Disclaimer…I am no Dr. I am simply sharing my experience of what has and has not helped me with my many foot problems over the years.
I have suffered with foot pain in some form or another for as long as I can remember. When I was in Middle & High School my parents took me to foot doctors to have custom orthotics made for my shoes. I was always told that I had very flat feet and that this condition can lead to foot pain as well as plantar fasciitis. I was also instructed by the foot Dr.’s to never go barefoot and to always use the special orthotic insoles in every pair of my shoes. I followed this advice for many years. I even bought shoes designed for my flat feet and plantar fasciitis. The problem is, it’s never helped me much. In fact, after doing much research, I will go as far as to say that it may have caused a huge weakness leading to my lifelong foot pains.
A few years back I suffered from some of the worst foot pains of my life. It began with intense pain in my right heel that was at it’s worst in the morning when I would get out of bed. When I say it was at it’s worst, I mean it felt as though I had stepped on a spike nail. I could not put any weight on it. As the day went on the pain would become more bearable, only to return again with a vengeance in the morning. A classic case of plantar fasciitis. Enter special shoes and insoles designed for said problem.
Fast forward maybe one year later and a brand new different foot pain decided to show up. This time the pain radiated across the top of my left foot. I could no longer point my toes downward or turn my foot to see the bottom of it. This pain plagued me for months. I finally could not take it any more and went in to have an x-ray. I was sure that I must have fractured it running or playing softball at some point and didn’t realize it at the time. I was actually disappointed when the Dr. told me that there was no fracture. How could I be in that much pain and not have a break? I decided to see a foot specialist who announced that my foot problem this time was fallen arches. And of course, more special orthotic insoles for my shoes were prescribed.
I decided it was time to do some of my own research on why I seemed cursed with these feet of mine that were holding me hostage. Flat feet, fallen arches, plantar fasciitis…what was next. These painful conditions are terrible for anyone, but when you are active as I like to be, the situation becomes intolerable. There were days that it was hard to even stand behind my barber chair, let alone run or play sports. There had to be something else I could do. I didn’t want another band-aid. I wanted to fix the underlying problem. And what I learned through seeking natural, alternative foot treatment information went against everything I was ever told or thought about my flat feet and foot pain. But it actually made more sense to me than anything else. I discovered that in countries and cultures where people spend most of their time barefoot do not suffer the same foot problems as folks in places that constantly wear shoes. In fact, there have been some studies done that show that children who wear shoes are MORE likely to end up with flat feet! HELLO! I was NEVER barefoot as a child! In addition, children who were barefoot most of the time had stronger feet, more flexibility and mobility, and fewer foot deformities and knee problems. The theory behind this is that shoes alter how we walk when we are a child. Instead of our feet developing strong and flexible, the shoes and insoles create a weakness that is not easy to correct.
So what is the solution if you are like me and have ended up with these weak and inflexible feet? Well, the advice from the natural/alternative foot experts sounds simple and easy…go barefoot to strengthen your feet. Right. If you have flat feet, or plantar fasciitis then you already know that going barefoot is very painful. Sure, I can do it for a short time. But I will pay for it the next day. I was doubtful. But I was also desperate and willing to try something completely different if there was a chance it might help. What did I have to lose? Hopefully the foot problems that had plagued me since childhood. So I started going barefoot for just a short time each day. And yes, it just about killed me the next day. These crap feet of mine were not used to it. But I kept at it. I also started doing some simple foot strengthening exercises. That’s when I realized how weak my feet really were. I actually could not stand on my toes without losing my balance. My feet simply were not strong enough to keep me up. But I kept at it. And I can’t believe how much better my feet and knees feel today compare to years ago. I am so thankful to have less foot pain everyday. Do I still have days when my feet are stiff and bother me? Yes. However, when I think about how bad my pain level used to be all those years, I just can’t complain.
No one thing ever works for everyone, but if you are someone who is suffering with foot pain due to flat feet, fallen arches, or plantar fasciitis, I urge you to research for yourself how building strength back into your feet could possibly help you live with less pain.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!