Similar to software debugging, sometimes the best thing you can do is create distance between yourself and the problem you’re troubleshooting. Because more often than not, when we’re in the thick of it, sometimes we can become fixated — fine, a bit obsessed — and prevent ourselves from gaining additional insights, our wheels spinning in place, us unable to make forward progress.
In those moments, I remind myself to take a break and quite literally step away from the computer.
As for my right foot pain, I recently being throwing different things at the wall, trying out a variety of exercises and stretches, desperately hoping the pain will disappear soon. However, while reading a ballet blog on resolving plantar fasciitis, it suddenly dawned on me that my pain coincides (6 weeks ago) with the following changes:
- Wearing 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) ankle weights on each foot while training
- Increasing frequency of training – previously only taking (2) two 1.5 hour dance classes a week and then on top of that, had added about (3) 1.5 hour training sessions on adjacent days
- Introduced new exercises that likely my body was unprepared for – jump roping on one foot, hopping from one leg to another leg (again, while wearing ankle weights)
It was either in the referenced article or another video that talked about how just a little bit of weight gain can increase odds of plantar fasciitis. While the article was implying body weight gain, I had increased my weight through the use of ankle weights. While wearing them, I often feel my ankles are a bit wobbly, a bit unstable, especially while performing certain movements. So probably poor biomechanics and other foot muscles compensating.
In short, too much volume, poor technique due to increase (ankle) weight(s), and not enough rest.
Next Steps?
- Rest (I find this the hardest of all)
- Barefoot walking on gravel and pebbles
- Increasing foot strength by doing calve raises and standing on toes
- Increasing foot strength by doing eccentric heel drops
Ultimately, I want to be able to increase my dance training volume since I am seeing huge gains but without an uptick in injuries.