The things we don’t consider often creep up and bite us in the biscuits more often then they should. Take the human foot for example. Not the cutest part of anatomy but they serve a rather important purpose: to hold our body weight and to get us where we need to go. We take them for granted, they’re just bloody feet. But when they get abused for whatever reason and each step becomes very painful for months, one realizes how vital proper foot care really is.
Two point five months ago I had never heard of plantar fasciitis. I typically wear flat, support free shoes and walk around eight hours a day on concrete floor. It never phased me that I would one day pay dearly for it. Within a week these sharp pains in my heels became bad enough that I saw a doc in urgent care. I guesstimated was it this plantar thing I had googled? He ruled it out and suggested I get some arch support in my foot wear.
Over the next six to seven weeks things got exponentially worse. For nearly two months getting out of bed and to the bathroom was a nightmare, hobbling painfully as though I was 150 years old. Seemed bad enough when I was awake and on them but after an extended period of rest? Fuggetaboutit. And it became so regular I questioned if it would ever end. Walking around work got so brutal I took a few days off and thought there’s no way I can go back.
Then I saw another doc. Right away they said it was indeed plantar fasciitis. She gave me stretches to do, prescribed anti- inflammatories, told me to get plantar insoles and booked me with a podiatrist though not until March. Within twelve hours the anti-inflammers were my miracle cure. When I rolled out of bed I practically danced my way to a mid-night pee break. Things were looking up for the old boy.
For about a week, including walking around all day at work, the pain was dramatically lessened. The average full heal time I was told is months so I knew I wasn’t out of the woods just yet. And then things got worse. Due to the two ish months of painful walking I had adapted to kind of roll-walk on my right foot as I could no longer go heel to toe for a good 6 weeks. This overcompensating came at a price I currently pay now.
Intermission! I feel like, though informative, I’m losing you the reader. I’m sensing this because I’m losing myself! Smoke ’em if you got ’em. Otherwise grab yourself a cold drink and a leg of lamb or whatever suits your fancy. We will resume in 20 minutes.
There’s a muscle that runs down the side of your shin down to the right side of your ankle called the tibialis interior muscle. This sucker has been busting my buns for nearly two weeks now. Due to that fargin roll-walk the right side of my foot is strained to the moon and back. I’ve got one heckuva limp and the pain is around an 8. So as I wait for this podiatrist to make me orthotics I have to fight through this. I can’t say the anti-inflamms are doing much nor are the stretches but who knows. Hot baths and then icing sure helps.. ’til I have to stand up again. This too shall pass.
In summary I can offer these salty words. Don’t gain excess weight. Don’t walk on concrete constantly without arch support. And don’t take your feet for granted. Without their full health life can suck.
