2 years and still hurt

[rgarling]

Try rolling your foot over something like a lacrosse ball. If you find a tender area, work that area. Try adding pressure to pin the tissue, and then flexing the foot over & around the pinned area. Stretch the calves and roll the muscles of the lower leg. Explore the range of motion of the foot using point/flex, side/side flex and circles. Work the tender areas.

[Jim Adams]

Try a "sports" savy chiropractor. On my thru in 2002 I was carried off the trail to a truck and driven out of the woods because my left knee was in so much pain I could no longer walk. I tried to take 2 weeks off to let it heal but nothing changed. I went to a chiropractor who took care of all the running sports atheletes at a major university. I literally hobbled into his office and 20 minutes later walked out normally and finished my thru without further problems. Hope it works for you!

geek

[sbhikes]

I really do not want any pain meds. They are always recalling them. No surgery either. I really question whether a doctor could do anything anyway. There is nothing to see. There is no manipulation of my feet that he could do that would pinpoint a site of injury. I'm sure nothing would show on an x-ray. He did give me x-rays right after the hike when I complained of the pain but they saw no osteoarthritis. Maybe I could get a prescription for massage therapy. That would be nice! Or maybe nightly golf ball rubs would help, although my arches don't hurt. Anyway, I'm 46. Not old, but old enough to start wearing drugstore reading glasses and young enough I can still out-hike most 22 year olds.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Well, let's look at it this way. The oldest NBA player is 39. There are maybe 6 NFL players over 40, and they are pretty much all kickers. In baseball, there are perhaps a dozen guys over 40, and they are with a couple of exceptions pinch hitters or relief pitchers. And they are the exceptions. Most athletes are done by 35. Over the hill. There is nobody 46 doing anything in competitive sports (other than golf and even then it's a downhill spiral), because, well, from a physical perspective as applied to competitive athletes, they're old and worn even if they are in great condition FOR THEIR AGE. They can't play with the 20 and 30 year olds because the body just ain't what it used to be - even with the best training, conditioning, and medical care in the world. And the tune is comparatively the same for EVERYONE else. The body slowly but surely wears out as we age, even if we do get in better aerobic or physical condition. The joints, the skeleton, the structure, simply can't repair the physical damage incurred in daily living as fast as that damage occurs. Just can't keep up. Just a fact of life.

But the mind doesn't really know time or age. It is arrogant and egotistical. The mind will push the body to do what it has always done before - until the body responds by saying to the brain, "ouch" - you aren't doing that to me any more. No matter what command you give me, I simply can't do that (at least not without telling you I'm hurt). The brain gains, or should gain, wisdom from this painful communication. Wisdom to see doctors and find out what is wrong. Or wisdom to slow down if medical care cannot repair the problem. Sometimes, the brain, like the child it is, needs to get the message repeated over and over before it sinks in. In children it's called being unruly - in adults it's called stubborness or, pathologically speaking, denial.

The mind should see an orthopaedist, particularly one who specializes in feet. The foot could have an injured ligament, tendon, cartilage, or scar tissue, bone spurs, osteo-arthritis, etc. But if the mind dismisses the proper modern medical care (and massages aren't medical care, nor are those providers who can't prescribe meds or order diagnostic imaging like MRI's), well, it will never know what is causing it, what treatment options are available, won't have a recovery plan, and will likely continue to suffer.

[sbhikes]

Massage would improve blood-flow to the feet which might help with the body's own healing.

As for being over the hill, pro sports are different than things like running or walking and hiking. It seems that for slow endurance exercises, the older you get the better you get to the point where the geezer who has kept up his endurance all his life will out-do the young buck over the long haul. They've proven this with distance runners. People peak in their 20s but in the end, someone at age 64 has the same ability as someone who is 17. The longer the course, the more equal the ability. And the difference between men and women also evens out. That's why you see so many older women winning excruciating ultramarathon races.

[mmais68569]

Question: Do you take any kind of Cholesterol Medicine????????

If so that may be your problem. I had the same symptoms Dr. said it was age & arthritis so I changed Drs & meds & guess what symptoms went away.

Mike ( Mr. Mean)

[hikerboy57]

I agree with seeing a podiatrist. Long distance hiking does strange things to your feet. they get bigger, they spread, and sometimes arches fall somewhat. a podiatrist may be able to correct your issue with nothing more than orthotic inserts.

[psig]

I use to suffer from plantar-fasciitis-like pain (not diagnosed) for just over a year, but no more. Have been symptom free since early February. The only think I can attribute it to (that I did differently) is that I started barefoot-style running the end of last year (i.e. forefoot strike with minimalist shoes). No plantar pain for me while running like that, but it wipes out the calves so had to work up slowly. After a couple weeks of doing that, I could feel the symptoms diminish until it was completely gone a few weeks later. Before that I had to wear shoes with inserts just to walk around the house... also, around the same time, while in the house, I started going barefoot and making sure to do forefoot strikes rather than heel. The rest of the time, while walking around town, I tried to engage my calf muscles more and take it easy on the heels. I'm no doctor, but it seemed to work for me.

[lemon b]

Is this the humor section? Suck it up pussy.

[Wise Old Owl]

SB I agree get to a podiatrist - really motivated me to get help and I wrote a thread at the beginning of the year.

Go for it.

[leaftye]

I wish I could offer you good advice. I know you've already tried a bunch of different things with varying levels of success. I agree with you about not getting surgery and fancy new drugs. If you see any sort of medical practitioner again, I recommend a sports therapist that has good experience with long distance runners. I've been trying to find books and such lately on sports induced foot injuries and I've come to the conclusion that this is still a field very much in its infancy. So even though you might see someone, it'd still be a really good idea to keep doing your own research and to keep experimenting on your own.

[Egads]

find a sports doc with a good reputation.

[Halliho]

Hi SB, sorry about your pain. I'm a tenderfoot too. When I was your age my feet were sore and the doc looked at my feet. He said I seemed to have LESS natural padding than the average.
Opposite of traditional wisdom on this site (Superfeet) I had to go for the softest insoles available. Spenco, whatever feels soft. Fot carrying backpack weight, "Soles" in the blue version, most padded one but support too.
Good luck, you want to be whistling out there, not wincing.

[Different Socks]

Sounds like it could be bone spurs. Have it checked out.

[SassyWindsor]

Find the best doctor of the feet, travel far if you must, and have this problem fixed. Check with running pros, etc to find the best. Without good wheels you might skid off the trail.

[ScottP]

Well, let's look at it this way. The oldest NBA player is 39. There are maybe 6 NFL players over 40, and they are pretty much all kickers. In baseball, there are perhaps a dozen guys over 40, and they are with a couple of exceptions pinch hitters or relief pitchers. And they are the exceptions. Most athletes are done by 35. Over the hill. There is nobody 46 doing anything in competitive sports (other than golf and even then it's a downhill spiral), because, well, from a physical perspective as applied to competitive athletes, they're old and worn even if they are in great condition FOR THEIR AGE. They can't play with the 20 and 30 year olds because the body just ain't what it used to be - even with the best training, conditioning, and medical care in the world. And the tune is comparatively the same for EVERYONE else. The body slowly but surely wears out as we age, even if we do get in better aerobic or physical condition. The joints, the skeleton, the structure, simply can't repair the physical damage incurred in daily living as fast as that damage occurs. Just can't keep up. Just a fact of life.

But the mind doesn't really know time or age. It is arrogant and egotistical. The mind will push the body to do what it has always done before - until the body responds by saying to the brain, "ouch" - you aren't doing that to me any more. No matter what command you give me, I simply can't do that (at least not without telling you I'm hurt). The brain gains, or should gain, wisdom from this painful communication. Wisdom to see doctors and find out what is wrong. Or wisdom to slow down if medical care cannot repair the problem. Sometimes, the brain, like the child it is, needs to get the message repeated over and over before it sinks in. In children it's called being unruly - in adults it's called stubborness or, pathologically speaking, denial.

The mind should see an orthopaedist, particularly one who specializes in feet. The foot could have an injured ligament, tendon, cartilage, or scar tissue, bone spurs, osteo-arthritis, etc. But if the mind dismisses the proper modern medical care (and massages aren't medical care, nor are those providers who can't prescribe meds or order diagnostic imaging like MRI's), well, it will never know what is causing it, what treatment options are available, won't have a recovery plan, and will likely continue to suffer.

http://www.olympia-greece.org/yianniskouros.html


????

[SassyWindsor]

I constantly care for my feet and footwear. About once a month I use a callus shaver, clipper, and a sanding pad on my feet. I keep my footwear clean and treated, laces and footpads clean and in good shape.

[Blissful]

Not plantar faciitis. My doctor is a dweeb. He just says take it easy you are getting old.

Get a good sports dr to evaluate. Even if you had to go to several. Took me two different ones to find the one to help me, and he's been great.

[Snowleopard]

I saw my podiatrist today for a bunion for the first time and I'm impressed. He told me how to minimize the blisters that the bunion was causing, but my main problem seems to be that my foot is not stable enough which then leads to other problems. He diagnosed this by watching me walk barefoot. Much of what he told me fits with things I already knew, and it all makes sense to me. I'll need orthotics which my insurance will pay for ($500). I have to wonder if they'll help with my bad knees and hips by providing more stability. They may save me money in the long run because my hiking boots wear out at the rear outside corner of the heel. If I wear shoes past the point where this wear is noticeable, my hips start hurting.

My foot problems are different from yours, but I'd say a good podiatrist can be pretty helpful. This one is a triathlete and had recommendations from runners. A good starting point might be to find a local running club and ask if their members know a good podiatrist who helps them keep running.

[4eyedbuzzard]

http://www.olympia-greece.org/yianniskouros.html


????

http://www.olympia-greece.org/yianniskouros.html

????

There are always exceptions. But we aren't talking about the one or two exceptions here. Most of us, including the OP, aren't world class athletes.

You're 27. Get back to me to 25 years and tell me all about how your feet and other joints are as good or better than they are right now.