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Does anyone have any advice for someone with a bruised heel...other than rest?

The only other vaulter around me always complains about jumpers knee, and often gets bruised heels...I think it is from tripple jumping.

I've had a bruised heel since december, and it's been gradually getting better. I got some gel padded inserts that have helped a little, but not anything significant.

haha, don't trilpe jump! i hear from my coach, and aothers that it messes up your knees and heels. But yes gel pads and a good pair of running/ walking shoes.

Along with the variety of "cushioning" heel cups shown here, there is also the kind shown here that easily fits in the shoe and works by distributing the load over a broader portion of the heel than the shoe alone can do. (Note, the price shown on this page is for a dozen.)

In my previous vaulting life (1960's) I used the second kind. In my masters vaulting I couldn't find them locally so I tried the cushioning type and it didn't help me much. Fortunately for me, the tenderness that happens to me after a hard session of vaulting, goes away within a few days.

- master

Are you sure it's a bruised heel and not an aggravated Plantar Fascia?

From my experience, the hard heel cups are way better than the cushioned ones. They are available from MF-Athletics.

jumpbackin wrote:aggravated Plantar Fascia?

could you say that in English, and explain?


also, could anyone explain why those hard heel cups work better? That doesn't make sense to me. I thought that a coushin like gel or foam would work better, because it makes it softer. Does the hard one spread the pressure better or something?

Yes, the hard ones evenly distribute the pressure, as Master described above.

theczar wrote:

jumpbackin wrote:aggravated Plantar Fascia?

could you say that in English, and explain?


There is connective tissue that runs from your heels to the balls of your feet. It can get inflamed in a similar way as tendons. This is called Plantar Fasciaitis. Its common with people who do a lot of running and jumping. Usually the pain is felt at the front of the heel and a little to the inside.

If you think this is what you have, do the following:

-Ice it in bed right before going night night. Don't walk on it after icing.

-First thing in the morning stretch it lightly and do some ankle and foot flexions before getting out of bed.

-Put away your spikes for a while.

-Do a Google search of "Plantar Fascia Taping". Tape your foot before jumping and anytime you are going to be on your feet a lot during the day.

The key to the taping is that the fascia supporting strips not be too tight or too loose. It's too loose if it's not taking some of the load off the arch and it's too tight if it's not allowing any flex in your foot. You may need some adhesive spray to keep the tape from sliping. This tape job takes practice, you may have to do it over 2 or 3 times to get it right.

-After you are pain free, start doing foot strengthening exercises on a regular basis and go barefoot as much as posible.

I just Googled "plantar fascia taping" found this link; http://www.heel-that-pain.com/plantar_f ... taping.php

The taping they show is a little extravagant. I stop at what is step 3 in their pictures and I use thinner strips around the heel.

thanks!!

I'm going to try that tape job tomorow before I jump