massaging hammertoes/contractions

[Guest guest]

Roman, hi again,

When massaging my feet, I first start in the arch area - this seems to

start the toes to relax a bit. Then I massage my heels. My toes relax

more (this makes no sense, but this happens) then I massage my arches

again. By this time, my toes have had some " indirect " massage. Next I

start massaging the balls of my feet and metatarsal pads. This really

loosens up my toes. After this, my toes are more relaxed and I can

massage them individually. I had this done on vacation once, and I

asked the masseur to show me what she was doing the next time.

There is also something else that might help. Learned this from some

friends who dance. While sitting at my computer, for example, or in a

chair, I place a foot over a tennis ball and roll the ball back and

forth under my foot. Helps relax the toes and stops contractions too. Only

problem is my dog loves this and thinks we are playing - often runs away with

the ball. (My dance friends used to do this with a Coke

bottle too - but no more Cokes in bottles here, so tennis balls it is!)

I have been wondering what it would be like to use a golf ball for this

and plan to try it soon, because I think it would work foot muscles

that need to be worked, at the same time be small enough to roll under

toes.

~ Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Thank you, I'll try to keep in mind the direction when I massage my

feet. The problem my toes start to contract when I'm walking and

sometimes they become real little hammers banging at the shoe soles -

which is most uncomfortable. Cold and stress are enemies - for sure.

Maybe it'll be better when I become real zen (in 30 years?).

General remark: I do think & feel there's a basic muscle activity that lacks in

CMT - I mean " normal " people have their muscles activated even when they're

immobile - sitting or sleeping - while a CMT (let's say me, as it is my

experience!) has his muscles switched off for good. Nothing - of very little

happens at the " ground level " . Each time I wake up or get up, I have to pinch my

thighs and calves to make them alive. This is why I thought electrostimulation

might help.

Roman