First email: I just wanted to say thanks for your article online about the detrimental effects of RICE treatment and NSAIDs on ligament and tendon healing. I came across your article after suffering terrible extensor tendonitis in my right foot, while ramping up mileage too quickly in marathon training. I followed your advice, skipped the ice and ibuprofen, healed up 100% in 5 weeks, and just finished my first half-marathon 3 weeks ago with ZERO PAIN in my foot whatsoever! I just let my foot heal naturally and didn’t interfere. If I followed current standard advice, at best I’d have a weaker foot and at worst I’d never run again without pain. I’m telling everyone who will listen, don’t use ice and NSAIDs if you want to heal!
Best wishes,
Ken
Second email: I finished the Kaiser 1/2 Marathon in San Francisco in 1 hour 26 minutes. Not too bad for a guy that couldn’t even walk 3 months earlier due to a sports injury. I learned a lot from the experience—especially to listen and be nicer to my body. And I really credit your article for helping me heal completely. Thanks again and good luck in your next race!
Sincerely,
Ken
Third email: My age group is 35-39. I was something like 25 in that group, and I placed 143 out of about 5000 overall. I’ve really only been training for several months, and I’d like to get quicker over time. Please feel free to use my email however you like. The more people that get your message the better. I’m so happy my foot healed as well as it did! I messed it up really bad by trying to run through serious pain and I just kept pushing. Unfortunately, I didn’t know better.
I was having ankle pain in both legs from running too much too soon, and a guy at a local shoe store recommended stability shoes for me. I don’t have pronation issues though, so the shoes rotated my feet out. Gradually I started getting pain on the top of my right foot. Pushing things further, I tried a long 18 mile run and had to limp home after 14 miles. I couldn’t bear weight for several days, and it was a month before I could even consider light running again. But I learned from my mistakes, went back to neutral shoes, and now I listen very closely for any hint of pain during and after runs. My foot has been completely pain free, which is awesome!
Ken
JOP Comments
Thank God for the power of the internet! What a great way for people like Ken and others to receive information on how to heal themselves!