Weird Foot Pain???

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2003
Weird Foot Pain???
4
Wed, 04-13-2005 - 12:05pm

So a little bit of background first. On Saturday, I went downtown to the Cherry Blossom Festival- I wore low heels, but I walk around in heels all the time, even in cities, so I didn't think anything of it. Sunday, I went to the mall, and walked around but in flip flops. Then on Monday, I was walking around Georgetown, once again in flip flops, and my left foot started to hurt all of a sudden.

The part of my foot that hurts is the bottom of the arch, on the outer side of the left foot. It started to hurt so badly, that I had to hobble home on the ball of my foot- it seriously hurt to stand on it. The weird thing is, I didn't fall, trip, or twist my ankle, or step on anything. It just started to hurt.

I have been wrapping it and soaking it in hot water- but it still hurts a bit to walk on it. Not as bad as on Monday, but still there. It's perfectly fine just laying there, and seems to be fine in the morning, until I start to walk around on it. I can bend and flex my foot without any problems.

After describing my symptoms to a friend, I was told that it might be a stress fracture. However, I literally have not exercised in over a month, aside from a couple of yoga classes- no running, no cardio, etc, and I didn't think that you could get one just from walking around!

Any thoughts? Anyone ever had a stress fracture? I'm hoping it will go away on its own, whatever it is- if it doesn't, I will have to hunt down a foor doctor to check it out.

ETA:The pain is on the outside of my arch (the blade of my foot)- I don't have flat feet-I actually have very defined arches from dancing for many years. But the pain is in the middle of my foot- maybe I described it incorrectly when I said it was the arch- meaning, it's not my ankle and it's not my toes. I don't know what you call that bone. But it's not the actual "arch" of my foot.




Edited 4/13/2005 12:21 pm ET ET by bostondivac
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 04-13-2005 - 12:13pm
My bet with what you describe is that your arches are flat and are now causing you problems. Especially when wearing flip flops for any length of time, this can cause your feet lots of pain. I have flat feet and only found out about it over a year ago. I too all of a sudden one day couldn't walk on my feet because the pain was so severe. I thought i had broke something. Anyhow, the doctor ordered orthotics and it has helped tremedously. Summer shoes like flip flops cause me lots of problems...summer shoes for that matter do because they are open and wearing orthotics in them is impossible. So often i just wear them and suffer later. I'd suggest seeing your docter to have this checked out as well. HTH Suzanne
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Wed, 04-13-2005 - 12:47pm

I'm wondering the same as Suzanne if it's the lack of support from your flipflops.






iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2003
Wed, 04-13-2005 - 12:55pm
It's possible- I do walk with a slight turn-out- from years of dancing. It feels better when I stretch it out, etc, which is why I'm inclined to think it's not a bone thing. Anyway, I'll try icing it instead of soaking it in warm water, to see what happens. I'll try propping it up in a chair in class too- it's just SOOO hard to stay off your feet! I've been basically laying around for the past two days, trying to rest the dang thing.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Wed, 04-13-2005 - 1:03pm

Actually, I keep forgetting but my son's doctor just told me the new thing is to ice it for 15-20 minutes, followed immediately by heat. I have weird foot pains at different times and they seem to go away themselves.