Instep Injury

[kkennedy219]

Hi, all,

Over the last month or so, I have been experiencing this weird pain on the top of my left foot. It hurts a lot when I have been at rest and not using my feet for a while. It used to happen only when I first got out of bed in the morning, and then my feet were fine for the rest of the day. Now it hurts any time I have been sitting still for as little as ten minutes and then get up and start walking. Once I've been up and around for a couple minutes, it's fine again.

I haven't had any problem in karate class until yesterday, when we were roundhouse kicking the heavy bags. Our sensei wants the lower grades to kick with the instep, so that's what I did, and after one try that was it for me. My other foot is fine, though.

I'm not sure how this injury happened...it was either from roundhousing the heavy bags, or it could have happend when I tripped over my dog and fell down the stairs. My guess is it's due to the kicking.

Anyone had such an injury, and what did you do about it? I plan on taking it easy on the roundhouse kicks for while and then wearing instep guards, but any other advice would be great!

Thanks, friends!

[marie curie]

It sounds similar to when I sprained my ankle (the ankle didn't hurt- the top of my foot did).

Also, metatarsals (bones there) can break or crack and be obnoxious.

Either way, get yourself to a doctor to minimize injury time.

[bushido_man96]

I think Marie is on the right track. You may need an x-ray to check it out.

[kkennedy219]

I think Marie is on the right track. You may need an x-ray to check it out.

Yup...going to get one tomorrow...fingers crossed it's nothing too serious.

[marie curie]

Good luck!

[bushido_man96]

Let us know what turns up.

[kkennedy219]

Well, turns out they didn't do an x-ray because, under my health insurance provider's regulations, only a podiatrist can order an x-ray, and the doctor I saw was just a GP. But she did give me referral to a podiatrist, who I get to see in 3 weeks...lucky me.

But anyhoo, the visit to the GP didn't accomplish much. She just said "It could be a stress fracture...or it could be something else". (Brilliant deduction, eh?) So I'll have to wait and see what the foot guru says. Meanwhile, no roundhouses to the heavy bags for me! Sigh.

[bushido_man96]

Just do what you can in training for now, and take it easy on that foot until you see the podiatrist, then. No sense in pushing it too far.