Workout questions: 1) foot pain after running in place and 2) working out with a cold

Thirith

I've got the following two questions concerning workouts and various aches and pains:

1) After Christmas, I decided to work out a bit more than I was before; I try to have two one-hour stints on the exercise bike each week, but I was hoping to add two 45-minute early-morning bouts on other days. Since I find jogging extremely boring, I tried running in place for 45 minutes in front of the TV. This itself went well, but I ended up with a pain along the top of my left foot. (In case it makes a difference, I'm somewhat overweight and I ran without shoes on a foam mat.) It's not a massive pain, but by now it's been there for more than two weeks. I've not run again after the first two sessions on a Monday and Wednesday morning, and I've not been on the bike much because we spent the last two weekends away - but the pain's still there. I feel it when I make sudden movements (e.g. slipping on the ice) and when I do anything that stretches or contracts the foot (e.g. putting on shoes). Because it's absolutely manageable and doesn't impair me in my everyday routines, I've not been to see a doctor, but I would quite like to get back to working out in one way or another, because those calories don't burn themselves. Any ideas/suggestions?

2) I've had a cold over the last week that's almost gone now, but "almost gone" is a state that my colds can easily keep up for a month or so. My sinuses are still a bit swollen, I have a runny nose and I cough occasionally. In that kind of state, does it make sense to work out (i.e. the occasional hour on the exercise bike) or is it better to wait until the cold's properly gone - which, as mentioned above, tends to take a while?

Enc

I regularly run when I have a cold, though I live in a warm state so being sick and in freezing weather isn't a problem. Indoor exercise with a cold is fine, just take a break if you feel like its a problem. I've found that it helps me clear my sinuses, but your mileage may vary.

Re: foot pain. Are you wearing shoes when you jog in place? Even indoors and on a mat you are putting a lot of strain on your feet when you jog in place, essentially hammering at the same stress points in your feet for dozens of times a minute for 45 minutes. If you aren't actually using a treadmill, this can be a problem since you are probably just bouncing on the balls of your feet, which is increasing your stress points even more.

I'd see a doctor, you may have just strained something, but its also possible you've caused a hairline fracture in your feet (which is not uncommon for folks new to running, especially when heavy. Back in 2011 I had a very similar post here that ended up with that result.

Enc

Jogging is also a great time to plan out D&D games or other meditative pursuits, listen to podcasts (I often do Mbmbam and other Maximum Fun network shows) or NPR to catch up on the news, and varying where you go can make it more interesting. I couldn't imagine running without, at minimum, radio or music to listen to.

Thirith

The weather here is pretty cold and wet, at least at the moment, added to which I'm with you on jogging on its own being boring as hell. I was actually looking forward quite a bit to the whole jogging in place thing because it struck me as a good opportunity to finally rewatch and then finish Deep Space Nine. I'll also see that instead of that I'll do more of the bike exercises for another week or so. (The advantage of jogging in place is that my exercise bike is in the bedroom. I can easily get up earlier on a couple of working days and jog in the living room, but I wouldn't want my wife to have to get up an hour early because I want to use the bike.) If the pain sticks around longer than that, I'll go and see a doctor.

Smurph

Your foot pain sounds like something I get when I run/walk a lot without shoes or with shoes with poor arch support. I went to a doctor for it and she basically just said "Yeah you need arch support, wear shoes that don't suck". Basically anything with more support than sandals or Chuck Taylor-style sneakers is good enough that I don't get foot pain.

ceres

Generally speaking, when you're sick you shouldn't do things that might make you sicker. I wouldn't think jogging in place for an extended period would be great for your feet (or shins for that matter, ouch), so if you're serious about jogging you may want to find a way to get around the boredom factor. If you could find an indoor track somewhere for when it's gross out, that's probably ideal. Or move your bike somewhere else if possible, which is even more ideal and definitely free.

If you have stairs or live in an apartment building with them, you might be able to go up and down stairs as well.

tyrannus

If you go to a gym, don't go if you're sick if you can make other people sick

Thirith

Thanks for everyone's answers. I'm a bit surprised that jogging in place would be bad for my feet/legs; the webpages I found online generally seemed to think that it was an okay option for people who prefer not to jog or go to the gym. Perhaps they didn't think it's something most people would do for more than half an hour here and there, though. I'll probably try to find a solution so I can be on the bike more often than just two times a week.

Evermourn

My take would be that you went too long, when starting a new exercise start off slow/short and build up. 5-10 min would have been a good starting session, then add 5-10 min each week. I tend to go a bit too hard and get injured, which then puts me further behind than if I'd trained less intensively. Hopefully I've learnt from that but it's hard when you are feeling really keen.

Thirith

That’s well possible. It wasn’t a problem in terms of stamina, but that doesn’t mean my muscles and joints were up to it.

Paladin

Differential of dorsal foot pain with an immediate aggressive regimen, mostly muscle or tendon strain from not enough pre-exercise stretching. Also includes stress fracture of bones of foot, so monitor pain over 1 week and development of numbness, swelling, or increased tenderness. Further movement causing pain delays healing, suggest alternative exercises: upper body or other fixed ankle exercise. Try non NSAID pain relief, ice, medicated pad. If you really won't stop running, try ankle taping (Google it). Discontinue taping if doesn't help pain.

See doctor if you're not improving at all, non urgent basis unless developing new symptoms, especially numbness or weakness. Stretch next time; consider yoga straps.

SanderJK

I would add to this that my own experiments with running in place during bad weather is that you land really differently than when you actually run or walk. With no push forward there was 0 rolling on and of my foot which felt like a really hard hit on my feet and knees.