Fuzzy's recent struggles with a inflamed metatarsal has inspired me to boor you all with a overview of foot care.
The most common foot problem I see in the shoe selling bizz- is Planter Fasciitis. It is always caused from a lack of arch support, standing too much, or bad shoes. With out arch support the tendons and muscles in you feet will shorten. If you feel pain in you heal or running along the bottom of your foot its time for new shoes. The pain is usually more sever in the morning when you get out of bed, this is because the muscles have relaxed and when you stand up you are pulling them again. Planter Fasciitis can get bad enough to be surgical if left untreated, but really all you need to fix it is a good arch support. Generally speaking the arch supports found in box stores or grocers stores are worthless. ( they also seem to be increasingly more expensive. ) Not only do they not provide enough support, what support they do have is flattened in a few weeks. I am not saying this just because I sell the expensive stuff; I say it because I can tell you from personal experience use your money for what will work the first time. You should be able to find something that will last at least a year and cost you around $30-$60 at an athletic or higher end shoe store. Or call me! Treatment for Planter Fasciitis is simple better shoes, better support; there are also some exercises you can do to help. Rolling you foot over a frozen bottle of water will relax the muscles; and you can stretch it by simply sticking out you leg with you heal on the ground and raise your toes up, you should feel it pull across the bottom of you foot. DO NOT DO THIS AGAINST A WALL OR STAIRS! You could tear the muscles and tendons. When you get Planter Fasciitis it can take a few weeks with a good arch support before you start to feel releaf. I recommend an adjustment period with your old shoes and new shoes or arch-support. Wear the new shoes for a few hours then go back to the old shoes for a few hours. Its like working out when you are not use to it. Your muscles get sore and tired fast. However some people get so much releaf from the better shoes that they do not need to transition.
More boring foot trivia to come.
4 comments:
I can attest to Q's knowledge on this front. When we were both picking up dog poop this time last year, I had developed PF from wearing my favorite old shoes around so much that I had beat the crap out of what little arch support that had, and didn't have other shoes because I was saving all my pretty pennies for school. I was seriously in so much pain that stepping on my feet in the morning was excruciating.
When I finally got my new job, and knew the money was coming, my first big purchase was the Danskos Q recommended. Two weeks, pain gone. And I can even wear my old favorites again without issue--I just don't over do it because the new arch support is uber comfortable and keeps my feet from cramping and feeling like all the muscles are pulled all the time.
I recently discovered that Dansko has an online outlet store where you can buy imperfect new shoes for up to half off:
http://www.danskooutlet.com/Dansko-Outlet/Womens/Footwear/view.aspx
Yeah yeah, I know, me and the online outlet stores for slightly imperfect new items--but seriously, why the heck would you pay twice as much if the damage is cosmetic, and you're only interested in the functionality??
Oooh online Dansko outlet...
I also support the idea of having shoes with good arch support. I stand on my feet and run around a little box for 8-10 hours a day and with good shoes and good socks, my feet don't hurt.
My knees and my hips are a different story, but locking my knees is a habit I need to get out of.
BTW, does anyone know if Danskos can be retreaded? My favorite pair of black ones are looking a little bit like bald tires.
Actually, Q and I were talking About this recently. I don't believe the soles can be repaired by Dansko, but you might find a cobbler who would.
Dansko repairs and sketchy! A good cobbler might be able to sand off the old tred and put a new one on, by most of the time were I work they tell you its time to rip off the bandage and get a new pair. It could cost up to $40 dollars to put new tred on a Dansko. I do know they can do nothing if the sole is cracked.
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