Diving with Plantar Faciitis

[TSandM]

If you can protect the wound from the water, I suspect diving itself wouldn't be a problem, if you could figure out how to get in and out of the water without weight-bearing on the heel. Diving generally does not involve a great deal of dorsiflexion.

You might try finding some clear adhesive bandage. In the US, a brand name is TegaDerm. If you coat the skin surrounding the wound with tincture of Benzoin (an adhesive) and apply the Tegaderm, you will have waterproof protection for some period of time. I would probably try this first with a soak in a bucket or tub, just to make sure it was secure, but I assume you will be wearing some kind of wetsuit booties? That should help keep it in place.

 

[uncfnp]

Buddhasummer, by the photo you have made amazing progress. Give yourself time. Let nature and your body do its thing. I know you are not happy with the delay, but this could have been much worse, such as Lynne's worry that it might involve the bone.

Lynne, I'm not up on rehab therapies but could heat and gentle massage help to speed healing?

 

[TSandM]

I certainly wouldn't massage the area until the epithelialization is more solid. Gentle warmth might be useful, but you'd have to be very careful not to make it so hot that you did damage to the fragile new skin -- nothing over 40C/104F. Hyperbaric oxygen is used to aid in healing chronic wounds, but I don't know that it would have any utility once the epithelium is intact.

 

[buddhasummer]

Buddhasummer, by the photo you have made amazing progress. Give yourself time. Let nature and your body do its thing. I know you are not happy with the delay, but this could have been much worse, such as Lynne's worry that it might involve the bone.

Lynne, I'm not up on rehab therapies but could heat and gentle massage help to speed healing?

yes, after all the advice I've been given I'm feeling a lot better about it all. I was so keen to get back in the water and with so little info from my doctor I guess I pushed things too hard too fast.

I've spent the day re evaluating the situation and trying to look at it in a more positive way. I realise healing the wound is top priority and if this results in a shortening of the Achilles' tendon or reduced mobility for a period of time so be it. Having to do my own stretching exercises and rehab at a later date does not bother me. Getting back into the water does. I realise if I try and rush this process I will inevitably prolong things.

My major concern or focus is getting back into the water, even if I miss the first two months of the season I can still make the last three. If I push things I could end up missing the whole season and i don't even want to think about that. Without sounding dramatic diving is my escape, it keeps the darkness away. I've resigned my self to the fact that I might not be diving until at least July.

I'm going to spend the next two weeks on crutches and will put my foot in a brace so as to prevent any movement. I've re bandaged my foot as this seems to help with immobilisation.

ill reevaluate the wound in two weeks, by which stage hopefully its a lot further along.

You are right, just 10 days ago it was looking pretty bad so all things considered it has come along quite nicely so should be grateful for that.

I'm so glad I'm a member of SB not only for the support I've received in this thread but being stuck at home it's my only entertainment. My post count has rocketed over the past few weeks lol.

Thank you for your post and concern, have a good weekend.

---------- Post added May 18th, 2013 at 08:09 AM ----------

I certainly wouldn't massage the area until the epithelialization is more solid. Gentle warmth might be useful, but you'd have to be very careful not to make it so hot that you did damage to the fragile new skin -- nothing over 40C/104F. Hyperbaric oxygen is used to aid in healing chronic wounds, but I don't know that it would have any utility once the epithelium is intact.

Other than cleaning, applying topical cream and bandaging it I'm going to leave it alone for two weeks and give it a good chance to further heal.

 

[buddhasummer]

Update:

Finally got off crutches this Monday and have been walking to work. I can support my own weight walking on the ball of my foot. The skin on my whole heel is dying/dead and starting to split and break away. I'm wondering if I should pull it off or just let it fall off/come away by itself, I suspect I should leave it alone. I am unable to heel walk as it still seems a little tender when I touch it so am holding off putting my weight on the heel fir a little longer.

As I can now stand on the ball of my foot, I have no pain, have good range of motion and that the skin in the wound is looking thicker that I can attempt a dive this weekend.

i know it's hard to tell from a photo but do you think a dive would be ok? Cheers

 

[TSandM]

That looks like it has epithelialized. I think diving would be okay, but be aware that that skin is still very thin, and once it has been wet for some time, it will be QUITE fragile.

There is no problem with cautiously debriding the dead callus away, especially if it is annoying. As long as what you are removing is insensate, you'll be fine.

 

[buddhasummer]

Thank you Lynne, I had some Tegaderm sent over from Australia as no one here seemed to understand what a waterproof dressing was. But I suspect due the the cracking and splitting of the relatively large area the dressing would not work very well. I was thinking of limiting the the dive to 45 minutes and of course being very careful after the dive.

 

[uncfnp]

Looks like you've gotten Lynne's blessing so its "dive, dive, dive!" Have fun and let us know how it goes.

 

[buddhasummer]

Went diving today, so nice to be back in the water. I attempted to seal the wound as best I could but felt it all come away after about 15mins. I could feel it getting soft and start to stretch so ended up diving using pretty much my left leg only for propulsion. Called the dive at 50mins. Was very careful getting out of wetsuit etc. the skin was very wet and very soft. The water seems to have aided removal of dead skin. I'm waiting an hour or so for it to dry out then ill clean it, dress it and re bandage it. I'm certain it would not have held up for two dives. Ill wait another week and do a single dive next weekend, hopefully by then it will be a little stronger.

 

[Quero]

Glad you were able to get back in the water at last! Get yourself a pumice stone that's used for pedicures and file away the rough endges of the dead skin after a shower when the skin is soft. Don't get too close to ground zero, but you should be able to get much of the peeling, dry, cracked skin off from the outer edges where you'd be using the adhesive for the TegaDerm so that you can get a decent seal next time you try. As well, maybe wear your brace for the time being when you dive so that you don't flex the foot too much and stretch the thin skin over the still-healing wound.