Plastic arch insoles?

Hi Becky I also went to a shop who specialises in foot probs, they basically gave me same story as you were given never walk bare foot, told my sketchers were not firm enough, and also took imprints of my feet and tried to sell me  shoes that had customisied insoles at a cost of £280. I attend a bio mechanics specialist who has given me excercises also hard plastic insoles to wear in my sketchers which she approved of. I have had this foot prob for over 3 years now and suffer dreadfully with it I am now waiting to see a physio in the next few weeks as I now have back problems due to my posture.. My advice is do not suffer in silence keep going back to your GP until you get results. I long for the day when I can get back to normal and get out walking and spending quality time with my grandkids, I hope you get some results soon.

I never could use those either..I use powerstep. find on ebay cheap. I still have problems, but after years of trying, these are the ones i settled on. Get cortisone if you can. Don't mess around, this can become chronic. Are you in the states?

Hi Becky

     My advice is...if it hurts don't wear it. Simple as that. I have tried every over the counter insole and none are soft enough or stay thick enough to help..including the memory foam wedges. This is not a disease where you need to endure a little pain to get to the pot of no pain at the end of the rainbow. If we didn't hurt, we would stand up straighter and our posture would improve etc. There is 1 store that I am hearing about that specializes in PF issues and they sell these supports that are soft but they support 4 arches instead of just 2 and they don't flatten but stay softly inflated.  All I can imagine is it must be like walking on breast implants! I'm going to find their store this week in a nearby city bc the reviews are very high. However, i don't know the cost. I will keep yall informed but 1 thing for sure is we need pain relief!!! If we could find relief for that the rest would work itself out. Stay in prayer....ultimately it's in His hands.

Gina

I just wanted to add 1 more thing...it does seem true that crocs...even the fake ones, provide some relief.  I'm sure it's bc of how the heel is cupped and so the pressure points are different. But I still need some padding in those or it gets painful quickly. Just FYI for ya. Without them I am bedridden. Its a horrible thing. 

Hi Becky..problem with PF is what works for one person does not work for another. Try shoes with a small wedge and you can try exercising your feet curling stretching and even basic cotton wool padding to see what shape supports you best before you spend more. It does subside so keep that in mind. Rolling on an ice bottle helps. Freeze a plastic coke bottle full of water. Unfortunately I find I get a sore knee or a bad back as often the case due to changing posture. You will see that often on these message boards, keep positive.  I find swimming helps..? Good luck.

Thank you everyone.  Yes I am in the states "Arizona".  I am going to take in all the advice and try it all.  I do have a pair of old crocs in my closet I am going to go dig out tonight.  I tried wearing a brace to bed last night and woke with a swollen foot. The pain of the first step didn't hurt as bad but I couldn't get my shoe on.  I went and bought some KT tape tonight and have been watching videos on Youtube to see how to put it on.  My GP gave me instructions as well.  I have bought some more arch supports today as well. They just don't hold their shape/cushion long.  I may try the hard plastic ones again.  This is the most awful thing.   I really appreciate all of you and I will also share anything I find that works for me.  I will keep you all in my prayers as well. 

I wanted to add that the majority of my day is on my feet so this has become extremely hard.  I work for the Postal Service and I train dogs as well as I have 5 rescues and volunteer with rescue.  No time for foot pain as I am sure you all feel the same way.   Lets find some answers.

Hi Becky, 

I have replied to a couple of people before. I have had this for about five years on and off, about two and a half years ago it seemed to just disappear, I have no idea why as I wasn;'t doing anything new. I was, however, doing a huge amount of walking. I had just moved house and every day was walking to the shops for all the new bits and pieces I needed. I don't have a car, so have to walk everywhere or bus, and everyone of us who suffers from this awfull problem will have had that time like myself, when you get to the corner or wherever and have to stop, you are on a public pavement, your feet are so very, very painfull, you cannot take your shoes off as the pavments are rough, and just stand there thinking I cannot go on one more step, I don't know how I can get home. The shoes you have on were fine when you went out but now turned in to a tight grip all over, in my case under my toes and the toes themselves. I swear if it is possible to die by strangled feet that will be me. The pain went for about six months and then one morning I got out of bed, and it was back to the same first steps being painfull and clumsy. I have just had the bio mechanics at the hospital make my first new insoles for two years, the cuts of course, but they only sit properly in some shoes by no means all, and one pair if you keep taking them in and out of everything will not last. I bought two sets of the plastic inserts, not the full shoe, just about ok in socks or tights for brief periods but they did a walkabout whilst I was wearing them anyway. \Memory foam is super for as long as it takes to wear an imprint of your foot into. My sketchers would be great but they are for a wider foot, to be fair they do state that, so not a good fit.I have said before that I have one of the vibradisc machines, I have not been able to use it for a week, and I notice the difference. It does a lovely massage whilst you can do the excercises the physio has given, and there are some to improve posture. At first you need to hold onto something next to you or fall over, but I can almost do them without now. My feet are killing me even just sitting here, if I had thought of it I should have turned the machine on while I sit and type. I will do that now as I have some emails to do. The cost of one of the machiunes is alot, I am on benefits myselt as both knees need replacing so my balance is ultra important and pf is making it worse. They are on ebay at just under £100, my mother bought mine or I could never save up on benefits, and a I cannot have my knees done before I retire even I am stuck like everyone else, being punished for being ill and unable to work. If you have friends perhaps who would club together with you to all excercise etc., it is worth it. The routines only take 3 minutes a day, starting with ten every other day, or how you feel, but even such short a time truly is astonishing benefit. Just a couple of minutes when you come in from shopping, work etc., and there are some massage ones for the back, neck and shoulders. Most of the adverts offer a 30 day trial, so it is worth trying it at least to see if it helps you in particular. There are so many people who I overhear complaining about their feet, mostly I think they may have our condition and it has not been diagnosed, some doctors seem not to know about this problem. I have even used all  those smelly creams that are supposed to help muscles etc., all I got was to end up smelling awfull, on my clothes and shoes, slippers etc but no matter how nicely massaged in, nothing. The big pots of cheap vitiman E cream in Superdrug small lovely, are gentle and really creamy, so worth sitting massaging into your feet while watching tv. Yes a cold bottle rolled under your feet is quite nice, mine always roll off though. Boots and possiblly Superdrug or similar, used to do a spray, cucumber and some herbs which felt cooling when sprayed on. I used to use that at work when I would be on my feet for twelve or more hours a day in the busy time. It was very nice, didn't last as long as I would have liked, but I think it was supposed to be used just when you could put your feet up, maybe the end of the day. Hide it well at work or like me you will find others say oh what is that, smells nice, any good, oooh can I just borrow a quick spray. You cannot borrow a spray, before you know it the entire office are on to you. My late partner swore by sitting with his feet in warm radox or even fairy liquid, not attractive but who cares anything if it will help. Good luck, and I will watch this space to see if anyone can find us all a little miracle. We should form local clubs and get together to talk and compare notes, it might be quite fun, a hobbling society or something. Fingers crossed  everyone.