I wanted to see if my EM case was like most others’. My feet hurt just from walking on them, even when they are not red and flaring. Bare feet on a rough surface is the worse. It is like a neuropathy. The soles of my feet need cushioning in addition to the need to keep them cool so that they do not become red, hot, and especially painful.
Do most others have pain in the soles of their feet while walking even when they are not red and flared up?
If so, how do folks cushion their feet?
Hi Dave, I have the same problem the under side of my feet feel like raw meat! ... The skin is becoming hard like leather ! .... This I don;t understand because I use a thick layer of cream and wear a thin pair of 100% cotton socks for an hour whilst lying on the bed prior to sleep .... I never wear synthetics against any part of my skin even my bedding is 100% Egyptian cotton ..... Bliss lol ..... As for cushioning my feet to be honest it's becoming more difficult , although I can still wear trainers with thick rubber soles I cannot wear them for long because my feet swell ... in the house I wear canvas shoes .... Sorry I cannot be of more help ..... Some one mention "five finger shoes" recently .... I think they must be American as no one in the UK has heard about them ! xx
Hi Dave,
I have a similar issue, but it affects my hands too. The bottoms of my feet hurt even when not in an active flare up, to me i would describe it as a deep tissue horrible bruise. So sensitive to the mildest of pressure, sometimes worse than others. The palms of my hands, and pads of my fingers feel exactly the same. makes typing extremely painful, i've learned to type softer which helps a little but slows my typing to a crawl (i used to be able to type over 70wpm) on a good day i bet i hit 30wpm now.. on a bad day i refuse to type as it just hurts too bad. i've tried compression gloves and they don't help. i've tried lidocaine cream and its weird but it didn't help at all either. I would have thought that it would have.. but nope. if i raise my hands above my head and don't let the fingers hit anything then it helps, but only until i have to put my hands down again.
for my feet, i've put dr schols in my sketcher shape up shoes (the old style with the huge cushioned soles) and that helps for short walks, but then i risk my feet getting to hot and starting a flare up.. lol.. this is a darned if you do and darned if you don't scenario at this point.
I too have this problem. I am being seen at biomechanics on Friday but am terrified they are going to make me wear 'real' shoes. I have pain in my feet that is completely different to EM pain all the time but it gets so unbearable if I've been standing or walking for more than a short time. They even hurt when I'm just resting me feet gently on a foot stool with only a tiny bit of the heal touching.
I have been wearing Earth Spirit shoes this summer and they have helped somewhat, but still not able to stay on my feet all day which is what my job entails. The Earth Spirit range offers comfort, cushioning, arch support and they are also bendable to move with your feet. These are the ones I wear.
I too have problems standing , have tried the same shoes from stead and simpson and do help a little , do any of you also get very tired and cant keep awake when you get a bad episode? , am back at work after the summer hols and can now feel the difference i just dont know what the answer is
I get really faitgued and widespread pain but put that down to my Fibro. My physio thinks I have a connective tissue disorder too, he specialises in Lupus and think I have that, waiting for more tests.! I am back to work on tuesday after summer hols and not looking forward to 60 new 4 year olds running about and being on my feet for too long.!
hi i suffer all above symptoms mentioned by everyone---feet burn swell in pain with no shoes on.skin is like leather-use cooling foot cream but to no avail.sadly.hands are same--
as for the Vibram 5 finger shoes & socks-my son wears them for the gym.you can get them in uk.
there is no way i could wear them.its like gloves for your feet.they may help someone out there but could also be an expensive mistake.
obviously other sites sell them cheaper but this will show you what they're like x
I also need a lot of cushioning. But I was told it's because I have no fat padding in my feet...SKINNY FEET!! But I get prickly feelings in my feet if no cushioning so sure it's EM too. I had a flare-up with inflammation in my metatarsel bones that lasted over a year and I could hardly walk, except getting around the house. It finally subsided in the spring and I found some good shoes online. One brand is Aetrex. The soles of their sandals [Paradiso] are removable and thick cushioning. Terrific! The other one is a Clark sandal that has a memory foam sole. [Women's Morse tour]
I also use a gel kind of insole with a leather top for my New Balance running shoes. Got it from my Podiatrist...not sold in stores.
I NEVER wear socks, even if it's cold. I can't take them on my feet. And definitely NO bare feet EVER!!!
I think our feet get hot from pressure of walking. Now that I've dealt with cushioning problem, I still can't walk a lot if it's not cold!
My feet are the opposite. My soles are ok most of the time and when a flare starts I feel it on the top of my feet first. The tops of my toes & feet can most of the time get cooled off by putting a cooling gel with lidocaine on them right away when I feel something going on with them.
strange thing is my feet-are skinny feet too but they can feel cold to touch but feel burning hot to me
My approach is Lidoderm patches on the soles & thin socks. In public, Ugg slippers that look like shoes provide great cushioning, but I need to take the off when sitting to prevent overheating.
Hi Dave et al,
I saw this message via email and wanted to read & respond. I have this problem big time! The way I describe it to people is that it feels as though I am walking always with either pebbles or broken glass inside my feet. I have had it diagnosed as plantar fasciitis, but it seems to me to be much more extensive, and unlike PF, my feet ALWAYS hurt, and they get worse after standing for long periods. This sensation is one of the primary reasons I can no longer run, because when I've tried to get back into the swing of running thing, the occurrence and magnitude of the pain increases. A lot.
I noted a lot of commentary about the bare feet shoes etc, and I have to say that because of my profound foot probs and the fact that my profession puts me standing for long periods daily at work, I invest heavily in shoes with a good orthopedic base. While cushioning is good, real support that fits your feet it better. I tried those shoes on and walked around in them for about 15 mins once, because so many ppl raved about them, but I have to say I found them to be incredibly uncomfortable. Furthermore, you can't wear good socks with them to wick away moisture, so your feet can get to be a hot sweaty painful mess. Just my two cents. Also, this style has fallen out of favor now and you will see many in between type styles - less lechnology than the super airs, but much more support than the 5 finger type shoes.
I have a few brands I like a lot, depending on the style shoe desired (sandal, dressy heel, clog, loafer, sneaker), and would be happy to give my take to anyone who would like to know my opinion. But again, you want something that fits your foot shape and your level of activity. Also, it is generally best to find shoes that have a removable insole so you can put in a custom fitted orthotic, because if you have neuropathic pain in your feet, you really need at least one pair. Outlay is expensive (300-500 $, depending), but it is worth it, so calculate it out to the long term and think hmmm, these will cost me 500, but will last 8 years, so they really only will cost me about 17 cents a day....
I have also found that a company called Thörlo makes really amazing socks. There are a variety of materials from synthetic to wools used. I avoid wool because they set my feet off like crazy. However, the synthetics are awesome. They conformmto your feet, providing support and cushioning, and they are very breathable so they actually help manage heat in your feet.
Whew! Long post... sorry to share so much, and I am sorry to hear others have this same unrelenting foot pain as I do, though it is good to know I'm not alone in it! it sure does feel that way at times :-/
I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis about 4 months ago and it's taken this long to get a biomechanics appointment for initial assessment. I am seeing them on Friday but my worry is I only have one pair of shoes I can wear and they're sandals. I get loads of pain from the cold as well as heat so know that I will have to buy other shoes for winter months but just don't know what will be good for me.!
Laura (flora), I don't know where you live, and I would always recommend trying on any new shoe brand for fit in person before you purchase, but... there is an amazing store chain located on the east coast of the US called 'Comfort One Shoes' they have about every imaginable type of attractive yet orthopedic shoe made. I am quite partial to some styles of Naot (have an orthopedic base with cork insoles), in fact one of my naot pairs fits me so well I actually prefer that insole to my custom. For dressy sandals, there are these 2 companies that used to be one, and now that they've split I cant recall which one makes the shoes I like best. The old company was 'Helle Romus' and I really think it is the romus part that makes the great dressy low heel. Sanita makes some great mary janes and clogs, as of course does dansko, though the dansko clogs are so heavy my feet get tired.
There is a company that at least used to make some plantar fasciitis type sandals with negative heel technology(NHT), and I had this one pair I literally wore into the ground. Company is called Earth Shoes or sandals - something like that - but I havent seen a nice NHT sandal in a few years :(
But do check out www.comfortoneshoes.com just to see the variety. Ohm I have had so many podiatrists talk about clarks and merrills. I'm sorry, but I just do not think highly of either brand, well, except I really do like Clark socks for dress socks and some merrill outdoor attire. :)
Good luck with the fitting and the shoe hunting
Linda
Thanks Linda, I live in the uk, and haven't found any shoes that have suited both my EM and the other pain in my feet. The only ones that have offered some support for my arches are the Earth Spirit sandals I have at the moment but even then I still struggle to be on my feet for long.My GP and physio seems to think I will have to have ortho inserts made specifically for me. My physio said my arches are collapsing as well as my ankles.
I am hoping the hospital can recommend somewhere to buy good shoes that will suit me but also be fashionable.
I also have lots of other symptoms that are being looked into, hoping this might help in finding out what my primary condition is because my EM is secondary. A specialist I saw couple of weeks ago think I have Lupus and if not that then definitely another connective tissue disorder.
Laura
lindaizias said:
Laura (flora), I don't know where you live, and I would always recommend trying on any new shoe brand for fit in person before you purchase, but... there is an amazing store chain located on the east coast of the US called 'Comfort One Shoes' they have about every imaginable type of attractive yet orthopedic shoe made. I am quite partial to some styles of Naot (have an orthopedic base with cork insoles), in fact one of my naot pairs fits me so well I actually prefer that insole to my custom. For dressy sandals, there are these 2 companies that used to be one, and now that they've split I cant recall which one makes the shoes I like best. The old company was 'Helle Romus' and I really think it is the romus part that makes the great dressy low heel. Sanita makes some great mary janes and clogs, as of course does dansko, though the dansko clogs are so heavy my feet get tired.
There is a company that at least used to make some plantar fasciitis type sandals with negative heel technology(NHT), and I had this one pair I literally wore into the ground. Company is called Earth Shoes or sandals - something like that - but I havent seen a nice NHT sandal in a few years :(
But do check out www.comfortoneshoes.com just to see the variety. Ohm I have had so many podiatrists talk about clarks and merrills. I'm sorry, but I just do not think highly of either brand, well, except I really do like Clark socks for dress socks and some merrill outdoor attire. :)
Good luck with the fitting and the shoe hunting
Linda
I've had foot problems and orthotics for years. My podiatrist and a foot surgeon I saw, agreed that New Balance makes the best shoes for comfort and stability. I've been wearing the 840's and while they're not the most attractive, they are super comfortable for walking. I think they've healed my feet this year. The NB also allow air flow so my feet don't heat up.
Exercise is also important for P.F. Stretching, rolling a ball under your foot, etc. Look online and you'll find lots.
lauraflora1 said:
I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis about 4 months ago and it's taken this long to get a biomechanics appointment for initial assessment. I am seeing them on Friday but my worry is I only have one pair of shoes I can wear and they're sandals. I get loads of pain from the cold as well as heat so know that I will have to buy other shoes for winter months but just don't know what will be good for me.!
I think we are all helping eachother out in this group. We can all learn from each one's similarities and differences.
Even if my feet are not flared up hot and red, they can be extremely painful to walk on. Often,they feel like someone has taken a 2x4 and just beat the bottom of my feet. They often are so painful, I can’t even handle the sheets of the bed touching them.
My feet feel like I am walking on small pebbles or coarse ground sand. I also have fibro, arthritis in my toes, diabetes, and spinal stenosis with loss of feeling in my right leg, back, and buttocks, and sometimes my feet too but they still feel like the dry sand even with the numbness. I also have intense electrical shock type pains in my feet at times (may be the SS). I use a diabetic cream with urea in it that you have to ask the pharmacist for. About $20. to $25. Mine is 20% urea. I use it every night before bed followed by a very good extra dry skin lotion which I massage into my skin and also massage my calf muscles too. Then I use a menthol type sports cream on my feet. Lastly I put on my socks. This treatment keeps my feet very moist. My feet sweat again and I'm 66 years old. If I miss one day they feel as dry as dust on a sandy road again. I use diabetic socks because they are cotton and are not too tight. My diabetic cousin lost his leg after an ingrown toe nail so I am very particular with my legs and feet.
Does anyone in this group also have very wide feet? I find it hard to find a shoes that is light, breathes, has cushioning and comes in 4e wide.