amazing difference in walking with orthotics
I used to dread walking. With my dogs, at the mall, at the amusement park. Why? Because all my life if I was on my feet for prolonged periods of time (whether standing or walking), I would be in pain for days afterward, my hips, legs, feet.After a series of rip off doctors who told me nothing was wrong, and the pain was all in my head, I finally went to a podiatrist, who told me that my arches fall when I walk. Something is wrong with the makeup of my physical body, so that my arches don't support my weight. A simple fix: custom orthotics.So, now I wear custom orthotics. I have one pair, as they cost about $400 to make, so I insert them into whatever pair of shoes I wear each morning. Yes, it will be very difficult in finding "cute" summer sandals that I can actually wear. But I did find some nice skechers and naturalizers that I can wear with shorts or a skirt, and also use my orthotics. So there are minuses to wearing the orthotics. I usually have to get a size bigger shoe, which make my size 8 feet look bigger. My choices in shoe selection are much more limited (not like I was a shoe fiend anyway, so at least that is the good part). And, my new pairs of summer shoes have caused blisters on my heels, but once they break in they will be very comfortable.An interesting note is that my feet are sweating in them. I never had sweaty feet before. But maybe because I have always worn either socks with shoes, or when I don't wear socks, I wear sandals (like flip flops or thongs) where my feet breathe totally. I know I used to always think it is weird when people have sweaty feet -- and those who say that the detox foot pads "goo" reaction is due to the sweat of the foot. Well, I know that is not true, as tests have proven that the foot pads pull out toxins, excessive of what is in your sweat (sweating is another detox method). But at least now I understand what they are saying, where they are coming from.But back to walking. I am so happy that I can take long walks and not worry about my aching pains. I am upset that what should have been a single doctor visit many years ago to figure out the problem happened to instead be a 15+ year journey of pain, costing me thousands upon thousands of dollars in doctors visits, with them telling me it was all in my head.No wonder my rolfer always shook her head when I came for my monthly visits. I should have only needed 10 sessions, but here I am, over 4 years later, and still needing to go in. (We figured out that once she put me back into place, I would walk out of there with my fallen arches and my body would get messed up again very quickly). Now, the rolfing sessions are much more productive. They are actually working!