Oh my aching feet - help!

[S1969]

@PaddockWood

I say go to a good doc and get xrays and analysis. My xrays showed bone spurs in my mid foot area which explained the pain so wearing shoes w a firm/stiff footbed help ALOT. With the cost of shoes I’d first go get expert analysis.

Agreed. I have a friend who is a dog breeder and he shows dogs a lot and often on concrete. I remember talking to him about running and he groaned just thinking about it. His feet always hurt, they ached and were sore to the touch.

Then somehow he took a wrong step and ended in the ER - X-rays showed a huge bone spur that had fractured. He showed his X-rays on social media - it was crazy.

Needless to say he had a long recovery that included a surgical procedure. He feels like a new person now though. So the podiatrist is a really good step.

In the meantime - a lightweight cushioned running shoe might be the best option. I thought muck boots were invented torture - sooo heavy, no support and only whole sizes. If they were lighter it might have been easier.

I’ve never worn crocs but they are super light - might be worth a try in the store.

[Willesdon]

Just push a finger right down between all your toes, when you get up and when you go to bed. It stretches out your feet. Both my podiatrist and my acupuncturist recommended this and it has really, really helped me and stopped the pain in the balls of my feet. Simple, cheap and may work!

[MunchingonHay]

Birkenstocks have more options than just the hippy slip on Boston style. I have them in sneakers, garden clogs, sandels… so many styles to pick from!

I suffer from planter fascitis years ago and once I started wearing my birkies year round, I have not had any issues.

PS. I have a restructured ankle and really messed up ligments due to a horrible, multi bone break in my 30’s

[PaddockWood]

@Willesdon

Just push a finger right down between all your toes, when you get up and when you go to bed. It stretches out your feet. Both my podiatrist and my acupuncturist recommended this and it has really, really helped me and stopped the pain in the balls of my feet. Simple, cheap and may work!

That is really interesting. I do put on toe stretchers if we watch a movie at night and it feels SO good.

[RedHorses]

@Limitless

Try them on, walk around house (so they are returnable!), and at first shoes feel excellent. One week later, no bueno. And now they’ve made trips here there and everywhere and can’t be returned. Any recs from my people?

This really does sound like you’re breaking in the foot bed in each pair, and then they’re not comfortable, possibly because some of the cushion has been flattened. Some kind of insoles may be the solution.

When I had a job that required steel toes and constantly being on my feet, one of my managers advised me to buy insoles and replace them every two months. I just got some Dr. Scholl’s gel (active? work?) insoles at the pharmacy for about $25 and they worked great. I didn’t replace them by the calendar, but when I started having achy feet after work I’d get new insoles.

[fivestrideline]

@RedHorses

When I had a job that required steel toes and constantly being on my feet, one of my managers advised me to buy insoles and replace them every two months. I just got some Dr. Scholl’s gel (active? work?) insoles at the pharmacy for about $25 and they worked great. I didn’t replace them by the calendar, but when I started having achy feet after work I’d get new insoles.

Yep. Get good shoes, and swap out insoles to extend the wearable life. Technically you’ll be past the mileage where you’re supposed to replace the whole shoe, but I don’t know anyone replacing their non-running shoes every 300 miles.

I like SuperFeet. I get the Trails, my SO uses the Carbons. I have them in my hiking boots and daily shoes! The cheap Dr Scholls won’t last as long and take up more space, but they are cushy.

As far as actual footwear, see if you can get a few pairs of different kinds to rotate. Wearing the same shoe every day will break it down faster and won’t let you change the way you’re walking and move the pressure around.

[LiberalSnowflake]

If it’s sore heels it’s probably plantar fasciitis, have had it on and off for years. Tried every kind of brand of shoe, Birkenstocks worked for years, but don’t anymore. Have switched entirely to FitFlops - they make everything from sparkly sandals to trainers to welly boots to hiking boots, and they’ve changed my life. Check them out online, there’s always a bundle of cheap stuff in their outlet tab so you can try without blowing the bank. I can’t recommend them enough, they’re amazing.

[Limitless]

Well, I thought I’d pop in to say that I did visit a Podiatrist yesterday. It was without a doubt the absolute worst Doctor Experience I have ever had (and this includes the time I left the hospital when the myomectomy surgery I was scheduled for at 7:00 am was rescheduled to 11:30, and the doctor’s office forgot to tell me - I walked out and said they could re-schedule me. They couldn’t believe I left!).

Anyway, this dude seemed at least 3 cans short of six pack. He told me a story for some reason about his parents and their guns and how his father can’t squeeze a trigger anymore and so Crazy Podiatrist was showing his mother how to use the revolver and his father was angry, and other nonsense I couldn’t possibly make up or explain. Why he told me this story is a mystery to me and I still can’t see the connection to my feet.

He pretty much said everything in the world was wrong with me feet, without telling me any actual terminology (No need, it’s all terrible!!) - I needed to get lace up shoes/sneakers and to go to X store and tell them he sent me. I shouldn’t be on my feet at all, and to get help around the property and home so I’m not on my feet. Never to be barefoot or in slippers, even in the middle of the night to go pee! Like get up and lace up sneakers and then go pee! Not barefoot in the shower even. But…when I’m standing up washing dishes barefoot (I thought I was not supposed to be barefoot, also I have a dishwasher), he gave some exercises for my arch maybe? And he can help me! He can fix me! He’s the Doctor for me!

Anyway, now searching for a new podiatrist.

[Dr_Doolittle]

[RMJacobs]

Remember they aren’t MDs or DOs. The education and licensing requirements are very different.

I was going to a podiatrist when I lived in South Carolina. COVID hit, and I went in for an appointment, masked. The podiatrist told me I didn’t need that silly mask, and refused to wear one. Unfortunately when he came in, I was already barefoot (can’t walk barefoot) and he immediately grabbed my foot before it dawned on me that he wasn’t masked. It is very disturbing that someone who was licensed to do surgery would not believe in masking during a pandemic. I never went back.

I am back in Colorado, and my podiatrist is great. They see me walk in wearing a mask, and everyone who comes in contact with me immediately masks. I trust these people as everything they’ve told me made sense so far. I’ve had four visits with them.

By all means, find someone else!

Rebecca

[PaddockWood]

Thought someone might value (well, EVERYONE would) to listen to this podcast which I stumbled across and was so intrigued. And because of it, went to Courtney’s website and found hot damn if there wasn’t a PT specializing in foot problems right here in my Cowtown, Columbus OH. Someone who Courtney recommends and they’ve spent time together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htF_GapzU_c

SO interesting because what she said to me was the direct opposite of the docs. She said we have SO many muscles and tendons and that we need to move our feet and strengthen OR our feet weaken.

She sent me home with exercises and said to go barefoot as much as I could and start slowly. And do you know I’m feeling MUCH better. I’m wearing my toe stretchers when I think of it and she had me consider only wearing shoes that allow the spread of your toes.

She sent me to this website and I found a great pair of slip ons for work.

Anya's Shop

These have a very wide toe box:

Search: 1 result found for "dalia*"

[NaturallyHappy]

Thank you for this! I’ve been looking for shoes/boots made like this forever. Going barefoot helps my neck tremendously and some does/boots make it significantly worse. Thanks again for sharing.

[PaddockWood]

I’m so glad to help! And I just put up the podcast listen and it’s SO interesting.

[Kyrabee]

I have horrible feet that have both had extensive surgery. I ordered a pair of BF shoes because of the toe box shape. My feet are rather duck foot shape. I even have toes 2 and 3 partially fused.

Anyway…I rather like them. I am not wobbling around on a built up foot bed. I don’t need arch support. Mine are high and rigid and do a fine job on their own. I figure they allow my feet to work more closely to how they should. I don’t feel my over suppination is as bad when I am walking in them.

I now have 3 pair .

[PaddockWood]

And interesting you say that because she had me come out of my foot beds and orthotics from the running store - where possible. It was like what? But I’m feeling so much better. In her evaluation she gave me pretty high marks in most things in strength and suppleness and I credit that to barn work and stretching to be a better rider.

Isn’t that interesting.

[Kyrabee]

Yes. My feet are so princess and the pea. It is so difficult to get them relatively happy. Too squishy gives me tendon and arthritis pain, too hard and I have very painful pressure points on the sole (due to my over suppination). I have to let a certain amount of callous form…but not too much.

When I find some that work I am so happy. Most ‘normal’ shoes I have to put a lateral wedge in. The barefoot shoes I don’t have to do that.

[JanM]

It’s very important not to just grab a pair in your usual size. Feet change sizes, and may get wider as time goes by.

A friend’s mother was complaining about her feet hurting, her son took her to the shoe store, and she wanted her usual, same size. He said they weren’t leaving until she had her feet measured, and instead of 6 she now wore an 8. She kept protesting her feet hadn’t changed, but her foot issues stopped almost immediately. She was from a generation that thought women were more feminine with smaller feet.

Also, I bought some of the Skechers slip ons, I found that getting my usual size was very hard to get on and off. However, going up one size made them combortable to get on and off. So, with those I up size too.

[Willesdon]

Both my acupuncturist and podiatrist told me to stretch my toes by pushing a finger down between each one. I try to remember to do it at night before I get into bed. Since doing this, my feet are a great deal happier. As the podiatrist also said, if we spent as much time and money on our feet as we do on our face and hands, the world would be a far happier place!

[Kyrabee]

@Willesdon

if we spent as much time and money on our feet

…or what we spend on our horse’s feet .

[pony_baloney]

I practically live in barefoot shoes, specifically Xero shoes. The non-slip work shoes were a lifesaver for me, with a job on my feet all day. They’re so wonderful that my feet are miserable in regular shoes now. Walking in them makes me a bit clumsy. Haven’t tried any other brands yet (many are much more expensive), but don’t really care about the look of them anymore. Regular pointy shoes look silly to me. I also wear CorrecToes spacers every night.

My toes can spread out so far they look like Fred Flintstone feet.