Day 226: My Aching Feet

You know you've reached a certain age when you have to start seeing a podiatrist. I mean really now. With all the increased miles I've been logging, I have been experiencing EXTREME foot pain. Debilitating pain. No other way to describe it.

When I hit about 6 miles the burning sensation on the bottom of my feet is so bad that I literally need to stop, sit down, and rub my feet before I can resume running. When I hit the 6 mile mark during the Disneyland half marathon that I ran back in September I had to sit down on the ground and remove my running shoe insoles. I ran the remaining distance with no support or insoles in my shoes just to relieve and or change the dynamics of the pressure on my feet.

On Wednesday when I run my long distance run it's been unbearable. And it's now hurting even when I'm walking, whether I have shoes on or are barefoot. So finally I surrendered to the fact that I need to address this pain if I am going to continue running.

Today I saw Dr. Noreen Oswell who runs The Foot Center at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. She's FABULOUS! I left her office with a pain remedy plan and finally felt like I was going to see some relief in my future. After a thorough exam which included xrays she recommended a host of remedies including orthotics (very typical for runners) as well as patches to wear on my feet.

Turns out that the sexy arched feet I have, which are great for high heels, are not so great for walking & running long distances. The very high arch places undue pressure on the front of my foot and then with the bunion squeezing my foot inward the two are colliding and creating way too much pressure on the nerves. Who knew?

What I want to know is what kind of person chooses podiatry for a medical field? Who would want to touch feet all day? Don't know what prompted Dr. Oswell, but I'm sure glad she did!