CHANGING ROOM CHAT...WEEK 2...COME on IN and rest those running feet!

[Oldfloss]

Whoo Hoo!

Welcome , on this wet and windy THURSDAY. I am a whole day late getting here! But still, there is a warm welcome in the Changing room!

Here I am , despite not not being sure where I am in space or time...ready to chat, ( you know how I love to talk), and I am hoping some folk pop in, at least to take a look around !

Today.. I am thinking about... FEET ! My feet... and yours!

Over the last months since Mr OF had his heart attack... I have been a tad neglectful of certain things. Time commitments, have meant that certain routine things have fallen away.

Routine exercise, mental and physical has been kept up, ( it had to be). But, less important, things, maybe not. My feet being one of them, and that, I suddenly realised was not a good thing. So the first thing I did, was to phone my podiatrist, and book her to come and visit me and my feet.

Because, although not the sole reason for their importance, ( see what I did there), they are without a doubt the most vital pieces of our running gear, and yet, they are so often forgotten, ,and because of that neglected.

So... what are we able to do to give the feet a bit of TLC?

Starting at the beginning! Hopefully, we have all, read the guidelines about our shoes in the FAQ for new runner, on C25K, but, if not?

Shoes

Ill-fitting running shoes are not good, They have the potential for all manner of issues, causing numbness, blisters etc. etc.

If your shoes are too small and tight for your feet, they can damage toenails , etc. Shoes that are too narrow in the forefoot may lead to pinched-nerve pain, corns, calluses or bunions. And shoes that are too wide will allow your feet to slide around, causing friction that can, too, lead to blisters.

Socks

No matter how well your running shoes fit, socks can and do, make a big difference, also. If your socks don’t fit properly, they too can can cause problems.

On we go!

Looking after our feet with some simple footwork! My personal favourite... before I even get out of bed; a routine for which I have been mocked many times!

I swing my legs out of bed.. and massage everything from the knee down...to the tune of... Head and shoulders knees and toes... ( I kid you not).

Knees and ankles,

Calves and toes

Calves and toes...

It gets all the blood moving and by the time you start to walk to the bathroom, everything is ready to go. (My Nan did this, every morning,... and was still walking up and down two flights of stairs, comfortably, when she was 98). (I thought you might want to know that

OK.

Basic quick exercises...

1. Wiggling and clenching your toes.

This can help to strengthen the plantar fascia, (one of the main muscles which goes along the sole of the foot.)

2. Try to pick up a pencil with your toes

This is fun, but can be tricky depending on the strength of your feet.

3. Take your shoes and socks off and try to ‘walk’

Walk (or move yourself forward) just by clenching and un-clenching your toes. You won’t go very far or very fast, but it will strengthen your toes and feet very nicely.

Be sensible and don’t do too much. If you feel any pain, stop! Little and often is always best.

Some useful advice here too..

runtastic.com/blog/en/5-wor...

To keep this short and sweet, ( really)... some simple exercises for the ankles.

womensrunning.co.uk/health/...

I have been doing ankle exercises, for a very long time, again, they are simple and effective. For me, they were initially, to try and improve my ankle strength for trail running, They have.)

Theses suggestions may or may not be helpful to folk.. and I do know that for some of our runners, it may not be as intense as they would like. but, every little helps.

Hoping to see you here later!

OldFloss x

PS

Wild Ginger Running, has loads of ideas for improving the health of our feet...and some great ankle exercises too . Just scroll around a bit...

wildgingerrunning.co.uk/202...

PPS

I had loosened my laces... I do not run with them like that! Those were my very first running shoes too ! Now planters for small plants!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Lovely post Oldfloss and a reminder I should hang out here more often. I am with you on the feet and could say a great deal about the unprotested demise of NHS podiatry services except for a very restricted set of patients.

This month I am back to regular massage with foot cream. And if rubs on your old foot surgery scars that hurt out of all proportion and take weeks to heal don't tell you it is OK to buy new running shoes, what will?

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to GoogleMe]

Hello and how very good to see you here... !

You should join us more often... you have so many miles under your running shoes and your running wisdom is something all of our runners will benefit from.

I agree on the lack of provision for podiatry treatment.. I am now paying a significant sum for the home visits for my local podiatrist, although she is excellent!

Foot cream... ! I meant to buy some ...thanks for that !

If those surgery scars are still hurting, of course it is giving you the go ahead for new shoe.... absolutely ! We await the photographs!

Thanks for calling in!

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

The scars in themselves are nearly 50 years old (feet remodelled as a young teen by the NHS after a startlingly short wait at a previous time when orthopaedic waiting lists were often years long...) but my Vivos often rub raw over one of them. I've had Vivos before (and Vivo walking boots) so I have wondered if this is a manufacturing fault. My Freets are great but feel like comfy slippers and somehow don't make me feel galvanised for the run if that makes sense?

Keep circling the ankles!

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to GoogleMe]

Oh goodness me...that sounds so, so painful! I hope you can find some shoes that don't rub !

[Annieapple]

🍏 Very timely advice for some of our C25 K members struggling with feet at the moment. Will add this link 🔗 Thanks OldFloss as ever!

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to Annieapple]

Yes... there are one pr two folk struggling, but only a few finding their way here... thank you x

[Dexy5]

Hello Oldfloss , I defy anyone to read your post, and not clench and relax their toes at the same time. Those ankle exercises have also been given to me by physiotherapists in the past and they really do work.

At the moment I’m still concentrating on exercises for my piraformis. I find it very difficult to achieve the 3 sets of 10 exercises twice a day, but I do what I can.

I finally managed to see a consultant about my shoulder problem yesterday and , although I now have to wait for a scan and X-ray, it does look like the shoulder is sound and it is about impingement of tendons. Which, is what my physio has always thought. Gee, it’s taking a long time to get this sorted.

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to Dexy5]

Ha ha... yes... i have just done it.. sat here in my chair! Good to know that the physio exercises are similar to these and that they do work...

Those piriformis exercises sound challenging... I am glad that finally, you saw someone about your shoulder!!! Gosh, it has been a while!!!

It does initially sound like good news... and fingers crossed the outcome will be a good one! Thank you for this ! x

[ToothPickJafah 30D Graduate]

Great post Oldfloss! I do all of the exercises you mentioned, especially since getting peripheral neuropathy in my feet after treatment. Took a long while to be able to pick a pencil up with my toes again without getting cramps, but I persevered and got there in the end!

Every time I stand on one leg I feel my toes clench and grip the floor as I try to keep my balance…it’s great core workout!

I must admit though, I absolutely hate feet 🙈 mine especially! My second toes are longer than the big toes and I have a love/hate relationship with them!

But you’re so right about getting shoes that fit properly…I ruined my feet in my younger days by wearing pointy stiletto heels so I now have very small bunions and struggled on and off with ingrown big toenails. Since I finished treatment though, I can only wear flats and block heels with square or wide toe boxes as I have quite wide feet 👣

I should maybe think about going to see a podiatrist…don’t like anyone touching my feet though so that’s my dilemma! 🙈

I like your leggings in the photo 🤗

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to ToothPickJafah]

Hello and welcome... good to know that you are using foot exercises... you must be very determined to have got to the stage of pencil picking up again!

Sometimes the simplest exercises have a huge impact! Yes... I like my feet more when my feet are being cared for, so, I suppose I should be more understanding and treat them better. They carry me so far !

You have suffered a tad with your feet and if you could find a gentle podiatrist, it could be really helpful!

This leggings were my first sassy pair... they are worn thin now, but I always wear them for really special runs!

Well done you ! x