The $$$ Cost of an Injury

[Cindysphinx]

I've had plantar fasciitis since January of this year, culminating in a rupture about a month ago. I have good health insurance. Nevertheless, this is quickly becoming one of the most expensive injuries I've ever had (second only to unreimbursed expenses for arthroscopic knee surgery and PT). So far, the PF has cost:

Gel Inserts That Didn't Help: $40
Change in Running Shoes: $100
Change in Tennis Shoes: $80
2 Pairs Superfeet That Helped Some: $68
Another Change in Tennis Shoes: $100
Four Co-Pays for Podiatrist: $100
Night Splint: $120
Air Cast: $175
Custom Orthotics: $300
Prescription NSAID: $20

Total: $1103

Well, at least it is finally getting better . . .

[Swissv2]

Holy....geepers

Would you attribute this primarily to tennis?

[SteveI]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

I've had plantar fasciitis since January of this year, culminating in a rupture about a month ago. I have good health insurance. Nevertheless, this is quickly becoming one of the most expensive injuries I've ever had (second only to unreimbursed expenses for arthroscopic knee surgery and PT). So far, the PF has cost:

Gel Inserts That Didn't Help: $40
Change in Running Shoes: $100
Change in Tennis Shoes: $80
2 Pairs Superfeet That Helped Some: $68
Another Change in Tennis Shoes: $100
Four Co-Pays for Podiatrist: $100
Night Splint: $120
Air Cast: $175
Custom Orthotics: $300
Prescription NSAID: $20

Total: $1103

Well, at least it is finally getting better . . .

Hi Cindy,

I am sure you are not looking for advice.. maybe just looking to vent. But.. I might consider moving to a new sport (or exercise/both) than does not pound your body so much. Do you get to play on clay at all? Swimming or biking?
Since you a very active member of this board, I am guessing you really love the game. You might think about your long term plan and cut back a bit on tennis and add more low impact work-outs. I hope you recover and can play for many more years.

Steve

[LuckyR]

Good luck, my understanding is that the night cast is going to solve the problem.

[Cindysphinx]

Originally Posted by SteveI

Hi Cindy,

I am sure you are not looking for advice.. maybe just looking to vent. But.. I might consider moving to a new sport (or exercise/both) than does not pound your body so much. Do you get to play on clay at all? Swimming or biking?
Since you a very active member of this board, I am guessing you really love the game. You might think about your long term plan and cut back a bit on tennis and add more low impact work-outs. I hope you recover and can play for many more years.

Steve

That's what my mom says!

Nah, I love tennis too much to quit. I was getting seriously bored with working out for the sake of it. Tennis gave me new motivation.

I keep telling myself that the cost of these injuries is about what other people who don't play sports spend in co-pays for their antidepressants.

[SteveI]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

That's what my mom says!

Nah, I love tennis too much to quit. I was getting seriously bored with working out for the sake of it. Tennis gave me new motivation.

I keep telling myself that the cost of these injuries is about what other people who don't play sports spend in co-pays for their antidepressants.

Hi,

Your "antidepressants" theory is right on IMHO... so keep playing
Enjoy and get on the clay if ya can... Those hard courts are very hard us.

Good luck and keep hitting the fuzz off the ball..

Steve

[IceNineTX]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

I've had plantar fasciitis since January of this year, culminating in a rupture about a month ago. I have good health insurance. Nevertheless, this is quickly becoming one of the most expensive injuries I've ever had (second only to unreimbursed expenses for arthroscopic knee surgery and PT). So far, the PF has cost:

Gel Inserts That Didn't Help: $40
Change in Running Shoes: $100
Change in Tennis Shoes: $80
2 Pairs Superfeet That Helped Some: $68
Another Change in Tennis Shoes: $100
Four Co-Pays for Podiatrist: $100
Night Splint: $120
Air Cast: $175
Custom Orthotics: $300
Prescription NSAID: $20

Total: $1103

Well, at least it is finally getting better . . .

So, what is making it better? I had PF really bad about 12 months ago. I could barely walk on it during the morning hours (which is the typical peak pain time). I would put the pain at an 8 out of 10. It rarely affected my tennis, though.

I was told to emphasize stretching my achilles tendon. This was advice by two friends, one a chiropractor and another a podiatrist. I would spend quite a bit of time on the stairs stretching it out whenever I could. I hang my heel over the step and let my weight stretch it out, doing occasional lifts. After about a month, I noticed the pain was about a 3 out of 10. After another month... no pain at all.

Now, the last few weeks the pain is back (to the 3 level). I have not been stretching my achilles at all lately. So, I'm back doing that.

Anyway, you may have tried it, but since you didn't list it, I throw that out there. It worked for me. My sister has it too, and isn't so lucky. But for some, it seems a great fix.

I wish you luck. I understand the not giving up tennis part. Playing tennis with some pain is better than the alternative of no tennis at all. But I know the pain is not fun and I hope you find a solution.

[chess9]

Cindy, you might try racquetball or squash or paddleball. I love racquetball, but after getting a bad face cut from a racquet I gave it up.

Since you are so young, I'd really recommend a sport which can accomodate your body type. I'm not saying to give up tennis, but when you are 60, you could be hating life if your joints and ligaments and tendons are shot. Of course, by then science will enable some form of regeneration, so maybe you should simply keep plodding along? Are you overweight? (I know this is a delicate question for a femme, but some of this could be weight related.)
Hugs and stuff-
Robert

[Cindysphinx]

Nah, not overweight, thankfully. Old, though. I just hit 47 . . .

:stops to weep openly:

. . . which seems to be the problem. I also lack the good sense to just let a ball go. I try to reach things I probably should concede.

IceNine, I am also stretching. My podiatrist said the key to whipping PF is to never, ever cause yourself "first step" pain. So in the morning, you lie in bed stretching for a while so that your fascia are not tight when you get up. You have running shoes next to the bed so your bare feet don't touch the floor.

Same thing throughout the day. When you get up from a chair, you stretch first. When you get out of the car, you stretch before you start walking. Then go to the nearest curb and do the achilles stretch.

Specific stretches are the heel hanging off the step. Also, circling/flexing/wriggling the feet to loosen the ankles (good for getting out of the car). Best is sitting, pulling back the toes, and massaging the fascia from heel to toe.

Anytime you forget and experience first step pain, you are setting back your recovery.

As for me, these new orthotics totally rock. At first they felt like a sock under my high arches. After five days, I'm used to them. Heel pain is down to about a 2, from a high of about a 8. An 8 felt like a golf ball under my heel. Ouch!

[Xisbum]

Originally Posted by chess9

Cindy, you might try racquetball or squash or paddleball. I love racquetball, but after getting a bad face cut from a racquet I gave it up.

Since you are so young, I'd really recommend a sport which can accomodate your body type. I'm not saying to give up tennis, but when you are 60, you could be hating life if your joints and ligaments and tendons are shot. Of course, by then science will enable some form of regeneration, so maybe you should simply keep plodding along? Are you overweight? (I know this is a delicate question for a femme, but some of this could be weight related.)
Hugs and stuff-
Robert

Hey, namesake, I'm past 60 with a bad knee that aches all the time - except when I'm on the court. It's amazing how young I feel after running down someone's winner and making them play at least one more ball. I'm loving life, and tennis still plays a huge role in that life. I'm a bit pudgy, and I have typical ailments and pains for someone my age, but all that melts away on the court. It still amazes me, in fact, how much fun tennis can be.

BTW, I got my one and only case of tennis elbow playing racquetball - and I avoid that sport like the plague because of it. Great aerobic workout, but really hard on my arm.

[Cindysphinx]

Xisbum, how much did you knee troubles cost you?

Am I the only one around here choking on high co-pays and deductibles?

The rest of you must be really lucky . . .

Cindy -- hoping a bill for a portion of the MRI isn't coming her way

[Xisbum]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Xisbum, how much did you knee troubles cost you?

Am I the only one around here choking on high co-pays and deductibles?

The rest of you must be really lucky . . .

Cindy -- hoping a bill for a portion of the MRI isn't coming her way

Oh, Cindy, that was 3 years ago. I would have to dig through some records to get exact numbers, but I don't remember it costing that much. That includes the whole 9 yards - initial visits and x-rays, MRI, surgery, synvisc treatments that didn't work, unloader brace that didn't work, more followups and x-rays, until I just got fed up with being told to quit playing tennis, tore off all the braces and wraps and just played.

But actual $$$, I don't think I paid more than 500 bucks, total. Guess I was lucky.

[LuckyR]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Nah, not overweight, thankfully. Old, though. I just hit 47 . . .

:stops to weep openly:

I feel your pain. Were you Class of '79?

[Cindysphinx]

Originally Posted by LuckyR

I feel your pain. Were you Class of '79?

Eeeyup. I guess I have a high school reunion coming up soon. Oh, happy joy!

You know what my mother gave me for my birthday?

A gift certificate to go and get a better skin care regimen from the cosmetics counter at the department store.

What's she trying to say, do you think?

[LuckyR]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Eeeyup. I guess I have a high school reunion coming up soon. Oh, happy joy!

You know what my mother gave me for my birthday?

A gift certificate to go and get a better skin care regimen from the cosmetics counter at the department store.

What's she trying to say, do you think?

Only a Mother can get away with that sort of thing...

(Seventy Nine is Superfine! That truly sounds 70's)