Whew, we finally ended our triple digit streak a couple of days ago. I believe we had 39 days straight of over 100 degree temps. Not nice! It's gonna go back up in a few days to those lovely, scorching temps. but for now I'll take the reprieve.
Last week I talked about plantar faschiitis and the fun associated with that issue. This time I'll discuss bunions. Or if you prefer the medical term, Hallux Valgus. Yuck! I'm still stunned that I never got one and ...grateful I might add.
Bunions are usually presented in people with flat feet like me. Typically, they form as a bump to the side of the big toe at the joint. Because folks with flat feet pronate, or roll on the medial or inside edge of their foot, there is a greater amount of pressure at that particular joint. The foot should strike at the heel when landing, roll up the outside, or lateral side, of the foot, across the ball of the foot from little toe towards big toe and then push off the big toe. However, us flat-footed freaks strike at the heel and roll only up the inside (medial side) and all that pressure gets into the big toe at an even greater angle.
Anyways, all of this can cause the big toe to be pushed into the 2nd toe and so on and so on, but the 1st metatarsal bone is pressing in towards your other foot. Then, of course you add the inflammation leading to swelling and pain due to swelling, thickening of the skin around the infected area and Yowza, Bunion. Big, ugly, painful bunion. This can lead to the 1st metatarsal bone actually breaking away from the the 2nd metatarsal bone at the base of the big toe. OUCH! Then you have the huge bump on the inside edge of the big toe joint. Not pretty.
I should mention that not all big, ugly bunions are painful to people. Just to the onlooker. Eeeuuuwwww! And... I have to add that being flat-footed is not the only condition to create a bunion. As I've said, I don't have a bunion. I do have calluses from dancing barefoot most of my life but no bunions. They say ill-fitting shoes can possibly be a culprit as can hyper-mobility, Rheumatoid arthritis, shortened Achilles tendons and some more as well as being flat-footed.
Now how do you treat bunions? There's the rub, no pun intended here. First of all, go to the podiatrist for heavens sake. There could be more than meets the eye here.
1. See the podiatrist
2. Ice
3. Advil or Ibuprofen
4. Custom orthotics
5. No high heels
6. Get wider shoes that are flexible
7. Cut an "X" in the inside of the shoe where the bunion is
8. Arch supports
9. Surgery, frankly, I would avoid this course of action as much as possible. If nothing else helps then go, but if you can avoid it do so.
Remember, if your feet aren't happy, you won't be happy. Foot pain can lead to so many other physical issues creating mis-alignment problems, poor posture, bad bio-mechanics. Take good care of your feet, people!
Well, on to other matters. I had another date last Fri. afternoon. It went ok, I guess. He's a nice enough guy. Very self-confident. Not quite sure if he's my kinda guy though. He wants to go out again, at a later date when he's more "flush." Haven't answered that request as of yet. I'm thinking.
My knee pain goes up & down at this juncture. I just don't know if the last round of injections are gonna do any good any more. I still have to wait about 3 more weeks to know for sure but I'm not as confident as I have been in the past. I'm fearing I might have to up the surgery date on it to this fall instead of early next year. My sis, G.'ll kill me if this affects our cruise. I just won't let it. How's that for positive thinking?
I got great feedback on my classes on the NW end of town last week. Whew, we all know I can be a handful. Apparently I was "funny", "entertaining" and still gave them quite a workout. Perfect. Just think what I can do when the equipment that was ordered arrives. Mua-ha-ha! (I'm also wringing my hands here.)
Well, Putney is lying in front of the front door eyeballin' me. It's that time. Time for the W-A-L-K.
Later gators.
Peace out,
Judi
Oh my! Putney & I made it back home just moments before a huge monsoonal rainfall. As we came out of an access way about 2 blocks or so from the house, you could see a large black sheet of rain coming down not too far away. Thank goodness we were close. Seriously, just moments. I sat down on the couch and next thing I knew, ka-boom! I do believe theres more-a-comin'. Cleaning up some then off to lunch with mom.
Peace,
Last week I talked about plantar faschiitis and the fun associated with that issue. This time I'll discuss bunions. Or if you prefer the medical term, Hallux Valgus. Yuck! I'm still stunned that I never got one and ...grateful I might add.
Bunions are usually presented in people with flat feet like me. Typically, they form as a bump to the side of the big toe at the joint. Because folks with flat feet pronate, or roll on the medial or inside edge of their foot, there is a greater amount of pressure at that particular joint. The foot should strike at the heel when landing, roll up the outside, or lateral side, of the foot, across the ball of the foot from little toe towards big toe and then push off the big toe. However, us flat-footed freaks strike at the heel and roll only up the inside (medial side) and all that pressure gets into the big toe at an even greater angle.
Anyways, all of this can cause the big toe to be pushed into the 2nd toe and so on and so on, but the 1st metatarsal bone is pressing in towards your other foot. Then, of course you add the inflammation leading to swelling and pain due to swelling, thickening of the skin around the infected area and Yowza, Bunion. Big, ugly, painful bunion. This can lead to the 1st metatarsal bone actually breaking away from the the 2nd metatarsal bone at the base of the big toe. OUCH! Then you have the huge bump on the inside edge of the big toe joint. Not pretty.
I should mention that not all big, ugly bunions are painful to people. Just to the onlooker. Eeeuuuwwww! And... I have to add that being flat-footed is not the only condition to create a bunion. As I've said, I don't have a bunion. I do have calluses from dancing barefoot most of my life but no bunions. They say ill-fitting shoes can possibly be a culprit as can hyper-mobility, Rheumatoid arthritis, shortened Achilles tendons and some more as well as being flat-footed.
Now how do you treat bunions? There's the rub, no pun intended here. First of all, go to the podiatrist for heavens sake. There could be more than meets the eye here.
1. See the podiatrist
2. Ice
3. Advil or Ibuprofen
4. Custom orthotics
5. No high heels
6. Get wider shoes that are flexible
7. Cut an "X" in the inside of the shoe where the bunion is
8. Arch supports
9. Surgery, frankly, I would avoid this course of action as much as possible. If nothing else helps then go, but if you can avoid it do so.
Remember, if your feet aren't happy, you won't be happy. Foot pain can lead to so many other physical issues creating mis-alignment problems, poor posture, bad bio-mechanics. Take good care of your feet, people!
Well, on to other matters. I had another date last Fri. afternoon. It went ok, I guess. He's a nice enough guy. Very self-confident. Not quite sure if he's my kinda guy though. He wants to go out again, at a later date when he's more "flush." Haven't answered that request as of yet. I'm thinking.
My knee pain goes up & down at this juncture. I just don't know if the last round of injections are gonna do any good any more. I still have to wait about 3 more weeks to know for sure but I'm not as confident as I have been in the past. I'm fearing I might have to up the surgery date on it to this fall instead of early next year. My sis, G.'ll kill me if this affects our cruise. I just won't let it. How's that for positive thinking?
I got great feedback on my classes on the NW end of town last week. Whew, we all know I can be a handful. Apparently I was "funny", "entertaining" and still gave them quite a workout. Perfect. Just think what I can do when the equipment that was ordered arrives. Mua-ha-ha! (I'm also wringing my hands here.)
Well, Putney is lying in front of the front door eyeballin' me. It's that time. Time for the W-A-L-K.
Later gators.
Peace out,
Judi
Oh my! Putney & I made it back home just moments before a huge monsoonal rainfall. As we came out of an access way about 2 blocks or so from the house, you could see a large black sheet of rain coming down not too far away. Thank goodness we were close. Seriously, just moments. I sat down on the couch and next thing I knew, ka-boom! I do believe theres more-a-comin'. Cleaning up some then off to lunch with mom.
Peace,
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