My mother would say that whenever she encountered anyone who had, what she considered, large feet. I guess it was one of her quirks that she would notice the size of people’s feet.
She never said a word about bunions, even though she had bunions. When I was much, much younger and not so wise, I would shudder to think that my feet might end up with bunions.
So far so good. However, I have not been without foot issues these past few years. As with most aches and pains, it started as an annoying pain in my heel and ankle. It was the worst in the morning. But, it always went away after I got moving. Until it didn’t.
In fact, it just kept getting worse. So bad that I was worried I wouldn’t be able to walk! Yikes. So I got an X-ray and sure enough, there is some kind of deformity in my foot. My foot looks absolutely normal but apparently it’s not.
I poured out my tale of woe to my chiro. After looking at the X-ray he gave me exercises and recommended inserts. I promptly got the inserts and started the exercises.
No change. In fact, the pain was hardly ever not there. I tried everything. So I whined again to my chiro. He again said to get inserts. What kind did I have? Oops, I guess the wrong kind even though I was assured that the ones I had bought should do the trick. So I finally got the right kind.
And I was very, very diligent about the foot exercises (not my usual mode I’ll admit).
I took the insoles out of a pair of sneakers and put the new ones in. And I wore the shoes with the inserts all day long, inside and outside.
Within two or three days I was pain free. Nothing short of a miracle. And to think I had been hobbling along with the wrong inserts and waking up in pain every day for years! Honestly!
My daughter kept telling me to get Birks inserts. She has foot problems too and the Birks inserts fixed her right up. My own experience with Birks is that they make my feet hurt. Bobby at Taggs said it right “Just because they work for her, doesn’t mean they will work for you.” She got me hooked up with the right inserts.
The lesson from that story is that there is no “one size fits all” solution to foot pain. It depends on the cause of your pain. Sometimes custom orthotics are needed. I would have totally gone that route if I had to. You know how I feel about not being able to walk.
If you have foot pain and inserts don’t help, there are other ways for you to rid yourself of the pain.
A friend in Thunder Bay suffered for years with hardened, painful cracked callouses on her heels. No matter what remedies she tried she could find no relief. Her daughter suggested a Chiropodist – a foot doctor. A doctor you don’t need a referral to see. However, she did have to get on a waiting list.
Chiropodists are trained in management and prevention of foot conditions. They also specialize in the prevention and treatment of foot injuries. They are essentially the same as a Podiatrist. They are doctors and they can prescribe drugs to treat various foot conditions and disorders.
When she eventually did get into the doctor, they started with her heels. She tells me she felt no pain as they were removing years and years of callouses. She also found out that she had a childhood foot injury that was limiting her mobility. She was given exercises to fix that up. They are working. She now has full mobility.
She is also a half inch shorter after getting all the callouses removed over several appointments. She says it is life-changing. No more suffering from painful cracked heels. She uses silicone heel caps (which can be washed) and a regimen of special creams help keep her feet healthy.
Another thing she learned from the Chiropodist was how to cut her toenails. “They should be straight across and have a little length to them.”
I agree with her – getting your feet fixed and being pain free in your feet is life changing.
Foot pain and issues are not uncommon. You probably do not have to suffer with foot pain. I think I suffered for almost two years, stupidly thinking that if I slept with my foot a certain way it would get better. It was only when it got to be really bad that I got serious about fixing it.
The way you walk can also cause foot issues. If you are not walking correctly it can cause problems. It’s worthwhile to watch a couple of YouTube videos on how to walk properly. A quick search shows several videos from physiotherapists showing proper walking form. If you walk a lot, maybe you need to think about cushioned insoles to reduce impact stress on your feet.
What can you do if you have foot pain? First, talk to your doctor about it. Or talk to your chiropractor. I needed to talk to both of them. The chiro needed to see the xr-ay to give me the fix.
My friend who went to the Chriopodist really needed to see a foot doctor. After years of pain she is all about her foot care. She tells me that taking care of your feet is priceless.
She’s right. You must take care of your feet. You need them and you need them pain free. If you lose mobility because of foot pain, you can’t properly take care of your body.
A lack of mobility shortens your lifespan. Make sure you have a good understanding.
