Foot Pain

[+sbukosky]

Hiking is good for you, right? It helps you get in shape, right? What about when your feet hurt so much that it limits or even eliminates your caching activities?

 

I'm starting this thread hoping to share things to improve on foot and heel pain which limits our geocaching activites. Me, I have both achillies tendons pulling bone from the heal. One is so bad that surgery is likely which will stop me from hiking for months. Maybe forever. Never mind that working for a living will be compromised too.

 

I'm currently under treatment from a podiatrist and he has me doing tendon stretches ten times a day for fifteen seconds each, which seems to help. Also taking high doses of ibuprofen to reduce the inflamation. He has made some heel inserts which are intended to raise the heel while walking. I'm considering the inserts advertised by the "Good Feet Store". Expensive but I'm willing to try about anything to prevent surgery. I realize my days of five mile hikes on the ice age trail are done.

 

After doing hundreds of finds, this really bums me out. Those easy, short caches that some call lame are looking pretty good to me now.

[+carleenp]

Ouch!

 

Have you looked into taking Vioxx or Celebrex instead of Ibuprofen? I think those work better. I had a friend who felt custom orthotics really helped with heel spurs.

 

I currently have a foot problem from dancing and skating that is starting to bother me on longer walks as well. I am still waiting to find out if it is a stress fracture or something else. I just had a bone scan yesterday. I like caches with hikes, so I can just see myself going to them on crutches. I need to work on my upper body strength anyway!

 

Are you able to bike? That might get you to some caches on trails.

[+Insp Gadget]

At the end of Feb, a few of us went on a 15km hike and ever since then I have had a sharp pain in the bottom of my left heel. It seems worse in the morning, especially those first few steps when you get out of bed. I went to the Doctor, who sent me for xrays, but it showed nothing.

 

Any ideas?

[+Stunod]

Ouch...that sucks.

 

Good luck with your recovery/rehab

[Leoness]

I've had Plantar Faciitis in my left foot since January, although it seems to be getting better now and the pain isn't nearly as bad as it used to be.

 

The plantar fascia is the thick ligamentous band in the bottom of the foot which is attached to the heel and runs forward to insert into the ball of the foot. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of this band at its attachment to the heel.

 

Fortunately, it doesn't hurt whilst walking as the muscle gets warm and stretches. It only hurts first thing in the morning (after a long period of rest) and after exercise, when the muscle cools down and contracts again.

 

Sbukosky - I hope your physio treatment works for you and that you are able to to enjoy your 5-mile hikes again soon.

[+JegMag]

Inspector Gadget -- you have plantar faciatis -- maybe not spelled correctly, but it certainly matches the symptons you are describing. Get yourself to a podiatrist!

 

JegMag

[Leoness]

Insp Gadget - check out this web site...

 

http://www.ourfootdoctor.com/yourfeet_plantarfasciitis.shtml

[+Insp Gadget]

Insp Gadget - check out this web site...

 

http://www.ourfootdoctor.com/yourfeet_plantarfasciitis.shtml

Hmmm, this does seem very interesting. It doesn't really go into specifics of what causes it though. What caused your problem?

 

Strangely enough, I have an appointment in exactly 1 hour 55 minutes to get my feet measured or checked for proper fitting boots. I bought some Vasque and my feet were so sore I had to return the boots.

 

Thanks so much for this link. It is very interesting reading.

[+JegMag]

What causes it?? High insteps, high arches, strain on the foot, poorly fitting shoes, funky feet?.

Mine responded to icing at night, being wrapped and meds. My doc also recommended New Balance cross trainers which I wore all the time for months until it was fully healed. It is basically inflammation that is constantly walked upon and not allowed to heal. Some cases respond better than others and some are worse than others.

 

JegMag

[continental drifter]

I'm thirty six and get recurring cases of gout that lay me up for days.Any suggestions would help.

[Leoness]

I'm not sure what caused it in my case.

 

A doctor friend of mine asked me if I'd bought new shoes recently as it can be connected with the height of the instep in the shoe. The only thing I could think of was that I had recently thrown out some S***** (well known brand but don't want to advertise) sandals which I had been wearing every day for long periods in the house. They had a high instep/arch which had stretched the plantar fascia muscle and because I wasn't wearing them any more, my foot was having to adjust to being "flatter".

 

However, this doesn't explain why I only got the problem in my left foot as you would expect both would be affected!

 

Ibuprofen helps to alleviate the inflammation and the pain, and massage helps too. It's easier to get someone else to massage your foot than trying to do it yourself as the strokes should be "up" and away from the heel (something to do with the lymph nodes, I believe!)

 

Hope this helps. I seem to be "on the mend" now, slowly and after 3 months. It's hard not to do any walking when you have a dog who needs daily exercise and are addicted to geocaching!!!

[+Insp Gadget]

I'm not sure what caused it in my case.

 

A doctor friend of mine asked me if I'd bought new shoes recently as it can be connected with the height of the instep in the shoe. The only thing I could think of was that I had recently thrown out some S***** (well known brand but don't want to advertise) sandals which I had been wearing every day for long periods in the house. They had a high instep/arch which had stretched the plantar fascia muscle and because I wasn't wearing them any more, my foot was having to adjust to being "flatter".

 

However, this doesn't explain why I only got the problem in my left foot as you would expect both would be affected!

 

Ibuprofen helps to alleviate the inflammation and the pain, and massage helps too. It's easier to get someone else to massage your foot than trying to do it yourself as the strokes should be "up" and away from the heel (something to do with the lymph nodes, I believe!)

 

Hope this helps. I seem to be "on the mend" now, slowly and after 3 months. It's hard not to do any walking when you have a dog who needs daily exercise and are addicted to geocaching!!!

You know something? This all started shorty after I bought those Vasque boots! I wore them all the time for a week or so, thinking that they were stiff from being so new and were not broken in. I wonder if this may have something to do with it?

[+BeachBumWannaBs]

I *strongly* recommend the following book -

 

The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief

 

This book is very readable and easy to follow - you will likely be able to pinpoint trigger points in your muscles that cause the foot pain (or whatever pain) you're feeling. The trigger points (knots or lumps in the muscle body, typically ranging in size from the size of a pinhead to the size of a grape) are usually distant from where you actually feel the pain. For example, the pain I felt in the bottom of my right heel went away after a few minutes of massaging the right, lower side of my right calf. I sat in a comfy chair, crossed my right calf over my left knee, and used my left knee to dig into the back of my right calf. You can do the same thing with a tennis ball.

 

Anti-inflammatory drugs can help relieve inflammation, but self-massage (or help from a friend, loved one, or licensed massage therapist) will do wonders! You may also want to check your local library for this book if you don't want to buy it. A good massage therapist will know where to look for the trigger points too. Muscles are much like violin strings, and trigger points occur in known spots along the length of a muscle, just like harmonics on a string.

 

I can't recommend this book enough - it really does help, and learning a little about your muscle structure is SO much easier and less painful than surgery!!

 

Good luck!

 

Nancy

[+GPSKitty]

You know something? This all started shorty after I bought those Vasque boots! I wore them all the time for a week or so, thinking that they were stiff from being so new and were not broken in. I wonder if this may have something to do with it?

Definitely, I would suspect a connection.

 

I'm currently recovering from bunion surgery and I've gotten a lot of support and info from a forum called Health Boards. They have topics on just about any imaginable health problem, one of them being Foot Problems.

 

http://www.healthboards.com/boards/index.php?

[+Wacka]

I'm thirty six and get recurring cases of gout that lay me up for days.Any suggestions would help.

I am in my 40's and have occasional cases of gout. I have lost about 20 lbs in the last year and had a slight one (1 day) recently. This was the first one in more than a year. I tried eating more meat and less carbs (sort of like going on the Atkins diet) and I think that triggered the gout. I don't drink much (maybe one or two drinks a month), so that's not it, although I got a bad attack the day after drinking a lot of red wine once (may have to stick to white).

 

Whatever you do, DO NOT PUT A HEATING PAD ON IT! I did once and it made it 10 times worse,

[+RobAtSGH]

Hiking is good for you, right?  It helps you get in shape, right?  What about when your feet hurt so much that it limits or even eliminates your caching activities?

If there's one piece of hiking equipment you do not want to skimp on, it's your footwear. I had similar problems - numbness and pain after every hike.

 

What helped for me was getting out of sneakers. Basketball shoes, cross-trainers, and tennis shoes have no place on a trail if you're more than a casual walker, and you care about your feet. They usually lack one or several performance characteristics which help prevent strain and injury in technical terrain.

 

Go to REI or similar conscientious outdoors shop and have yourself fitted for some boots. Note that I said boots, and not "hiking shoes". If you're already susceptible to foot problems, you're going to want as much protection as you can get.

 

A properly performing hiking boot will have several desirable properties.

 

First, the toe box will be firm, but not constraining/pinching. You don't want to be able to slide around too much, but you don't want painful corns, spurs, and callusses either. Pick a boot that is lightly and firmly padded at the widest part of the foot.

 

Second, the boot will provide semi-rigid heel support. Find a boot that cups your heel and holds it in position. Boots with replaceable insoles are the best, as you can shop for or have made an insole that supports each foot properly.

 

Third, the sole will be more rigid than a cross trainer shoe or sneaker. This is the vital bit for those prone to tendonitis or faciitis. Soft, flexible rubber soles allow the foot to hyper-flex on steep grades and climbs. This was my biggest problem. Holy moley would my feet cry after a climb. A thicker, more substantial sole eliminated the problem.

 

Fourth, ankle support. If you tend to pronate or suppinate, or your ankles roll over in uneven terrain, this is very important. Keeping the weight of your body distributed correctly on the bearing surfaces of the joints goes a LONG way to reducing stress on the ligaments and tendons. The more out-of-line the joint, the more force the tendon needs to exert to keep things together.

 

I was borderline for surgery to correct tarsal ligament injuries and hallux rigidus (extreme turf-toe), both due to hyperflexion and my pronation problems. All along, it was crappy shoes that were the problem. Getting into a properly sized and fit pair of half-boots was all it took to correct nearly all of my problems.

 

I'm new to the caching thing, but I've got plenty experience with hiking and foot/knee problems. You might also want to consider a hiking staff or trekking poles to help distribute some weight to a third/fourth set of points and give you something to push against besides your feet on climbs.

[Leoness]

Oh... I just remembered an exercise I was given to do which I find helps a lot...

 

Place your foot flat on the floor and curl your toes, drawing them underneath... hold for a second or two and then relax them back to normal again - as if you're trying to pull something along the floor. Do it several times and do it slowly. This stretches the plantar fascia and eases the discomfort.

[RandMan]

IN RESPONSE TO "SBUKOSKY'S" ORIGINAL POST:

 

I know your pain! About five years ago I started having foot problems. I worked in the swimming pool remodel and repair business, and was always on my feet. The pain was especially bad around the Achilles tendon area. I went to several doctors, and they suggested foot supports and staying off my feet as much as I could. None of the doctors really had any idea what was causing my problem. I couldn't stop work because of being a single parent with three daughters living at home - so I toughed it out! Eventually the areas around both Achilles tendons became infected. Finally in March of 2000, one of the doctors suggested I go into the hospital. They performed every test they could think of and determined I had vascular problems in my lower legs. (I stayed in the hospital for a month.) One surgeon suggested operating and removing some of the infected area around my left tendon (which was the worst of the two). I agreed, but I was so doped up from pain meds, they could have amputated (which was something they considered) and I would have agreed. After coming out of surgery, there was a large area four inches high cut out, and my Achilles tendon completely exposed. The surgeon said it was worse than he had thought and said that I will need to go back into surgery in a few days and have the tendon removed. The tendon was removed - and to this day I'm sorry I ever allowed the surgeon to operate to begin with. I believe if I would have just stayed off my feet long enough, that the infected area would have eventually healed, and I would still have my tendon. The infected area around the right tendon did heal up, but the area is still very sore. I have never been able to go back to work because of the pain meds that I take, and the pain that I still have.

 

For the past four years since coming out of the hospital, I've lived with the pain. I use a wheelchair around the house and if I'm going someplace where a lot of walking is involved. I use crutches for easy shopping trips or for doing easy chores. The doctors still recommend staying off my feet, but I'm not the type of person that can just lie around the house watching television or reading. When I discovered geocaching a few years ago I decided that I wasn't going to let my problem get in the way of getting out of the house and getting some exercise. I'm not able to do a lot of hiking, but I have been able to do some of the caches with terrain ratings of three. As of today, I've found 462 caches using my crutches. There's some days I'm laid up after a day of heavy geocaching, but it's worth it to me.

 

My advice to you is be very careful about taking advice from a doctor! Get other opinions. I would be better off today if I had not allowed the surgeon to just go in and start cutting away.

 

Rand (RandMan)

Edited April 20, 2004 by RandMan

[+leatherman]

Flat feet.

I have always had them. I didn't experience pain that often. When I did it felt like I had torn something along the bottom of my foot. It lasted a couple of days and faded.

In the summer of '02 I began experiencing it every time I went walking/caching. My feet fell. All my shoes were to small. I went from a size 11, 11 1/2 to a 12. Before I noticed it. All my shoes were to small.

My doctor wasn't very helpful. Suggested looking into Planter Fascitis insoles.

I found that Birkenstocks worked pretty good. Better than the bubble feeling insoles did.

I find great deals on ebay. Most are half price or better.

[+WalruZ]

I'm thirty six and get recurring cases of gout that lay me up for days.Any suggestions would help.

recent research showed that beer aggrivates gout. really. do a google news search for gout.

[+Insp Gadget]

I'm thirty six and get recurring cases of gout that lay me up for days.Any suggestions would help.

I am in my 40's and have occasional cases of gout. I have lost about 20 lbs in the last year and had a slight one (1 day) recently. This was the first one in more than a year. I tried eating more meat and less carbs (sort of like going on the Atkins diet) and I think that triggered the gout. I don't drink much (maybe one or two drinks a month), so that's not it, although I got a bad attack the day after drinking a lot of red wine once (may have to stick to white).

 

Whatever you do, DO NOT PUT A HEATING PAD ON IT! I did once and it made it 10 times worse,

Dumb question here. What is gout?

[Leoness]

Try this...

 

http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/booth/booths/gout.html

[+carleenp]

I *strongly* recommend the following book -

 

The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief

 

I had a Physical Therapist teach me trigger point therapy for a calf strain once. I found that it works quite well for large muscle strains such as the calf or hamstring. I've never tried it on the foot but could see it maybe helping for plantar fasciitis.

Edited April 20, 2004 by carleenp

[+wimseyguy]

Strained my foot trying to do too many DC mall virts two years ago wearing improper shoes. Soon as I got back home I went to REI. They swapped out the flimsy insoles of my hiking shoes for Superfeet semicustom inserts. Works like a charm. I too work on my feet as a chef/restaurant owner. Birkie pro clogs during the day and Dansko's for the evenings. It's an expensive habit, but worth it.

 

Seriously guys-we are all trained as boys to tough it out/suck it up etc. If you are really in pain, see a doc. Girls are different-they are trained to see doctors often early in life. Go on Flame Away-you know this is true. The only sexist task in my operation is I won't ask the women to take out the trash. Everything else is =.

[bug and snake]

Birkie pro clogs during the day and Dansko's for the evenings. It's an expensive habit, but worth it.

Yes, it is an expensive habit and I agree, worth every penny. As my late mother used to say, "Best shoes and the best bed - If you are not in one you are in the other!"

[+New England n00b]

OK, this is a great topic. I feel the need to ask...

 

I too have foot pain, but it is only in the BACK of my heel. It doesn't happen all the time, but now that I've been hiking again, it's becoming more frequent.

 

What really drives me insane: if I should accidently tap the back of my heel against something hard (particularly when barefoot), I feel like someone has just attacked my heel with a sledge hammer.

 

On very rare occasions, I'll get a shooting pain going from the bottom of my heel to the ball of my foot - but it is only 1/4" wide - not the entire sole.

 

Any ideas/sound faimilair, particularly with the back of my heel?

 

Thank you in advance

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

When things hurt too much I just go back on vicodin and beer.

[MOCKBA]

Will see a sports doctor tomorrow ... no trust and no expectations here really. I stepped on a sharp rock when running back in the fall, and had a moment of piercing pain in the sole, behing the toe. The sole swell and it's become painful to walk or run. But I also have bunions, and I speak accented English so physicians generally consider me an idiot and disregard any info I have for them.

So nobody pays any attention to the area which hurts. Everybody is concerned about a bunion, an inch away. The make an X-ray ... of the bunion, of course. They say even it hurts in some other place, it must be caused by the bunion. Even though I had bunions for decades and my pain problem developed all of a sudden.

Oh well, I got through the winter by xc skiing intead of jogging; woolen socks also helped. But the ski season is over, let's see if I can get any useful info from the doctor tomorrow. I suspect not.

[AC Student]

I've had some foot and knee pain too. Enough to keep me from exercising for a few weeks, but not enough to seek medical care. The root of my problems seems to be that my poor feet and knees are lugging around more body weight than they were designed for. Poor design, that's it. What has helped me is - taking off some weight (although my weekness for patty melts and Chipotle burritos is making it a slow process), low impact exercise (bicycling instead of jogging), and orthodic inserts in my geocaching shoes.

[+carleenp]

Poor design, that's it. What has helped me is - taking off some weight (although my weekness for patty melts and Chipotle burritos is making it a slow process), low impact exercise (bicycling instead of jogging), and orthodic inserts in my geocaching shoes.

 

I loooove Chipotle black bean tacos! Anyway, I've had plenty of injuries since I do a lot of high impact activities (eg. distance running , skating, dancing). When I'm injured I often try to bike or swim to stay in shape. I have found that using an aqua jogger works pretty well if you belong to a club or something that has them. It can get the heart rate up pretty well, works the leg muscles and is low impact.

Edited April 20, 2004 by carleenp

[+DomHeknows]

ever since i went on an extended trip up Jacobs ladder (in the uk) a month or so ago i've had pain in the back of both knees. After a week and the pain was still there the doc said it was overuse and to take ibuprofen. He said it wasn't the cartiledge (sp?) or it wouldn't have affected both knees...after a couple of days it went - until the next hike (7miles).At one point i was needing to use both the walking poles as balances to walk down or up the slopes - level ground doesn't cause me a problem. Still get a twinge if I walk up some slopes or lots of stairs

[+Wacka]

Old age!

[+95_Camaro_Couple]

I've got flat feet. Since I was 10 I've had recurrent tendinitis in both ankles, and about 8 years ago developed plantar fasciitis in both feet. I've noticed that I get flare-ups in both when the weather turns colder, and can usually take the proper steps to head off any pain. I know I should be more careful in my choice of footwear, but I'm not. That's really one thing you guys with foot problems should invest in...some good shoes and good orthotics. Having a podiatrist or orthopedist that listens doesn't hurt, either!

 

Take care,

 

Paula

[BeadBoy]

Step 1: See a podiatrist do what he says

Step 2: Your feet are only as good as your shoes

Step 3: Stretching works

[+sbukosky]

At the end of Feb, a few of us went on a 15km hike and ever since then I have had a sharp pain in the bottom of my left heel. It seems worse in the morning, especially those first few steps when you get out of bed. I went to the Doctor, who sent me for xrays, but it showed nothing.

 

Any ideas?

When the heel pain is worse in the morning, that is one indication of a bone spur. If an xray did not show a spur, perhaps a gel pad might help on the hikes.

[+sbukosky]

Have you looked into taking Vioxx or Celebrex instead of Ibuprofen? I think those work better. I had a friend who felt custom orthotics really helped with heel spurs.

 

Are you able to bike? That might get you to some caches on trails.

I just spoke to my podiatrist today and asked about "The Good Feet" inserts. He said that he could make better ones for me but they would not help my problem and would be a waste of money. One always hopes for a simple cure.

 

Using my bike on some of the caches is a possibility. I envisioned geocaching with a Segway. Kinda pathetic really.

[scoutsout]

I won't bore anyone with the details, but something else to look into if you have heel pain is Haglund's Deformity. I was told that I have this by an Army podiatrist after repeatedly being treated for bursitis.

 

That was nearly 10 years ago, and I opted not to have the surgery to "correct" it. I'm very picky about what shoes I buy, and I now wear sandals 95% of the time that I'm not at work. All of my shoes are worn through whatever layers of padding are inside the heel area, the bone in my heels just slowly tears apart the inside of any shoe that otherwise fits properly. The sandals I wear are made by "Reef", and they have the "Squishy" sole, they conform to the shape of your soles (these are the convertible model, they have a removable back strap, and nothing up front between your toes)... about 3 years and still going strong. Great sandals!

[+sbukosky]

My advice to you is be very careful about taking advice from a doctor!  Get other opinions.  I would be better off today if I had not allowed the surgeon to just go in and start cutting away.

 

Wow! Lots of experience in your post. It is interesting that you mention possible vascular issue. I've got some healing issues which make me want to avoid surgery. You certainly have given me more to think about. My hat is off to you for your determination to get out and do some caching!

[+gobucks]

I would advise finding an experienced PT specializing in ankle and foot problems...and beware of medical advice found in internet forums.

[+sbukosky]

What really drives me insane: if I should accidently tap the back of my heel against something hard (particularly when barefoot), I feel like someone has just attacked my heel with a sledge hammer.

Any ideas/sound faimilair, particularly with the back of my heel?

 

I'm not saying that you have what I have, but my pain is on the back of the heel also. It hurts tremendously to use a shoe horn to slide into dress shoes. I'm betting that when you pull your foot up, it hurts also. It sounds like there may be inflamation. My suggestion is to get on it now and see a podiatrist or sport medicine specialist. It might just take some anti-inflamatories and minimal walking for a while but one doesn't know until you make the visit. Good luck!

[+sbukosky]

I won't bore anyone with the details, but something else to look into if you have heel pain is Haglund's Deformity.  I was told that I have this by an Army podiatrist after repeatedly being treated for bursitis.

 

Before I began seeing my podiatrist, I did some searching on the internet and came up with the same self diagnosis. I saw a picture showing Haglund's deformity and immediate said to my wife, "that is exactly where it hurts!"

[+New England n00b]

So how does one go about selecting a qualified podiatrist, and avoid the certified-but-not-qualified ones?

 

My karate instructor has foot problems from working on cement factory floors for 20 years, and his podiatrist ran him through a whole bunch of crap before finding something that worked for him...

 

HELP!

[+sbukosky]

So how does one go about selecting a qualified podiatrist, and avoid the certified-but-not-qualified ones?

My suggestion is first a referal from your general practicioner. Otherwise, word of mouth recommendation, if available, and then get a second opinion if not satified with the treatment or if surgery is recommended.

[+Mule Ears]

Last summer I developed Achilles tendinitis. It manifested in the mornings, when I'd have to walk on tiptoes until my tendons and calves loosened up. No doubt I deserved it, as I abuse my feet pretty badly. Just one example--my exercise routine includes walking for distances up to a mile carrying a 150-pound sandbag.

 

I tried the usual recommendations of stretching, calf raises, Ibuprofen, etc. No real relief. The only thing that helped me was a daily regimen of foot/heel massage with a really strong electric massager (Homedics). I'd do 1-minute-on/1-minute-off cycles for three to five sets. This helped enormously. The rest cycles between applications of the massager are important--you do not want to apply these things for long periods of time without rest. Uninterrupted vibration can cause other problems (as witness a recent news story about a new treatment for nerve damage experienced by jack-hammer operators).

 

Even if you are skeptical about its efficacy, my solution is cheap, easy, harmless, and feels good. In my case, after a week or so of daily treatments I could hop out of bed in the morning and put my feet flat on the floor.

[+Chance Encounter]

I am still recovering from the strangest foot malady I've ever heard about. So far it has stumped a physician's assistant, a physician, a podiatrist, two trauma surgeons, and countless nurses.

 

It started about three weeks ago with what seemed to be a small callous on my left heel. I've experienced these hard knots of dead skin before, and have used callous removers to treat them with no problem, most recently a couple years ago. So this time I used some 40% salacylic acid callous removers; I wore one for two days, then replaced it and wore another for two more days. This softened up the skin nicely (and turned it white, as it's supposed to). Problem solved.

 

A day or two after I quit using the callous removers, a liquid-filled blister sac started forming under the thick skin of my heel, just underneath where I'd worn the callous removers. In a couple of days it had grown as large as half a baseball. "Growth rings" formed in a circular pattern as the "blister" grew larger and larger. I could limp around on the ball of my foot for a day or two, but then the pain became unbearable and I couldn't put any weight at all on my left foot. I finally broke down and headed for the doctor.

 

They immediately ruled out the usual suspects: no spider bite, no asp sting, no embedded thorn. Their best tentative theory was a chemical burn from the salacylic acid, although I'd never had an adverse reaction before. The doctor used a large syringe to penetrate the skin and extract the thick, syrupy yellow fluid, 22cc worth! All that was left now was a shrunken patch of dead skin and some residual pain. Doc prescribed pain killers and strong antibiotics and sent me on my way.

 

Three days later, it had grown back to the original size. This time the doc used a scalpel to cut out a triangle-shaped patch so the fluid could drain on its own. He pulled quite a bit of other stuff out, including gobs of clear "currant jelly" and what he called "reactive trauma tissue." He seemed more baffled than ever, as those things are usually seen in gunshot or stab wounds.

 

He ran a culture on the fluid: no infection at all. The fluid was completely sterile! He gave me some silvadene cream and a bunch of gauze bandages and told me to come back in a few days to see the trauma surgeons.

 

The trauma surgeons used a pair of scissors (!) to cut the large patch of dead skin away, leaving about a half-acre of shiny new pinkish-red (and quite painful) skin.

 

Now, more than two weeks later, I'm finally able to get around without crutches. Hopefully by this weekend I'll be able to do some caching.

 

And the weird thing is that all of these medical professionals remain completely baffled as to what caused this condition. They even asked me if I did any roofing work, as the closest thing they'd seen to this was when some poor guy shot himself in the foot with a nail gun and let it fester for several days before seeking attention.

 

So since nobody knows how this came about, I'm in the dark as to what i can do to avoid such an occurence in the future. Anyone wanna offer some diagnostic advice?

[uperdooper]

i wouldn't use those callous removers again. a person can develope an allergy to a chemical or drug they were able to take in the past. when i was young i could take aspirin. in my mid 20's i developed an allergy to it. now i can't take advil, ibuprofin or any of the nsaids. if you have developed an allergy to it, every time you use it, it will be worse than the last time.

[+Barefoot]

I had to see my podiatrist this spring. After caching all winter it seems I've re-agrivated/activated a ganglionick cyst. Imagine a 1/2inch soft marble filled with vasoline between the nuckle of first and second toe. Treatment, numb it up and drain it with a big needle. Dang. I forgot about it till now. Funny how it's starting to hurt again.....

[+sbukosky]

Uninterrupted vibration can cause other problems (as witness a recent news story about a new treatment for nerve damage experienced by jack-hammer operators).

 

I know what you mean. The first long trip that I took with my 650 Yamaha motorcycle was a little more than 1,000 miles in a few days. The vibration from the handlebar grips caused my index, ring and small fingers to be numb and tingley for 3 MONTHS! The next year I installed cushioned grips and wore thicker gloves. The ultimate solution was to buy the Gold Wing.

 

When I began geocaching a few years ago, I began to neglect the motorcycling. Guess it might be time to spend a bit more time in the saddle. Maybe I have to alternate. One week geocaching. One week riding and so on. And then there is sitting in the boat and fish. I haven't done that for a few years. I could have a ball using the GPS on the lake. Guess I'm lucky to have alternative pass times.

[uperdooper]

do what my brother and ride to the caches on your bike.

[+KF6JML]

Another foot bummer - Morton's Neuroma - Google it.