Stupid Feet!

I can hardly walk these days! Plantar Fasciitis is really no joke! The pain in the morning walked off pretty easily at first but it is the all day pain that is getting the best of me. Thankfully as a substitute teacher on my feet there is little discomfort (especially when I wear my shoes with good arch support) but when I am around home there is a lot of sit down time.

Sit down time means that I have to get up and walk many times a day. THAT is when it is excruciating. It eventually walks off but the pain when you try to stand up from a chair and haven't used those muscles is bad, even after just ten minutes. Pain shoots up through my heal too and so from the knees down it is crazy pain. If you want to see this "old lady" all you have to do is stick around until I have to get up and walk around.

I was told that it could have been exacerbated by the chemo and my body is reacting to that in my feet. It definitely started right as I got into a great walking schedule last spring much to my disappointment. I have gained weight and that extra weight could cause irritation. Which is a catch 22 because I can't exercise my favorite way (walking) if I am supposed to rest. The fact that I am writing this now proves also that I have not been faithful to my elliptical all winter which would probably be a good alternative exercise without the stress on my feet. Doctor said that rest would help and maybe that is true, but the rest is not helping my stamina and all around well being. As my children (who obviously watch too much television) will quote for me "a body in motion will stay in motion" from one of the many annoying pharmaceutical commercials!

So recently I did what any normal thinking person would do and I googled it. I have exercises and have been able to put to use my elastic band. I spent one morning for thirty minutes on each side stretching slowly those muscles to try to get the inflammation down. It seemed to help that day but it is probably going to work best once I get into the routine of doing it daily. Following the directions I pushed up and held, and then twisted a bit out on the inside of my foot and held and last twisted a bit on the outside and down and held. It hurts when you first position but as it stretches it really felt good. I also have a water bottle full of water in the freezer to roll when I am at my desk, and golf balls...I never thought I would EVER own golf balls, but rolling them in the arch of my foot feels dreamy! Now I just need to do it every day. Stay tuned, I may report back on how it is going.

Oh...and a public apology to anyone who has told me they have Plantar Fasciitis in the past and I didn't understand how debilitating it can be. I can truly say now that "I feel your pain"!