Woo Hoo! A Diagnosis: Peroneus Muscle Strain

Well, well, well, folks.  It's an exciting time in my life, because I finally have some words to call this mysterious pain I have been experiencing in my right foot.  That means 1) I can start Googling things manically, and 2) I guess I should add a fun "injuries" tag to this blog.

The good news is, I probably didn't do this to myself by running.  Also, it's just a soft tissue injury.  This is a HUGE relief, because almost all of my friends have suffered from stress fractures, and I have thus far been spared.  This means I am constantly knocking on wood, swallowing handfuls of calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium supplements, and taking every opportunity to scream OH MY GAWD THIS IS A STRESS FRACTURE, JUST GO AHEAD AND KILL ME.  It probably doesn't help that I once had an internist tell me my aching hip was "probably a stress fracture, because most injuries to female runners are."  Thanks, dude.

So, not a stress fracture.

Also, not tendonitis.

I have a muscle strain in my peroneus longus, a/k/a/ another damn calf muscle you probably didn't know you had, yes there are lots of them.

So, how did I do this to myself?  Because of timing, and a lot of other things I ignored, probably by hiking in clogs.  Yes, that is probably as stupid as it sounds.  I own a lot of clogs, and when I am not barefoot or wearing running shoes, that's what I have on.  I know they aren't the best, given they absolutely prevent natural foot flexion, and you are liable to roll your ankle.  I roll my ankles pretty regularly and without much effect, because I have some joint hypermobility.

Specifically, these clogs.  Specifically, on these trails at Oak Mountain.

I've also recently been putting a bit more mileage on some newer trail shoes, the Nike Air Zoom Terra Kiger (seriously, that is like 60% more shoe name than necessary, Nike).  Before, I was in a very minimal trail shoe, the Montrail Rogue Fly.  This Nike is a lot more rigid.  Much like...I dunno...maybe a clog.

I don't need a motion control shoe.  I just like a bit more between my feet and the trails.

But let's talk about the (clog) hiking trip where I believe I damaged my ankle.   It was about five days before the first symptoms.  I wore clogs, of course, because they are my causal shoe.  They were good enough for my Viking ancestors, so they're good enough for me!  Dammit!  We originally planned to walk around the stables and maybe drive through the park. 

Then, we ended up hiking on this.  The waterfalls were lovely.  I carried my son for about half a mile.

And I wore clogs.  Of course. 

If I recall correctly, I wore clogs a lot of that weekend, and did a fair bit of walking.  Also a fair bit of heavy-toddler-carrying.  I am almost certain that my right peroneus muscle was strained by all of this.  I have a motto: my feet aren't twins; they're just sisters. They are different sizes.  They have different arches.  Different toe spacing.  I run "neutral" on the left and supinate on the right.  It happens.  I have a bit of a weird toe thing that makes me roll off my right foot in sort of a dramatic way.

All this is very interesting, I'm sure.

What I'm saying is, I need to take special care to wear proper shoes, and stretch and ice my calves after every run.  Even if my hypermobility issues mean that this is a huge pain that requires squatting and rolling around on the dog-hair-covered floor.

So, how have I been coping over the past few weeks?  Swimming.  A lot of swimming.  I even got a nice preemptive spring haircut to accommodate the chlorine scene.  I am lifting a lot of heavy weights.  Even following a real five-week lifting program and doing a decent job.  Making myself sore.  Eating extra calories and trying to put on some muscle before summer racing.  

By the time summer trail races roll around, I will be a MACHINE.  Maybe with abs?  That would be cool. 

And yes, I carefully posed for that mirror selfie to placate the angry commenter who moaned about the "thigh gap" in my previous photos.  You're all welcome.

Over and out.

Oh, and P.S. I'm going to experiment with blogging more regularly.  No promises.  I just completely changed up my work schedule and I think I can make it happen.  Get excited!