes? High heels can cause problems. Narrow toeboxes will cause hammer toes, bunions and corns. If you get that "aaahh" feeling when you take off your shoes, they don't fit. Pay special attention to the width of the toebox when you buy shoes. You should be able to spread your toes inside. 

Meanwhile, you might try adding a light weight lifting routine to your exercise. If you spend some time learning the main muscle groups, you will be able to devise an exercise to fix and prevent muscle pains. 

[bcalvanese]

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@Renee5 wrote:

So I have a question for the more experienced runners....

I recently have been increasing the duration and speed at which I walk/jog because I would like to do a 5k race in April, however the last two times I have been on the treadmill, the right side of my right foot has been having intermittent sharp pains.  

No pain in my left foot at all.

When I slow down the pain decreases, when I get off the treadmill, the pain will go away.  

Basically im looking for a suggestion in a course of action.... do I push through the pain?  Do I still get on and walk just slower until it's feeling better?  Should I take a break?  

Its not like I broke anything, I can stand the pain, it's just not entirely comfortable, and it's weird that it's only on the side of my foot.

Also as a note, I have good fitting new shoes so I don't think that's it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks!

---

I don't think you should try to race to be in a race.

Sounds like you are picking up the pace before your body is ready for it. Keep the pace slow until your body is used to running. Your heart and lungs will develop much faster than your joints/tendons/bones/etc... Your heart and lungs may be saying... pick it up, but your foot is saying... not yet.

Also, if you are training for a 5k race, you may want to include some runs on the actual ground rather than a treadmill. You will notice a huge difference. my sister can do 3 miles on her treadmill, but can't even run 1 mile on the ground.

[Komick]

Look into plantar fasciitis

[Corney]

                                      Renee:  Never train through pain!  When you have pain, your body is telling you something is wrong.  How long have you been training on a tread mill?  Is the pain on the side of your foot or side of your ankle?  Which side of your foot?  Does your shoe show excessive wear on the lateral aspect of your shoe?  It could be a stress fracture, ligament strain or tendonitis.  I would take a break until the pain goes away.

[Corney]

                                    Renee5  You have just consulted a Physical Therapist and an experienced runner.  I totally agree with the person who said DO NOT take anti-inflammatories.  1. They may mask the pain thus leading to more damage.  2.  Inflammation is the first stage of healing, so taking anti-inflammatories slows down the healing process.  Please read my previous post and answer the questions I posed to you.

[Corney]

                                     Plantar Fasciitis causes pain on the rear third of your foot on the Plantar surface, also if you had Plantar fasciitis you would feel extreme pain when you first get out of bed which will go away as you walk, and will flare up again after a prolonged period of not being on your foot.  If you are showing excessive wear along the lateral side of your shoe then you are probably a hyper-pronator, which could lead to PF but the pain would not be on the side of your foot.

[Renee5]

I have used the treadmill off and on for the past 3 years and I also walk/jog outside as the weather permits.  Only recently though I have increased the frequency a decent amount from a lull during the holiday of once a week to now doing like 3-4 times a week, that's when the pain started.  

I think the pain is actually more by my ankle, not on the heel but right in front of it.  It's on the outside part of the foot.

Im not sure about shoe wear, in at work now and will check when I get home tonight.  Walking outside and during my workday I'm not having any issues.  

[Renee5]

Not having any pain when getting up in the morning, just happens after about 5-10 minutes of brisk walking or slow jogging on the treadmill.  

The symptoms don't seem to fit for plantar fasciitis