Re: sore feet

August 22, 2002

I, too, have extremely sore feet in the morning. Putting my feet

onto the floor is excrutiating. It is a feat (pardon the the very

bad pun) just shuffling to the bathroom some a.m.'s. This tends to

go away by the time I shower and get ready for work,....then in the

evening after I sit for a bit before going to bed, they are just as

sore again. Then other days it is painful to walk all day....makes

working oh so much fun!!!!!!!

My Dr. suggest elevating them at night, no difference. He suggested

a low box to prop them up under my desk...no difference. The only

thing that has helped me is a nice peppermint foot cream and a light

massage before bed during the week and in the mornings as well on the

weekends....no time for it during the week. I get up at 4:45 a.m.

and I absolutely refuse to awaken any earlier!

If anyone has any other suggestions, please share...me and my sore

feet will be ever to grateful.

Pam in PA

August 22, 2002

I am afraid painful feet is very much a part of my life too. At one time I

thought I would end up crippled. I was in such agony every minute of every day.

I too can't sit down or lie down without my feet hurting terribly when I stand

back up. How much they hurt depends on how long I have been down, with the

longer I am down the worse they hurt. My feet hurt horribly if I stand in lines

and I could never be a cashier that I know for sure. By the end of the day it

creeps into my ankles and legs and I am just plain hurting. I do have some

suggestions to keep it from getting worse and if you follow my advice (given to

me by a doctor), you could even get rid of the problem all together for periods

of time. Unfortunately, I never do this religiously because it's time

consuming.

1) Stand on the edge of a step and hold the wall for support or do it

without if you are coordinated enough. Put the front half of your foot on the

step. Bend your knee and lean forward until you feel a pull in the back of your

heel. Do it slow and work on being able to stretch it a bit further over time.

This helps to keep the foot loose and limber. It's supposed to be done in each

foot about 30 times per day. I know it works. When my pain gets very bad I

pick up the pace and start doing it again.

2) Sit or lie down in such a way that you can put your feet up on something

and dangle them off the side, like the end of the bed, couch, or foot stool.

Rotate your ankles in both directions for as long as you have time for. The

more the better. This doctor told me that our feet need to stay strong enough

for us to be able to walk properly. This should be done 3 times per day, but

morning and night is good enough.

3) While you are doing the ankle rotations, crunch your toes. I was told

that you should put a hand towel out on the floor and pull it towards you

crunching up the towel with your toes. I am not that coordinated, so I just

take my foot and toes and make it tight like I am making a fist. Hold and do

this with as much strength as you can. If you alternate between the ankle

rotations and foot crunches you can do it the whole time you watch a show. The

more you do this the better the pain will go away. I will warn you though. If

your feet are very sore it hurts to do it but you will see how fast it helps if

you do it religiously.

4) If the pain is very bad and it's really out of control I was told to

take 4 aspirin every 4 hours. I wouldn't do that without asking your doc. It

would really thin your blood. I never thought it helped so I never did it again

after I stopped getting it the worst I ever had it.

5) When it's really horrible putting your feet on ice should be done 3

times per day.

6) I have also read that if you get a bottle, fill it with water and

freeze, then roll it under your foot it's supposed to help with a certain type

of pain. I never did this, but no doubt I bet it has it's usefulness

7) Wearing a decent pair of tennis shoes is an absolute must for me. I can

never go barefoot unless I want this pain. Since I have kept the pain to mostly

just a nuisance lately I have been going barefoot around the house, but when the

pain gets worse I start wearing my shoes again. Great care should be taken to

pick out the right type of shoes that give your feet enough support, and we are

all different so you just have to experiment.

8) If the pain is in the heels you should buy a heel cup. I had to buy

several before I found the right one for me. If your pain is very bad get a

note from your doctor telling your boss that you may only wear tennis shoes. I

will never again wear a pair of dress shoes. It's just not happening. There

are other types of orthotics too for different pain symptoms.

Whatever you do, don't ignore this! Every time you think it can't get any

worse, it can and if you don't treat the problem it will. When you think you

can't take anymore it gets even worse and it's HORRIBLE!

take care

Suzi

August 23, 2002

Pam, thats EXACTLY what I am feeling!

I got up this morn, and the balls of my feet were soooooo sore, felt

all bruised...blech. I wonder if wearing softer cushioned shoes would

help, or arch supports? I know I am very flat footed, and have been

since kidhood...everyone tells me it is because I ABHOR

shoes...anytime I can do it, I go around barefoot.

The peppermint rub sounds glorious!

Mare

> I, too, have extremely sore feet in the morning. Putting my feet

> onto the floor is excrutiating. It is a feat (pardon the the very

> bad pun) just shuffling to the bathroom some a.m.'s. This tends to

> go away by the time I shower and get ready for work,....then in the

> evening after I sit for a bit before going to bed, they are just as

> sore again. Then other days it is painful to walk all day....makes

> working oh so much fun!!!!!!!

>

> My Dr. suggest elevating them at night, no difference. He

suggested

> a low box to prop them up under my desk...no difference. The only

> thing that has helped me is a nice peppermint foot cream and a

light

> massage before bed during the week and in the mornings as well on

the

> weekends....no time for it during the week. I get up at 4:45 a.m.

> and I absolutely refuse to awaken any earlier!

>

> If anyone has any other suggestions, please share...me and my sore

> feet will be ever to grateful.

>

> Pam in PA

August 23, 2002

SUZI...THANK YOU!

I was just thinking as I got up this morn, what I will be like when I

am 60...I will be 30 in sept...

Thee excersizes are simple enough to do everyday, yet seem like they

would work great...thank you, thank you, thank you! Will start trying

them out when i get home from grooming today

THANK YOU!

Mare

> I am afraid painful feet is very much a part of my life too.

At one time I thought I would end up crippled. I was in such agony

every minute of every day. I too can't sit down or lie down without

my feet hurting terribly when I stand back up. How much they hurt

depends on how long I have been down, with the longer I am down the

worse they hurt. My feet hurt horribly if I stand in lines and I

could never be a cashier that I know for sure. By the end of the day

it creeps into my ankles and legs and I am just plain hurting. I do

have some suggestions to keep it from getting worse and if you follow

my advice (given to me by a doctor), you could even get rid of the

problem all together for periods of time. Unfortunately, I never do

this religiously because it's time consuming.

> Suzi

August 23, 2002