“Ancora impure” is the motto of Monash Uni, and is my new favourite Latin phrase. It means, “I am still learning”.
This was the reality a few hours after this year’s Cane2Coral when I realised that I had given myself a running injury. Worse still, it was a foot injury. After weeks of training and preparation, a week of sharing tips via Facebook and Twitter and a successful run where I achieved my time goal, I had an incredible pain in my left foot. It was cramping, aching, spasming and I couldn’t weight bare. I had aggravated my cuboid (a bone on the outside of the foot) and inflamed the Peroneus Longus (a muscle that wraps around the outside of the foot). All because I ran exclusively on the left side of the road. Simple, stupid mistake.
But that is the thing – you always learn from an experience. And anything that you learn from is beneficial. But it is good news for our future cuboid syndrome patients. Cuboid Syndrome is a condition where the cuboid bone gets partially dislocated or subluxed, which causes pain on the outside of the foot.
If you are also suffering from this injury, please be aware that I know what it takes to make it get better, and can assist. It needs laser, kinesiology taping and mobilisations as well as rest. Lots of rest. Laser is a wonderful therapy that uses low intensity light therapy to actively promote healing in the cells without using heat, so it is safe for delicate tissues and bones. Kinesiology tape uses the body’s own proprioceptors to aid the body to stabilise itself and reduce inflammation. Mobilisations return the bones of the foot to their optimal position. Without these adjustments, the problem remains, regardless of how much anti-inflammation and pain management is utilised. Rest can be frustrating, but is essential to allow the foot to heal.
In hindsight though I guess sometimes a little dose of your own medicine is a good thing right? Believe me though there is no way I will be repeating this error again. Lesson learnt.
PS. Aside from my little injury we all had a great day out at Cane2Coral. Thank you heaps to the event organisers and everyone involved! We love attending each year. If you’re unfamiliar with this fundraising event check out their facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Cane2Coral/
