Extensor Tendinitis

So last June I came down with extensor tendinitis. It started like this. I went for a starter jog, like 2-3 miles, nothing remotely rough. After the jog, I settled down in the park for some leg work and stretching. Squats and lunges in the grass.

During one of my lunges, I stepped back on a divot in the ground, twisting my foot a little funny, but nothing traumatizing. I continued to lunges, stretch and headed home. A couple of days later, I got this aching pain in the top of my foot. A pain that grew and grew. You could see the swelling on the top of my foot. It couldn't bear much weight and I certainly couldn't run.

I swapped to flip flops which only made it worse. Thus I thought that perhaps it wasn't the mis-step in the grass, but instead the build up of flip-flop induced foot pain. You know how you have to curl your toes when you step to hold the flip flop in place? I assume that was the issue. I wore regular shoes for a couple of weeks and it all got better. I resumed wearing flip flops, but it never bothered me again.

Until last week. I've been running in the vibrams inconsistently. Or rather, I've running inconsistently, but wearing the vibrams only. Only 2-3 jogs per week, for short distances. I've had no problem except the achy calves after about 2 miles.

Then on the weekend of the 19th, I wore these completely unsupported, flat footed thin ballet flats. These were my flat shoes of choice last summer also. I power walked around many miles in these shoes on Sunday and then again on Tuesday. And by Tuesday my left foot was in massive pain. The whole top of the foot is swollen. I can't land on the foot. I have sharp pain in my three middle does when I bend them in any fashion. It's straight up awful. I'm limping around awkwardly.

I've also been icing my foot for a week. I briefly wrapped it, but that didn't seem to help. I take ibuprofin morning and night. I've rubbed it down with icy hot. And I haven't run since the 19th. I've even taken to hopping on the bus to get to the train station rather than walking the short half mile. Cumulatively my commute walks me 2 miles per day. That's just day to day wear and tear. But I'm wondering if even that won't help. I've self-diagnosed with the extensor tendinitis again, but with all of these injuries there is just no good or fast treatment.

Last night I kept waking up in pain as I turn in bed or my foot lay in an awkward position. It's getting miserable. Then I tripped on this hose at work today, forcing me to land hard on the ball of the left foot, sending shooting pain in all directions.

This is lame. St. Patrick's Day 5k is in 1 1/2 weeks. Must fix this problem now, so I can run my first race in vibrams.