Injured my feet, bummed out :(

[Kaie]

It was around three months age, and I was in a boot camp style class, and I felt foot pain (I had it chronically since I had been pregnant with my daughter) I kept going (stupid, would give anything to go back.)

Well three months later and I am sometimes barely walk, I have been doing all of the things you should do, and I am keeping up my dance classes, but any of the usual cardio things I would do before hurt my feet. I can walk a short distance, but then the pain gets intense.

I can do things like yoga, and pilates. I actually really want to take this opportunity to get back into yoga., When I was in my best shape, I was doing daily yoga, and I was also doing at least 45 minutes of cardio or interval training a day (most days.)

I am really discouraged, and frustrated. Just today, at the grocery store, I was wishing for a handicapped plate, so I could not have to walk so far

[SireneB]

What kind of pain? A common pain to result from exercise would be plantar fasciitis, which will take a while to heal. You might want to read up on it. Normal things (reducing inflammation by ice/heat/soaking/anti inflammatories) will help, the pain and help speed up healing, as will massage and physio procedures - but the bottom line is, it just has to heal.

Patience through injuries is something that active people and athletes need to learn. It might be wise to lay off dance and cardio (at least on your feet) for a short time while it heals. Longer term, if it is something that recurs regularly, orthotics might help.

Good luck, I know it's frustrating!

[Kaie]

Thank you, it is plantar facitiis. It is so upsetting, though I just did some yoga, and it stretched it out, and except for the warrior poses (which put stress on my heels,) it was fine, and I really broke a sweat.

I am doing all of the therapies. I have store bought orthotics, but they make all of my shoes too small. Aren't there good shoes to wear for this condition? I have Dansko's, and they are okay to wear to work, but I need more than just one pair of shoes.

[Clint Cora]

I use custom fitted orthotics on most my shoes as well as ski boots. Makes a difference for me. My feet don't hurt as much after either a day of walking around or skiing.

[Kaie]

I went into the Walking Store today, and I have been wearing pretty much only my Dansko's because they have plenty of arch support... Well, I found out that mine were so old that it was like walking on plastic, there was no shock absorption, and I got a new pair. My feet still hurt, but I can see healing progressing faster with the correct shoes. It is like my shoes have both support and protect against shock of walking, Yay!!

Yes, I am going to look into custom orthotics, anything so I can hike again. I am going to bike tonight, I feel a bit more hope now.

[Clint Cora]

The custom ones are worth paying for since they are molded to your feet. If you work for a company, look at your health benefits as orthotics might be covered by the insurance.

When I was in corporate life, my health benefits covered the cost of a new pair of orthotics made by a podiatrist or chiropodist (foot specialist) each year. So I got a new pair made each year and now I have a relatively permanent pair in my ski boot, one that circulates among my dress shoes and one for casual/athletic shoes.

[SireneB]

Glad that changing shoes helped! I used to get plantar fasciitis pretty regularly many years ago when I was doing a lot of running. Now, the only shoes I wear are Birkenstocks, and I never have any problems with my feet.

One learning point out of all this ... I bet when you feel that particular pain in the future, you'll back off right away.