swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

Former Member — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:03:11 GMT

Just a word of caution about Plantar Fasciitis. I was a runner for many years and was sidelined with foot pain diagnosed as PF. I tried everything for about 3 years and finally gave up running. I then started cycling, but after a year or so started having pain in by calf muscles after long rides. I spent another couple years trying to determine the cause of my calf pain. Finally, a doctor ask me if I had ever had my lower back evaluated. Long story short, the cause of my foot pain and calf pain was from my lower back. I have a nerve that was getting irratated when I exercised. As for swimming, its a great sport and one you can probably do every day. Shoulders seem to be the main over use area for swimmers. Good luck. :wave:

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

Donna — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:22:40 GMT

I would recommend you start swimming 3-4 days per week. Depending on the amount of instruction you need you might start by taking some lessons or find a Masters team with a good coach. It will take time to gain your aqua lungs so give yourself time to learn and develope some endurance. A supplemental weight training program will also help from a strength serspecitve and will also help with the weight loss as well.

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

Former Member — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:14:14 GMT

You really like doing sub-threshold and vo2max workouts and would absolutely love to do them everyday. I would suggest that you only do Vo2 Max only once or twice a week.

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

rtodd — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:57:44 GMT

I know a fellow sprinter that was able to rehab his plantar fascitis. For him it took upwards of a year. It is a significant investment. I would not give up on it. I came from a running background and messed around in the pool rehabbing achilies tendonitis. I was also looking to take the stress off my back so I started swimming. Don't think swimming is an injury free sport, especially when you start learning strokes. As a new swimmer you will likely go through shoulder issues as I did. It took me several years to build up to 5-6 times a week. You will likely need to ease into it and gradually build up to every day once you build a good foundation. If you don't have good upper body strength, there will need to be significant development in that department. Swimming FAST is waaaaay more challenging than running. I say give it a try.

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

Former Member — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:52:54 GMT

I also really like doing sub-threshold and vo2max workouts and would absolutely love to do them everyday. The thing is, I have never swam other than recreationally in my life. I don't know the strokes or techniques at all. Does this sound like swimming would be a good candidate sport for me? Anyone is a good candidate for swimming! Where do you live? You will do much, much better if you can find a Masters group to train with, or at least someone to give you some stroke instruction. Can I swim 6-7 days per week (after acclimatizing myself to it)? Can I do hard work every day? Is it like running/cycling where you have to do lots of base miles first? Once you're in shape I suppose you could swim every day. To avoid repetitive-use injuries, many swimmers swim every other day, and do alternative activities on their "off" days. What kind of supplementary exercises make a good swimmer? I've never set foot in a gym in my life, and like a true runner, I have pitiful upper body strength. Can I get all of that from swimming, or do I need to start weights too? You will build upper body strength from swimming, but many swimmers lift weights, too. I am used to training with a Heart Rate Monitor, can they be used for swimming, or is there a better way to train? Yes, you can use your HR monitor. I sometimes swim with mine. A lot of men have problems keeping them on, though, because they want to slide down when you push off the wall. Women can wear them underneath their swimsuits and it doesn't seem to be as much of a problem. I am 6'5" with a HUGE frame. This is somewhat of a disadvantage running, how will it effect my swimming? Not that much. There is a guy on my team right now who is about 6'4" and weighs 320 pounds. It doesn't seem to bother him too much. (It bothers me, though, if I'm in a lane next to him because of the waves he creates! I'm 5'1" and 107 pounds.) Any good books on the subject for beginners? I've heard that Emmett Hines' book is pretty good. I can't remember the title. Can I just show up to a masters class in jammers and goggles, or do I need to do anything to prepare beforehand? I usually tell new swimmers that they won't get much out of a Masters workout unless they are already able to swim 500 yards or so (even with poor technique). In my opinion you need at least that much endurance to be able to receive any sort of stroke instruction. There are several short course pools which have masters classes in my area, I can't seem to find a long course pool though. Will a SC one be OK? I am by no means interested in becoming a sprinter. Yes, a SC pool would be better for a beginner, anyway. More walls to hang onto.

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

Former Member — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:34:31 GMT

Hi, I am a swimmer, and I also have Plantar Fasciitis in my right foot, and it got to the point, where I was crawling around the house since the pain was so bad. Since I have experienced Plantar Fasciitis, I would first recommend a visit to your favourite podiatrist to get some custom orthortics for your running shoes. They will probably do a gait analysis of you walking, to see how you walk. I would also look into doing Pilates, which I found to be a godsend, as it helped strengthened the core muscles (which you use in running as well as swimming) as well as helped stretch the muscles in my legs and abs and feet. Since I have started doing Pilates, I haven't had any issues regarding the Plantar Fasciitis in my feet. I hope this helps!

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

Former Member — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:43:36 GMT

Not everyone knows what you are talking about so I thought this may inform them. www.plantar-fasciitis.org/

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

Former Member — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:57:45 GMT

Been wearing the boot for upwards of a year guys...don't mean to come off sounding harsh but I really just looking for info on swimming because I've tried everything and just want to forget about running for a few months.

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

Former Member — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:34:11 GMT

It's not a cure for all plantar fasciitis. It's only for those who have that particular structural defect. You'd want to find someone who has experience with those implants. My brother-in-law tried all sorts of things, too (the boot, the cortisone injections, etc.), and went to several different doctors before someone finally noticed the structural defect.

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

Former Member — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:21:34 GMT

Thanks, that's definitely something that I will look into. Right now I am sick of paying thousands of dollars for treatments that don't work (not saying that one won't, that's just been my experience), and just want to stop running until I lose weight and hope that the PF goes away with the excess pounds. If not, then I'll look into that.

RE: swimming for fat and injured runners (lots of questions)

Former Member — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:44:26 GMT

To keep a long story short, I started running a few years ago, ran a few marathons, and now am horribly injured in the foot (Plantar Fasciitis). I've had it for about a year and a half, tried EVERYTHING.... My brother-in-law had plantar fasciitis for a long time. He finally underwent surgery a couple of months ago to have a sinus tarsi implant put into his foot. Here is some information about it: www.hyprocure.com/what.htm www.hyprocure.com/hyprocure.htm www.hyprocure.com/beforeafter.htm www.hyprocure.com/info.htm