Feet

Lovely subject, huh?  Just makes you jump up and say "Wow!  I have GOT to read that!"  LOL.  I never gave my feet much consideration.  Actually feet have always been something that kind of sceeved me out (adult feet, that is...baby/child feet are a WHOLE different & wonderful story).  There's that stuff that gets under the toenails, not to mention toe jam, callouses, athelete's foot (not that I have that), discolored toenails, bunions, etc.  I do LOVE pedicures but I just don't seem to have the free time to get them often enough.  But I never gave my feet the proper respect and consideration they deserve.

Some of you might know I hurt my foot in November - it was diagnosed as Metatarsalgia...big word that was defined for me as "basically a bad bone bruise on the ball of the foot" by my doctor. What was the prescription?  absolutely no heels of any kind...only flat shoes, supportive flat shoes.  Use gel pads for the ball of the foot.  No exercise with impact on the ball of the foot (apparently bouncing on my head would have been o.k. though).  Rest (ha!).  It will improve.  Well....I did ALL those things.....and waited........and waited........no cardio........no heels.....no walking barefoot in the house.  Nothing happened.  My fashion suffered......my wallet suffered......but no changes.....well, I gained 5 lbs - that happened!  But that didn't help my foot.

So, after 3 months I decided to give my doctor the finger (metaphorically speaking - I DO like him) and do some research on my own.   Now, "why" did I not do research on my own to start with?   Well, I believed what he said would work......my bad!  After I researched Metatarsalgia, which is the correct diagnosis, I found that it isn't "like a bone bruise" but actually more like "carpal tunnel syndrome in the ball of the foot & toes"!  Big difference!  It is a mechanical issue, not something that will just heal.  In fact, it won't go away at all until there is a change in the gait & shoe to allow the metatarsals proper room and support.  It is like the nerves going through the metatarsals (the bones that go to the toes) are being squeezed and have to go through a narrower route than usual.  It started about 3 months after I was working at home with my personal trainer and I always said to my doctor that I thought it was due to working out intensely on the hard tile with sneakers that weren't right.  He said that "could" be a factor but may not be the reason.  

The research I did showed that Metatarsalgia most often occurs in people new to an intensive exercise (running, impact exercises) and with poor fitting shoes.  BINGO!  I also found that it is more common in people with a very  high arch (BINGO AGAIN!) and carrying some extra weight (ummm....another quieter bingo).  My research stated that very specific shoes will help -  not just generic "supportive" which means nothing!  It also said that arch supports are recommended.  Did you even know that if you have pain in the ball of your foot or in your knee or  hip that it is often related to your arches???    I didn't.   I thought "arch supports" were for old people with problems in their arches.  Not true.  Or that it was just for people that stand a lot.  Also not true.  So I trotted (more like limped) down to Happy Feet Plus - one of the few local stores that carry the type of shoes I needed.  The manager at Happy Feet Plus was fantastic and showed me websites, actual data on the condition and how the mechanics effect it.  Wow.  I discussed the few athletic shoes that were recommended and he agreed and steered me to the one best for my activities.  I spent all that money on other shoes this past fall that never gave me any relief - what a bummer.  What a shame I never gave my feet that much thought.
 
The end result?  I am now a happy owner of a pair of Birkenstocks(which I never thought I would be) - the "perfect" shoe for this condition and a pair of very stiff, leather athletic shoes made by Brooks with Birkenstock athletic orthotic arch supports. 
It sounds like something an 80 year old would need but I have to tell you, I don't care.  They are amazingly comfortable and although I prefer nylon sneakers because they are cooler - I'll just have to deal for now.  When I order my next pair, later this year, I will be able to order them in nylon after the foot has truly healed!  But I am happy to report that after just a few days wearing these, I am presently pain-free (and it has been over 3 months of pain).  I worked out at the gym twice wearing them and walked all the heck over Sea World with no foot pain.  That's amazing and really pisses me off too since I lost 3 months doing what my doctor prescribed and it was all a matter of shoes!  Thank God I didn't do the next thing he recommended, which was going for a cortisone shot in the foot and then possibly a soft cast!