From: brooksp@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Peter Brooks)
Newsgroups: alt.support.diet
Subject: Re: How do you walk that much?  (was Re: inspiration)
Date: 10 Sep 92 20:39:41 GMT
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server

/ hpcc01:alt.support.diet / dudley@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Karen Witkoski) /  4:54 am  Sep  9, 1992 /
>My problem is that my heels hurt so badly after walking.  Not immediately
>afterwards.  But after sitting for a while, then trying to get up, oooooh
>what pain.  I'm not sure why my heels hurt.  Does anyone have any comments?
>I bought good walking shoes that are well padded.  But this hasn't helped.
>I'm only 36 years old...not too old yet :).

This is all too familiar.  the symptoms are consistant with an
inflammation called plantar fasciatitis (probably mispelled the 2nd word).
The Plantar Fascia is (are?) the connective tendons and goodies that hold
the arch together.  With a large amount of exercise, the tendons will
start to tear and get problems.  Eventually, you can get bone spurs, though
my podiatrist sez that the pain (in my case, your milage may vary) is
strictly from the inflammation.  

Aggravating conditions are:  relatively high weight, high exercise, and
(if I understood correctly ) *losing* weight.  (The last is due to the loss
of some fat padding on the bottom of the feet.)

I had problems about 3 months into my fast, when I was walking 7 miles a 
day (probably weighed 300 pounds then).  I had pain off and on, but when
I kicked up the milage to a steady 11 miles a day, it came back.  (BTW,
the doctor says I've probably had the spurs 10 years or so.)

Corrective actions for me are manifold:
Padding.  I use *good* walking shoes (Rockport walkers), a Spenco pad, 
silicone heel pads, *and* prescribed orthotic heel pad/arch supports.
(I have some minor problems with the fascia at the ball of one of my
feet.)  Experimentation has shown that the shoe/padding suite makes for the
best effect, though for around the house, I'll use moccassins with only
the heel/arch pads.  I have *firm* instructions not to walk around barefoot
around my (uncarpeted) house.

Drugs:  I am trying Feldane, an antiinflammatory.  It seems to work
better than naprosyn.  (If things get nasty, there's injected cortisone.)

Heat:  I'm supposed to soak my feet 20 minutes a day.  (I need to heal, so
there's no point to icing to reduce the (nonexistant) swelling.)  Depending
on your condition, ice may make more sense.

Activity:  I'm down to a default walk of 4 miles per day (one day I'll do
my 11 mile commute (experimentally; it's expendable if necessary), though
weekend mileage is near zero.  To replace the calories, I'm bicycling.
I'm fortunate in that I really like to bicycle, and it's a nearly year-
round activity here.  The doctor says I can stay at this milage, but to
be extremely cautious about increasing it.  No backpacking in my future
this season, at least.

The last resort is surgery, though I'm told a) I'm not a candidate, and
b) it's *extremely* nasty for pain and in length of recovery.

Bottom line: see your doctor, then go from there.

Hope this helps.

Pete Brooks  "If you are going to be in your shoes a long time, cover
your feet with cold cream (or carbolated vaseline if you can get it) and
put on clean socks.  Your feet will feel like you've stepped in soft
soap, but they'll thank you for it."  - I. Johnson, on avoiding trench foot.