Suddenly getting arch pain - what to do?

[serenalms]

I leave in six weeks and I've been walking and training in my shoes without a problem. No blisters, no pain, everything has been great.

Then on Saturday I went on a six mile hike and suddenly started to get some pain in my arch on my right foot, towards the front/top of it. It's now Tuesday and it's still a little painful when I walk! Is this the beginning of plantar fasciitis? The pain is more on the top of my foot and side of the arch than on the bottom or sole of it.

With only six weeks left to go, I'm starting to get super paranoid over every possible ache or pain I feel, and I'm not sure what the best thing to do is (besides resting a few days). Should I look into getting new shoes? Or should I keep my boots and try out some sort of insoles?

Thank you in advance for your advice. This forum has been invaluable to me so far!

 

[StuartM]

I've got a weakness in my arch, too much running and abuse over the years and if I let it go when it flares up it spreads up into my shin.

My physiotherapist recommended getting a pair of Orthaheels rather than a custom made orthotic (pricey). They are pretty cheap and give a decent amount of arch support.

But definitely see a physiotherapist.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Could be plantar fasciitis, which I also got while training last time. I saw a physio who said major cause of it was tight calf muscles. She gave me stretches to do, and within a week it had come right. I second the advice to see a physio.
Margaret

 

[dougfitz]

I agree with the advice already given. In the meantime, you could do a simple stretch by getting a can or an old-fashioned glass soft-drink bottle and rolling it underneath your foot for a few minutes. Don't press down too hard if you use a bottle - you don't want to break it

You might also find it worthwhile learning to strap your foot. There are some simple strapping patterns you can apply yourself for plantar fasciitis.

 

[JohnMcM]

Hello serenalms,

First, see a physio.

Secondly, your symptoms are the same as mine so from my experience not too much to worry about.

After getting expert advice my way of control and cure is:

A. Good stretching techniques before and after walking and;
B. For both feet to have inside all my footwear a 3/4 length support of the same kind you'll find at the first entry in this link. ( hope the link works for you).

I'm no expert my friend so all I can say is it did the trick for me. Also, I think you described yourself as petite or words to that effect. It's very possible that your training if wearing your pack or always on Tarmac has brought this on for you?

Like I say, I'm no expert and offer only advice gained from experience.

Good luck and Buen Camino.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?tag=casaivar-21

 

[Tincatinker]

I found myself in pain in the areas you are describing a few weeks in to my training walks. Reached the point where i was descending staircases sideways. As a long time distance hiker I was more intrigued than worried and started a few experiments - different sock combinations, different lacing patterns. I worked out, in the end, that a combination of new, plumper, socks and overtight lacing ( blister paranoia ) had placed too much strain on some of the upper foot tendons.
Rest, ice, stretches and maybe a looser lacing should see you through.

Buen Camino

 

[StuartM]

Hello serenalms,

First, see a physio.

Secondly, your symptoms are the same as mine so from my experience not too much to worry about.

After getting expert advice my way of control and cure is:

A. Good stretching techniques before and after walking and;
B. For both feet to have inside all my footwear a 3/4 length support of the same kind you'll find at the first entry in this link. ( hope the link works for you).

I'm no expert my friend so all I can say is it did the trick for me. Also, I think you described yourself as petite or words to that effect. It's very possible that your training if wearing your pack or always on Tarmac has brought this on for you?

Like I say, I'm no expert and offer only advice gained from experience.

Good luck and Buen Camino.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=vasyli orthotic insoles&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=26265170691&hvpos=1t2&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1698655945501866302&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=t&ref=pd_sl_2774eemkgn_b

Vasyli inserts! That was the name I was trying to remember, I was searching Vadim and coming up with nothing. They are the ones I use.

 

[Deleted member 22638]

I would quickly look at getting orthotic inserts or at least consult an expert (if poss) - I got arch pain after a week and strapped both feet which got me through a further week then managed to get inserts which worked great

Buen Camino - I envy you

 

[Anne100]

Ask the physical therapist to show you how to properly stretch all major muscle groups, including your calves and feet. Not stretching is probably the most common mistake I've seen among long distance hikers.

 

[brawblether]

Don't listen to any advice other than a professionals. I'd recommend a podiatrist, they are, after all, feet specialists Otherwise, if you must, a physiotherapist.

 

[vicrev]

I agree 100%, see a Podiatrist straight away,they are the foot experts...........Horses for courses............Hope you get it sorted out....Vicrev

 

[billvinhage]

FWIW I had a bad case of Plantar Faciatis and chose to see a Chiropractor who also specialized in sports medicine. Painful therapy stripping out the plantar tendons at first coupled a with cold laser therapy and ultrasound. Was back on my feet pain free very quickly.

 

[fostersail1]

I've had it several times as well. I agree with the different strapping methods, the inserts and some thicker socks to cushion your feet. I usually bring an extra, different sized set of inserts to shift the pressure points around at times, to give those hot spots a bit of a break. I also soak my feet in cold water, it instantly relieves the ache and burning from inflammation.

 

[hecate105]

Alternatively it could be TMS - caused by a bit of (normal!) anxiety about what you are going to undertake. My fibromyalgia flared up quite badly before I went on pilgrimage - I think its just due to the nerves/worry of doing something different/out of our comfort zone. I was fine once I got going. If you get checked over and nothing's structurally wrong - or even if it is plantar faciitis (which I've been told I have had several times, but think its just another TMS...) just go for it!!

 

[dougfitz]

hecate105
I presume you mean tension myositis syndrome, rather than one of the other 130 meanings of the acronym TMS? I think a more proximate physical explanation is likely given what has been described - recent change of exercise regime with longer distance walking. Advising someone to walk through foot pain even when it is plantar fasciitis doesn't appear particularly helpful. There are proven stretching and taping techniques that can alleviate the pain and address the underlying physical conditions causing it if it is plantar fasciitis, and do no harm if it isn't.

Seeing a medical practitioner to get a better diagnoses would be a better first step.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hi Seren - your complaint is what basically forced me to abandon my VLDP Camino after just 105 km. I am still being treated for the complaint more than 10 weeks after I stopped walking. Yes you should see both a physio and a podiatrist - the orthotics (full length ones) may have to be made specifically for your foot. Also look at how you lace your shoes/boots, try reducing the tension across the area of your foot in front of the arch but before the toes. Yes shoes should be tight but not so that the prevent your feet from expanding as you walk and the feet get hot. Hope you are able to start and finish your Camino.

 

[Deanna]

Are there physiotherapists along the French way that can assist with a good strapping of the foot now and then?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is therapy advertised all along the route, some for massages, some for foot care. The level of therapist qualification may be variable.

 

[CanPete]

Wow, a lot of advice posted ! As a Physiotherapist I would recommend and agree with what seems to be a common thread in most of the recommendations/comments, which is to get some professional advice. Podiatrist or PT, or even chiro for that matter; just make sure they have an interest in biomechanics and are skilled in diagnosing and treatment of challenges in the lower extremities. Be suspicious if after a 3 minute look they try to sell you $$$ worth of any kind of device/service. Your exercise history, gait and footwear need to be part of all considerations.

Going by your description it is not necessarily Plantar Fasciitis, usually symptoms of PF are associated with mid- and posterior-arch pain (closer to the calcaneus). Off the bat my guess would be that the arch of you meta tarsals (a secondary arch in your forefoot) might be compromised in some way . . . But that's a hunch based on your description of the pain and the described onset of the symptoms . . . Stretching is usually part of treatment advice, yet not applicable to all. That goes just as much for orthotics for that matter, wether they are custom or store bought . . .

Hope this helps a bit, looking at the date of your post you might have finished walking last year already ?? Either way, Buen Camino !!

 

[Kanga]

Go to a good podiatrist, someone with experience dealing with walkers. There are so many possibilities as to what is going wrong you need it properly diagnosed. You need a professional to look at your feet and what you are wearing, carrying, and your gait. Only you have your feet!

My own experience, which is probably quite irrelevant, was that several days into my second Camino I started getting internal foot pain. From that day to the end of the Camino I had to stop every hundred or so paces, and stretch my feet inside my boot. Stretching stopped the pain but it came back as soon as I started walking again. It was not totally disabling but bad enough. On arriving home my podiatrist immediately diagnosed the problem - the boots were too rigid and my feet need to flex. One of the reasons I now wear runners.

 

[Brendan Dawson]

#1......see a podiatrist !
Listening to any other advice is like entering "foot pain" into an Internet search.....lot's of answers, none of them specific to you!
I have had them all....stress fractures, bone spurs, neuromas, PF, sprains, etc....40 years of running, 35 Marathons, countless lesser distances and two lifetimes of training miles...Two knees replaced, one hip replaced and a collapsed left arch. The answer for me is a set of "custom" orthotics. Very simple, "very" specific !
The answer may be just as precise for you.....or not!

See my first line......then get a second opinion from another Podiatrist !

Just reread my reply.....sounds OK......but as I am starting my first Camino (Camino Frances) on April 25th, I will post the result and then we can asses success!

Buen Camino


Sent from my iPad using Camino de Santiago Forum mobile app
Brendan

 

[DeadFred]

Just finishing up 6 months of therapy for a right foot injury . My issue is foot neuropathy due to Type 2 diabetes . 50% of the feeling in the bottom of my feet "kaput" . Or was . Meds and therapy have improved it immensely .

Half way thru a 7 mi wooded trek the center of my right foot started hurting , by the second day it was swollen . Later the Dr surmised I stepped on a sharp rock but didn't feel it . I was laid up 2 months from hiking before I could even slowly start my walking again.

I am now back 95% with much caution and full pack walking 4-5 miles daily . I leave in 175 days . I am ticketed and reservations made in St Jean ..So I WATCH where I walk and go with the knowledge that the next step could be my last one Camino wise .

 

[Kanga]

#1......see a podiatrist !
Listening to any other advice is like entering "foot pain" into an Internet search.....lot's of answers, none of them specific to you!
Brendan

Couldn't agree more!

 

[serenalms]

Hey everyone! Thanks for the advice. I'm the OP and finished walking last November, so I thought I'd follow up.

Before I shelled out the money to go to a podiatrist or physiotherapist, I went to a popular running store and asked for advice. They took a look at my feet and shoes, and instantly told me I was suffering from a collapsed arch. I got some really great insoles (SOLE Softec Ultra - for those interested). I talked to a Physical Therapist who told me to rest for a bit, gave me some stretched, and told me to try an arch brace. I bought a super cheap foot arch brace (Pedifix Arch Bandage) and noticed a HUGE difference when I wore it. Between learning and doing all the proper stretches, the new insoles, and the arch bandage, I was able to successfully walk the Camino all the way to Santiago. Stretching before and after was incredibly important as well - on days I would be too lazy too stretch properly, I felt it, particularly in my achilles tendon.

It wasn't without pain, that's for sure, but I made it! And I did so relatively problem free.

I know it won't work for everybody, but stretching, proper insoles, and an arch bandage worked for me.

Probably more important than anything else, listen to your body and take rest days when needed. Many other people on the Camino did not do that, and unfortunately not all of them made it Santiago.

 

[CanPete]

Hey everyone! Thanks for the advice. I'm the OP and finished walking last November, so I thought I'd follow up.

Before I shelled out the money to go to a podiatrist or physiotherapist, I went to a popular running store and asked for advice. They took a look at my feet and shoes, and instantly told me I was suffering from a collapsed arch. I got some really great insoles (SOLE Softec Ultra - for those interested). I talked to a Physical Therapist who told me to rest for a bit, gave me some stretched, and told me to try an arch brace. I bought a super cheap foot arch brace (Pedifix Arch Bandage) and noticed a HUGE difference when I wore it. Between learning and doing all the proper stretches, the new insoles, and the arch bandage, I was able to successfully walk the Camino all the way to Santiago. Stretching before and after was incredibly important as well - on days I would be too lazy too stretch properly, I felt it, particularly in my achilles tendon.

It wasn't without pain, that's for sure, but I made it! And I did so relatively problem free.

I know it won't work for everybody, but stretching, proper insoles, and an arch bandage worked for me.

Probably more important than anything else, listen to your body and take rest days when needed. Many other people on the Camino did not do that, and unfortunately not all of them made it Santiago.

Just curious, was it the big arch front to back, or the one under the base of your toes ?

 

[serenalms]

Just curious, was it the big arch front to back, or the one under the base of your toes ?

The arch right in the middle of my foot. The arch bandage I got (Pedifix Arch Bandage) wrapped around the middle, like a tube.

 

[Brendan Dawson]

The arch right in the middle of my foot. The arch bandage I got (Pedifix Arch Bandage) wrapped around the middle, like a tube.

Very happy that you feel that it worked out....and congrats on success!
Having worked in a running store, I can tell you that advice from there is generally "pretty good". Employees get to see a lot of foot related injuries so they certainly bring an experienced "eye" to the subject.....but it has to be said, few have any formal training so their analysis, while usually well meaning is, at best, questionable. It certainly sounds like someone got it right for you....
But I would still caution all to see a professional......maybe not the cheapest but certainly the best educated.
As long as they don't immediately start talking "surgery", I find them worth listening to!
No! I am not a Podiatrist.....nor do I play one on television.
Good Luck All"....

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