Foot Problem -

[Guest guest]

- I know exactly what's going on - and I have a bunch of info

that should allow you to get relief. It's a bit extensive and since

we're getting ready to head to town I don't have time to post it

now. However, I will do my absolute best to post it tonight after

the kids get to bed.

> Hi Mike,

>

> I've also been getting cramps like these more and more often and

was

> considering posting to ask for a " cure. " Is there any sort of

> release that I can do by myself (as I seem to be by myself when teh

> cramping occurs)? I used to be able just to flex my toes against

teh

> floor or pull them back with my hand and that would be enough to

> uncramp my foot, but now I have to pull my toes back with one hand,

> massage my arch with the other and it still can take 15-20 minutes

> for the cramp to let up.

>

> Oh shoot... I just realized you are probably already on the road

(I'm

> not caught up on posts yet, but remember seeing in an earlier

message

> that you were packing up the RV and about to hit the road). Well,

if

> I don't hear back, I'll just have to ask you at the party at

> Debbi's. Thanks.

>

>

>

> >

> > I've been having a time with my hip. And, for some reason, my

feet

> > keep cramping up. Like charlie horses in my feet. If I point my

> > toes, the get stuck, and it really hurts. I lay there, and the

> pain

> > just radiates up my legs.

> >

> > --------------

> >

> > Does the pain run primarily up the arch/sole of the foot? Sounds

> > like you might have a touch of plantar fascitis.

> >

> > I can't remember if I showed you how to do it or not, but there

is

> a

> > very effective fascial release technique for cramps in the soles

of

> > the feet. The ball of the foot has two pads - toes 1&2 and toes

> > 3,4,5. Have someone reach around your foot....

[Guest guest]

- first I shouldn't have said I know exactly what's going on -

actually I'm pretty clueless - I should have said - My mom has that

exact problem! - and it happened to me one day last week.

Anyway, I think preventative is the best way to go and here's what I

do/have done - and it's help me and my family a lot.

I purchased a book called The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair

Davies. I purchased my book at and Noble for $20 – you can

probably take a peek at it there without having to spend anything –

although for us it has been some of the best money we've every spent

on health.

In there he shows different muscles and where trigger points in

those muscles will cause pain. For feet he suggests rubbing a ball

between your foot and the floor – I use one of my daughter's bouncy

balls. I honestly didn't care what was causing the pain – I just

wanted it gone – so I worked the entire bottom of the foot with the

ball. I even used a ball from the computer mouse because it was

small and hard and could go really deep. If you don't have a bouncy

ball you can always use a golf ball. I have hard wood floors – so if

you do it with carpet you might have to make adjustments.

He also shows how trigger points in the calf muscles cause foot pain –

so you will have to work those, too. I do that by putting my calf

on my knee and rubbing around until I find a sore spot – then I

concentrate on that spot. Mostly the points are in the `fat' upper

part of the calf – but you can find some pretty tender spots on the

side, too.

At first I did this every day several times – with in a week my foot

pain had decreased dramatically. Now I generally do it every morning

for maintenance and it takes about 2 mins per foot.

Admittedly – I haven't completely solved the problem, but I have

found a simple quick way to get rid of the pain when it occurs.

As mentioned in several other posts – the pain in your feet can come

from many different muscles – esp as a dancer. The book goes into

details about several of those. Another thing I do every morning is

look for trigger points all over in my body. I have quite a few in

my glutes and hamstrings. I use a tennis ball against the wall to

work them out. I personally have found that I as I work out trigger

points I find new ones that I didn't realize I had. It's sorta like

peeling back the layers of an onion to find out the source of the

pain.

To get a good explanation of trigger points you can go to his website

and some info on how to treat them

http://www.triggerpointbook.com/index.html

The best authority on trigger points is the book

Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual by Travell

and Simons - but it's rather more expensive and I don't believe it

concentrates on self-help like the Davies book does.

Another thing that Davies mentions in his book (it's in the Travell

and Simons book as well as several others) is Morton's Foot. He

explains how to determine if you have it and how to compensate for

it. Here is the website for that.

http://www.triggerpointbook.com/mortons.htm

Another website that explains the foot structure and mechanics is

http://www.mortonsfoot.com/mortonsfoot.html

They are trying to sell you their product – but it's not necessary.

I put the mole foam in my shoes and in my hubby's shoes and the

girl's shoes – everyone has had gait improvement. Our `typical

Morton's foot calluses' have all been reduced.

Another thing I've heard helps is to get a plastic coke bottle, 20 oz

size – fill with water and freeze – it's suppose to be just the right

size and shape to fit your foot. I'm not big on ice for my feet – so

I didn't do this one.

So if any of this doesn't make sense and I need to explain something

better or you have other questions just give a holler. I'm used to

explaining to my kids orally, with lots of pictures and

demonstrations – I need more practice at putting it in writing.

Hope you can get some help from this.

> > Hi Mike,

> >

> > I've also been getting cramps like these more and more often and

> was

> > considering posting to ask for a " cure. " Is there any sort of

> > release that I can do by myself (as I seem to be by myself when

teh

> > cramping occurs)? I used to be able just to flex my toes against

> teh

> > floor or pull them back with my hand and that would be enough to

> > uncramp my foot, but now I have to pull my toes back with one

hand,

> > massage my arch with the other and it still can take 15-20

minutes

> > for the cramp to let up.

> >

> > Oh shoot... I just realized you are probably already on the road

> (I'm

> > not caught up on posts yet, but remember seeing in an earlier

> message

> > that you were packing up the RV and about to hit the road).

Well,

> if

> > I don't hear back, I'll just have to ask you at the party at

> > Debbi's. Thanks.

> >

> >

> >

> > >

> > > I've been having a time with my hip. And, for some reason, my

> feet

> > > keep cramping up. Like charlie horses in my feet. If I point

my

> > > toes, the get stuck, and it really hurts. I lay there, and the

> > pain

> > > just radiates up my legs.

> > >

> > > --------------

> > >

> > > Does the pain run primarily up the arch/sole of the foot?

Sounds

> > > like you might have a touch of plantar fascitis.

> > >

> > > I can't remember if I showed you how to do it or not, but there

> is

> > a

> > > very effective fascial release technique for cramps in the

soles

> of

> > > the feet. The ball of the foot has two pads - toes 1&2 and

toes

> > > 3,4,5. Have someone reach around your foot....

[Guest guest]

Thanks, I'd appreciate any info you can send me. You can send it off-

list to either jmnycricket @ yahoo.com or gimpygal @ hotmail.com (I'm

assuming you know to remove the spaces around the @). Thanks so much!

> - I know exactly what's going on - and I have a bunch of

info

> that should allow you to get relief. It's a bit extensive and

since

> we're getting ready to head to town I don't have time to post it

> now. However, I will do my absolute best to post it tonight after

> the kids get to bed.

>

>

>