Your Three Day Plan
To Alleviating Foot Pain
Step One:
Immediately, stop walking barefoot, stop wearing flip flops, stop walking around the house wearing only socks and stop wearing flimsy bedroom slippers.
Step Two:
Purchase RX CROCS and wear them as bedroom slippers around the house. It is important that you wear the strap to the back. The RX Crocs are approved by the American Podaitric Medical Association for Diabetics and works wonders if you are suffering from heel pain or any forefoot pain. They also help alleviate knee, hip and lower back pain.
Step Three:
Find a New Balance store and purchase either the New Balance 928 or the 1540. If you are extremely sedentary and have trouble reaching your feet to tie your shoes, purchase the NB 812 with velcro straps. While you are at the store, purchase diabetic socks - even if you are not diabetic. They are amazing.
Step Four:
REST. For the next three days, whenever you are sitting, elevate and rest your feet. Ice your feet with a bag of frozen vegtables for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a day - unless you are diabetic, have poor circulation, have nerve damage or have a history of gout.
If you are doing all this and you do not get significant pain relief within three days, you need to make an appointment with your local Podiatrist for further evaluation.
If you have been walking around with a "dull ache" in your feet that is like a nagging tooth ache or you have unexplained swelling - you could potentially be walking around on a broken bone or stress fracture. Most Podiatrists can take X-rays in their offices and offer complete treatment for foot problems such as fractures, sprains, bunions, hammertoes, corns & calluses. If your Podiatrist immediately jumps to suggesting surgery for your bunions or hammertoes, please get a second opinion from a more conservative biomechanical-focused Podiatrist. You should only consider foot surgery after you have tried and failed conservative, non-surgical treatment.
After your Podiatrist properly diagnoses and treats your foot issues, ask him or her about getting Custom-Molded Orthotics, which are often covered by your insurance. CMO's are prescription arch supports that are custom-molded to your feet and hold your foot in the biomechanically correct and neutral position which helps to alleviate foot, knee, hip and lower back pain. CMO's also help slow or stop the progression of bunions, hammertoes and joint changes such as osteoarthritis and Hallux Rigidus. Your Podiatrist can also add "sweet spots" that off-load painful calluses on the bottom of your feet.
Just remember, if you are limping or compensating for more than three days - it is very tough on your knees, hips and lower back and you are throwing off your biomechanics. The quicker you deal with foot and ankle pain, the better. Most problems with the foot and ankle are very treatable using gentle non-surgical treatment. When you see people limping around with terrible biomechanics - that usually did not happen overnight. The reality is that as soon as we start compensating or limping for any reason - and we ignore it and keep walking - our bodies get used to it and that becomes our new normal. After decaades of this, we end up in a situation where our bodies start breaking down and it interferes with our ability to have an active and healthly lifestyle.
Don't wait. If you are limping, after three solid days of doing the things discussed here - please make an appointment to see your Podiatrist.
As I always tell my patients - my job as your Podaitrist is to keep you as active as possible for as long as possible with as little problems as possible - so that you see less of me because you are out there having fun!
For more information - please go to the upper right hand corner of this blog and find the search butteon where you can search:
"My feet hurt - top ten things to do to alleviate foot pain"
and
"Shoe Recommendations for patients recovering from a Lisfranc's fracture."
Have a lovely day,
Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy
:)
Nice post on Shoes and Sandals !!!
ReplyDeleteTruly adorable post on casual footwear !!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
ReplyDeleteGreetings. I just stumbled onto your blog and wanted to thank you for all the good info. I recently had my maiden voyage to the podiatrist and the diagnosis is both a "regular" bunion and a tailor bunion on my right foot. And like you, my podiatrist told me to ditch the slippers, flip flops and Chucks (sigh). I was looking into the RX Crocs and was curious if you had an opinion on the Melbourne RX loafer or if you recommend the more traditional Croc? Thanks in advance.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThe Melbourne style isn't good enough. They have a flimsy and flexible sole which is trouble for anyone with bunions or forefoot issues. I would highly recommend that you get the traditional RX Crocs and wear the strap to the back.
Thanks for reading!
Cathy
:)
What would you do to talk to about a podiatrist? I have never done that before.
ReplyDeleteJust read your post about foot pain and what to do and not to do. Went through a year of plantar fasciitis and went to a hard ortho store. Bought a good ole pair of Birkenstocks and wore them for three weeks straight, from the minute I awoke to when I fell into bed...worked. All pain gone, foot back in great working order. Of course I still wear them and bought a pair of Brooks. Thanks for all the good info.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteGald to hear the Birks worked for you! During my residency, I wore Birks around my apartment but my dog kept eating them. I owuld come home to scatterings of cork and two metal buckles. She was a little tank with a cast iron stomach!
Birks are great.
Cathy
:)
Thank you! This blog has been very helpful. I just ordered the Crocs Rx. I'm working on slowly healing my feet (Plantar fasciitis) and replacing all of my bad shoes. My feet responded well this summer to the Dansko Scarlett, but I need a winter option. When I have tried on Dansko clogs, they are to wide and clunky. Any thoughts on the Patagonia "Better" Clog?
ReplyDeleteDear Dr, just wanted to thank you for your very informative blog! I think I have a mild bunion, it's not official yet since I haven't been to a POD yet, but will go soon.
ReplyDeleteI've since ditched all my flimsy slippers, ballet shoes & boots. I bought crocs Rx & love them! So comfy! I ordered a pair of Alegria Paloma's for work (I'm a teacher).
Just one question: I wasn't sure of. Do you recommend uggs at all?
Thanks so much for all the info!
Laura
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteGood news! I do recommend Uggs. They have a thick rigid sole with a wide base and a wide toe box. I wear mine with dress orthotics for more arch control which helps to stop or slow the progression of bunions and hammertoes. The only time you should consider bunion surgery is if you have hit a point where you have exhausted conservative treatment and the pain is still so bad that it is limiting your normal daily activities.
Good luck and thanks for reading!
Cathy
:)
I use to have horrible pain in my feet until I saw a podiatrist. He had me buy some over the counter arch supports, it literally cured my pain. I'm so glad I went to the podiatrist. http://www.calgarypodiatrist.com/en/
ReplyDeleteHi Sam,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you had a good experience with your Podiatrist! There are lots of great Pods out there and I always recommend to patients that if you are limping more than 3 days - go to your Pod. The quicker we get it, the quicker we can fix it.
Thanks for reading!
Cathy
:)