Greetings form new reader

Posted by Tory in SE Missouri on 12/27/98
Hi! I just found this site. It's great. Am amazed at how much good can be found on teh web.

Anyway, have had heel spurs for 10 years and have been through 3 doctors and 3 types of custom orthotics (all helped - also had foam pads with all of them to keep from getting blisters on my tender feet). Sometimes feet are bad and sometimes OK. I've never had the shots or surgery 'cause I have a needle phobia. Mostly I've just adjusted my life - until lately.

I'm really glad I found this site. I spent 3-4 months last winter in a boot for bad tendonitis and this fall I was suddenly realizing that I was actually able to walk *this* year. Yea! It's amazing how heady it is to actually be able to walk heel to toe instead of just planting one's feet down - flat footed. I guess I got cocky and thought if I can do a whole shopping session at Super Wal-Mart and not be in misery afterwards (or have to use a motorized cart), how about starting a little treadmill walking? I only did 5 minutes, slowly, and I've been in agony ever since. Argh! Back to the old routine of not being able to walk after sitting for awhile or first thing in the morning. Until I found this site, I was thinking about giving in and asking for surgery - a major, major step for a needle coward like me.

Here I've seen lots of good comments about stretching and lots of negative feedback on shots and surgery. Yea! Being a phobic prograstinator finally has it's rewards.

Also, on the subject of shoes - I'll say 1) Xtra Depth shoes are great, but expensive ($120). I've got 5 pairs now, but the "prettier" ones (relatively speaking - hey! after a year in 5 pound, black, lace-ups almost anything is an improvement) are made from deerskin or something else very soft. They scrape up too easily and it's hard to keep them looking nice. 2) Only dresses/skirts I wear now are long ones (I can really sympathize with the lady who talked about a ball gown and ugly shoes. Even if we're resigned, other folks can make some pretty insensitive comments at times.) 3) I just found the New Balance web page and they talk about shoes that have extra depth for orthotics. At the same time I found in the Lane Bryant catalog (first time I'd bothered to look at shoe section)a brand called Comfortables that are extra depth for orthotics with wide widths available too. They're only $50. Only problem is it doesn't look like they can be resoled like the Xtra Depth ones (a twice a year routine for me, by now).

Good luck to all my previously unknown fellow sufferers. At least it's nice to know there's a lot more folks out there struggling with the same problems.

Tory in Se Missouri
mh-s4.mh-pm1.clas.net 00:44:37



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