Foot Problems

[artnbarb]

I too have PF, which somehow got much worse after I had my foot surgery last December.

I've worn orthotics for years due to high arches, so that wasn't the solution, but more stretching, and wearing a splint that keeps my foot at a 90º angle all night helps.

 

[Pauline]

We just got back from 3 weeks hiking in Switzerland (we walked 117 miles) and my foot still hurts but is doing better. I found a good book by a Canadian doctor - The Plantar Fasciitis Plan: Free Your Feet from Morning Pain by Colin Dombroski - and have been following his advice, which is similar to the advice in this thread. Exercise your foot in bed before you get up in the morning, be extra careful of the first steps you take in the morning because you can re-tear the fascia (wear shoes), massage your foot with a tennis ball, keep walking, ice your foot after walking.

When hiking, I take a rest every two hours and take off my boot and sock. In Switzerland I was able to soak my foot in an alpine lake once, and a water trough with spring water another time - wonderful! My foot hurt a bit while walking but not much. It hurt more walking around the house not wearing shoes. If I wore my shoes in the house, I hardly had any pain.

I am still aware of some pain in my right heal and the foot sometimes aches, but it definately feels better when I am doing a walk every day. Most of our walks were 3 - 6 miles but we did two 10-mile walks. We did a lot of uphill walking.

As everyone said, it will just take time to go away.

I used a compression sock for a couple of weeks but stopped using it when it gave me a heat rash after a long hike.

 

[Roz]

Glad to hear the foot is doing better, Pauline -- and glad it didn't interfere with your enjoyment of Switzerland.

 

[Sandrac]

I too have PF, which somehow got much worse after I had my foot surgery last December.

I've worn orthotics for years due to high arches, so that wasn't the solution, but more stretching, and wearing a splint that keeps my foot at a 90º angle all night helps.

Hi Barb,
I have been watching this thread because I have a lot of longstanding foot issues (and now, arthritis!)
Can you tell me more about the splint - why at night? Does it work to retrain the shape of the foot?
I'm always curious to find new options for reducing my foot pain! Thanks very much,
Sandra

 

[artnbarb]

It helps to keep my foot at closer to a 90º angle. Getting up in the morning is always the worst - the most painful- time, and this prevents that, at least over time. It's not a quick cure, but I have found that by wearing it regularly my foot is much better for longer periods of time - and then I stop wearing it, and gradually the pain comes back.

 

[Sandrac]

This is really interesting to hear. Getting up the morning really can be painful (although with the arthritis in my feet, it isn't consistently terrible.) I will have to look into this, thanks Barb!
Cheers,
Sandra

 

[DDTraveler]

I've had PF also. A few years ago, before our trip to the Amalfi coast and Croatia, I got a cortisone shot in the heel. It definitely helped although I still experience the pain at times. I also tried rolling my foot on a ball, but probably overdid it while it was still healing. I try to be careful with my shoes, and I use inserts, but my feet hurt early in the morning and sometimes after I walk/hike. I find that it's not so bad if I'm doing yoga regularly -- I suspect downward dog is good for PF, and probably whatever else ails my feet!

 

[Pauline]

My foot is getting better, but slowly. I am doing the stretches, getting daily foot massage (thank you Steve!), icing it. We’ve done our 1000 miles and are still walking, but not as much as usual because we were both hit by bad colds. Hopefully back to regular walking soon.

 

[Ian Sutton]

In honour of your achievement:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM0sTNtWDiI


... and it will probably take another 1000 miles to get the song out of your head

 

[Chris]

Video blocked in the U.S. on copyright grounds. Oh well...

 

[Pauline]

I think @PatrickLondon linked to this song in another thread. I had not heard it before! I didn't have to walk 500 miles and 500 more to find my partner, Steve was beside me (or slightly ahead) for the whole 1000 miles!