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PF and now muscle pulls - help!

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Red Squirrel Apr 2015 6:01pm, 23 Apr 2015 18,577 posts	Quote Pin Red Squirrel I had PF on the left foot - got better after about 4 months. Then I had PF on the right foot which was much more painful and healed after 4-5 months. Started back running gently and also incorporated circuit training when I felt confident, then I had a series of pulled muscles - 3 x same calf and 1 x quad on the same leg. I also had some physio for a painful muscle near the pelvic bone on that leg. Can anyone offer any advice or shared experience? I'm desperate to get back running.
Sazzahazza Apr 2015 6:21pm, 23 Apr 2015 603 posts	Quote Pin Sazzahazza I've only had PF once and it was horrendous! I feel your pain! I now run with minimal shoes which prevents me from heel striking, also lean forwards when running, lots of stretching after running, walk loads more these days to stretch calves. I don't sit with crossed legs. I hope you make a quick recovery!!
Red Squirrel Apr 2015 6:59pm, 23 Apr 2015 18,579 posts	Quote Pin Red Squirrel Thanks Sazzahazza. I do all those things but take on board stretching - you can never do enough, so I'll up my sessions. Minimal shoe runner here too. I almost feel like PF's changed my gait and made me stiffer and less fluid due to hobbling for a while. I can't understand why my calves are so prone to pulling suddently. Could it be that I'm pushing off when running?
RunningInCircles - Big Ones ;-) Apr 2015 7:59pm, 23 Apr 2015 1,387 posts	Quote Pin RunningInCircles - Big Ones ;-) Is there actual academic evidence to prove stretching reduces injury??? I haven't come across it. That's a genuine question and not a dig by the way. No expert or anything, but given that injury rate, I would be assessing what I did. Clearly something is wrong with either the training or form. That however, is something you probably will have to work out. Part of that is listening to your body and understanding what pain can be run through and when to back off.
RunningInCircles - Big Ones ;-) Apr 2015 8:03pm, 23 Apr 2015 1,388 posts	Quote Pin RunningInCircles - Big Ones ;-) Oh, and thinking about the calves, are you touching your heels down? When I first went minimalist, I was not unloading my calves. If you look at the sole of my sandals, I land on the outside of the ball of my feet before rolling onto the whole ball. However, I do touch my heels down
RunningInCircles - Big Ones ;-) Apr 2015 8:05pm, 23 Apr 2015 1,389 posts	Quote Pin RunningInCircles - Big Ones ;-) ... just long enough to take the stress of my calves. This is something I didn't do at the start, I overcompensated. Silly tablet causing multiple posts
pedro Apr 2015 9:13pm, 23 Apr 2015 206 posts	Quote Pin pedro I don't know about academic evidence but from personal experience stretching definitely reduces the chance of injury. From Tim Noakes book - Running causes the muscles that are active to become strong and less flexible whereas the opposing muscles which are relatively under used become weaker. This makes sense to me and unless I stretch I become very tight and am prone to muscle pulls in the top of the glute area. In the past I have neglected stretching but more recently I have started doing more and taken up Iyengar yoga once a week and I do think it really helps.
RunningInCircles - Big Ones ;-) Apr 2015 9:20pm, 23 Apr 2015 1,390 posts	Quote Pin RunningInCircles - Big Ones ;-) Oh. I agree in principle with much of that. There is some evidence of incorrect stretching causing injury. The question was more of, is there a safer way? I have stretched in the past, but since given it up with no effect seen. That said I have been working on bodyweight routines with a particular emphasis on balancing opposing muscles. Not dissimilar to yoga, just more emphasis on strength. I'd love to fit yoga in, but something else would have to go
Red Squirrel Apr 2015 9:34pm, 23 Apr 2015 18,581 posts	Quote Pin Red Squirrel I'm definitely not running through pain. I never do that. I've been a minimalist runner for about 5 or 6 years. I went on a really good course when I first made the transition and all was fine until the PF. I do touch my heels down - that's one of the things we were shown on the course. Pedro - I used to do a 30-min yoga class every Monday with a martial arts tutor. I was injury-free when I went to that. I've now moved to the other side of town and do pilates on Friday. Monday suited me so much better but trying to get from north to east Bristol for 7pm on a Monday is a nightmare. I'm looking into a new local yoga class that's starting soon. There is a local guy who's v good but he's really expensive.
RunningInCircles - Big Ones ;-) Apr 2015 9:53pm, 23 Apr 2015 1,391 posts	Quote Pin RunningInCircles - Big Ones ;-) What changed to bring on the plantar fascia issues? There is a cause there. As for everything. It's just a matter of unpicking what it is. Until you do, recurring injury is always going to be a possibility. Keep turning over the permutations over and I'm sure you'll come to the answer eventually