A step in the right direction

Today I'm coming clean about something - my foot pain.

I haven't blogged or tweeted about it, which is unusal, given that I normally bore the pants off you all with mundane details like these. Not sure why, except that it was something that I hoped would go away like a strange rash that you notice after your tropical summer holiday.

For the past few months, I've been experiencing pain in my right heel when I get up. When I got out of bed especially, but also when I stood up from my desk at work or the couch at home. It would get better as I walked around only to return the next time I got up on my feet. Over time it became a dull ache all the time.

A sane person would have gone to the doctor by now, yes? Not me. Though I have been to the GP several times since I had this pain I couldn't bring myself to mention it. This, from the girl who isn't the least bit squeamish about pap smears. Crazy, I know. I was still hoping it was a temporary thing. I have never had trouble with my feet in my life!

Eventually my complaining reached a level where mum heard about it. She told me the same thing my partner had a month ago - it's the terrible cheap shoes I wear.

I am a cheapskate when it comes to shoes. I cannot remember the last time I purchased a pair that didn't come from either Spendless Shoes or Rubi Shoes. One of my life goals is to stop buying bloody cheap shoes. And because I don't wear heels, they are all flats, and the result is that there is about 2mm of cheap synthetic sole between me and the pavement at any given time. No wonder my feet are protesting after 4-5 years of this treatment.

So I still haven't gone to the doctor. I did however screw up my courage and google my symptoms. I'm pretty sure I've got a heel spur in my right foot, probably one developing in my left because it's sore now too.

On the weekend my mother was kind enough to purchase a new pair of shoes. They are Diana Ferrari Supersoft. They are expensive but we got them on special at Myer. I am 100% sure I haven't worn a pair of shoes that cost this much in at least 10 years. It's humbling.

By the time we got home from walking around the shopping centre, my feet were in excruciating pain. I had to lie down the rest of the afternoon and mum gave me a footrub. Later I managed to hobble the few blocks to dinner in my new shoes. I am very glad to finally be doing something about this issue.

I'm also going to purchase a pair of orthotic inserts from the chemist. And stop doing stupid things at my desk like sitting with my legs up balacing on the balls of my feet and my knees touching the underside of my desk. I have no idea why I do this, and have only been doing it since I started my new job.

I guess I'll keep you all posted. Happy feet = happy Sarah.

Do you have any bad foot experiences? Do you have more troubles with them as you get older?