Ordinary wear and tear

[muckefuck]

Mere hours before leaving town last Friday, I had my annual physical and got a couple of fun new diagnoses. The first is plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the heel brought on by lousy footwear. I've known for a while that my boots weren't giving me enough arch support despite a succession of fancy gel inserts, but shopping for new shoes is somewhere below a dental checkup in its appeal, so somehow this hasn't gotten done. Better move that up the ladder of priorities a couple rungs.

Continuing the fascitic theme, the occasional tingling in my thigh has been put down to meralgia superfascial, which seems to be a variant of a more chronic condition called meralgia paraesthetica. The culprit is a peripheral nerve with its nose out of joint. Fortunately, I have a mild case that only manifests itself sporadically as a curious sensitivity to touch and temperatures. Can't tell you how relieved I am to find that it's not the onset of shingles or something.

I've got some tests to come back for (including a sedimentation rate test, which I suppose will determine how soon I need to be drained and rinsed out in the manner of our hot water heaters) and some others to schedule elsewhere, notably a stress test to determine whether my minor chest pains are an innocent annoyance or a sign of something much more lucrative to specialists.

Comments

[mikiedoggie.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the plantar fascitis club! I've had it since early 2005. It sucks. Ice on the heel followed by rolling the painful area with a tennis ball is a good therapy. As is Advil, Advil, Advil.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

Dad has it, too, as it turns out. When I was there, he gave me an instruction sheet with exercises designed to minimise the effects of PF (which, as an official member of the club, I am now empowered to call it). I'll let you know if they do any good.

[mollpeartree.livejournal.com]

Ow! I had plantar fascitiis so bad a few years ago and was so desperate to alleviate the pain that I went vegan hoping that the weight loss would help (I think it did).

I recommend, again, ibuprofen cream to put directly on your foot, and to wear footwear with arch supports all the time indoors, too.

I still basically have it, but it's just a little stabby pain in the morning and then done, no big whoop.

[foodpoisoningsf.livejournal.com]

I go to my chiropractor to relieve PF. He's been trained in a technique called "Active Relief". Works every time. It's not brought on by just lousy footwear- anyone can get it.

I found this out when I mentioned to my Chiro that I was about to spring for a $600 pair of orthotic inserts that were not covered by my insurance.

But yeah, you still need decent shoes. And there seems to be a growing move towards firmer support rather than the cushioned, marshmallowy shoes people have been buying.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to see a chiro anyway about my persistent back problems, so I'll see if I can track down one versed in "Active Relief" as well. Thanks.

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

I had plantar fascitis, too. Like you, I got it because I hate shoe-shopping and did not replace my winter boots like I should have. What did not work for me was all the physical therapy or orthotics, but little heel cups (and new shoes) did after several months. It doesn't trouble me at all now.

BUT, I did go to a running shoe store to get proper orthotics for my (new) winter boots.

[rootbeer1.livejournal.com]

qbear had it too, and rolling a tennis ball under his feet did the trick when nothing else did.