“Thanks for all your help, none of the “Doctors” or Physical Therapists ever helped me nearly as much as you!”
I recently received this message from a client and wanted to share it with you. He is thanking me because he now has pain free feet!
Let me explain why this is such a big deal. He has suffered from near constant debilitating foot pain for years. He is in his 50’s and his occupation requires that he stand on hard surfaces for long periods of time. He had been experimenting with different styles of running shoes to cushion and support his arch. When he first came to see me his feet, calves and shins were very tender to the touch. I slowly worked through the tightness in his lower legs using myofascial release, trigger point work, stretching and passive range of motion. I gave him homework that included exercises and stretches.
At first he was reluctant to exercise because he had fallen into the viscous pain cycle – foot pain from standing all day, deconditioned and tight muscles leading to more foot pain, exercise exacerbates the pain, lack of movement and strength leads to you guessed it – more pain and round and round we go. He recently switched jobs to one that is less stressful and he spends less time on his feet. He found supportive pair of shoes with a wide toe box (it turns out he had been wearing the wrong size shoe and the guys at Pace Setter on Woodstock helped him find a better pair). He is now walking up to five miles at a time, he has lost fifteen pounds and has greatly improved his quality of life.
I love this success story because while I provided him with some guidance and hands on work, he ultimately figured out on his own what his body needed (a different job and a new pair of shoes). Once all the pieces were in place he was then able to restart his exercise program and find pain relief.
If you have a success story to share please send it to me.
Anne McCranie is a Portland based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She works with her clients one on one and in small groups using a combination of movement + massage to aid in pain relief. Contact her today for a complimentary consultation (503) 705-4762.