Thinking it through

[cjsmith]

Problem:
- The foot surgery didn't work and I am now back to feeling moderate pain with every step
- In a very short conversation, my doctor mentioned "PT and orthotics" for the non-neuroma foot problems
- My insurance won't pay for any more PT or any more orthotics this year
- PT (4 different bouts) and orthotics (multiple designs) have been demonstrably useless so far anyway

The tools I have available without spending lots of time or money:
- Cushiony insoles
- Metatarsal pads
- Massage
- Anti-inflammatory meds
- My adjustable Chaco sandals
- My post-op shoes

Tools I will have available later, once I've healed more fully from surgery:
- Discuss my ideas with my podiatrist
- Find (HOW??) a doctor who treats professional athletes and thus is less likely to wave away the problem
- See an orthopedist

Here are a few possible theories, with data that seem to support or contradict them and what action I should take if the theory happened to be right. It's quite possible that more than one of these guesses is right. It's also possible they're all completely wrong. Trying things might give me more information. It's something to do while I'm waiting.

1. Despite the MRI image not showing inflammation, the problem is inflammation
Support: the pain *acts* like classic chronic inflammation
Action: big buckets of anti-inflams
Contradiction: anti-inflams have done zilch the last several times I have had this thought and tried them

2. Pain is triggered by impact, not pressure
Actions: snug down the straps on my sandals, add LOTS of cushiony insoles, add metatarsal pads, use post-op shoes sometimes
Test: stand up without walking, for a very long time, and see whether this pain flares up

3. Pain is triggered by pressure, not impact
Actions: loosen sandals, add metatarsal pads, use post-op shoes sometimes
Test: while seated, strike the ball of my foot on the floor a bunch, and see whether this pain flares up

4. Pain is triggered by twisting/turning
Support: square dancing for two hours seems to be much worse than walking all afternoon
Actions: get snug, supportive shoes?
Test: walk at a moderate pace mostly in a straight line for a long time and see whether this pain flares up

5. Pain is made worse by correcting my pronation
Support: I had much less pain in the post-op shoes with no arch support at all
Actions: wear post-op shoes sometimes, cut out the arch area or whole medial portion of some insoles (to counteract my sandals' arch support) and wear those
Cautions: this will not be good for my ankles or knees, I shouldn't attempt to run this way

6. Pain is due to tissue damage which can be healed
Support: flexor tendons and plantar plate are the only remaining things that looked wrong on the MRI
Actions: deep tissue massage, vitamins, alternating heat and ice
Contradiction: tissue that can heal usually will and yet this hasn't for nearly two years

7. The pain is because my third and fourth metatarsals ride very low and have no fat pad underneath
Support: well, they do ride very low and have no fat pad underneath
Actions: orthotics with a "hole" under those metatarsal heads, add metatarsal pads, add LOTS of cushiony insoles, try to stretch the intermetatarsal ligaments by pushing on the bones multiple times a day
Alternate actions for later: discuss this with my podiatrist, find an orthopedist and discuss this idea

8. The pain will get better when some scar tissue goes away
Support: well, scar tissue IS abnormal
Actions: scar massage, waiting
Contradictions: much of the pain is far away from the scar tissue, I had this pain before surgery

Comments

Re: another option regarding dancing

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

...figure out which calls you can/can't do and which need to be modified, and get enough people to be in a square and do some modified version. [...] I know this suggestion sucks, honest I do.

I'm chuckling. I can imagine your tone as you say this. :-)

Actually, it's not as sucky an idea as it may appear. The tape group I dance with is notorious for cheats and short cuts, and while I'd love to have the ability to dance each call fully, it's great to be with a group who can react with perfect aplomb when I don't. They would occasionally even adopt my movement as a new "standard cheat" they'll use in the future!

Even with that, though, I'm going to have to stop. Square dancing even with those modifications is making me flare up very noticeably.

(Mainstream turns out to be horrid. "Swing your partner" makes me hobble for about four days.)

We did hand gestures for the things we could not do with our feet (I'm not kidding). It was very funny, ...

I love the mental image of gesturing with your hands to indicate what your feet WOULD be doing! I've been to conventions where exhausted square dancers sat in a square-shape on the floor and talked about dancing via laser-pointer. :-) Never done the laser-pointer thing myself, but I can imagine. :-)

Um, (another horrible question here): is there any other TYPE of dance that might be easier on the feet.

Possibly. This is where the hobby swap idea came from -- I am actively looking for another hobby I can pour my heart into. I'm not going to quit calling, and I will leave myself the possibility of coming back to square dancing if/when I recover, but I can't dance now and I am on the prowl for another hobby that will suit me as well. (A tall order!)

(To be more precise: these ideas APPEAR to suck, because the situation sucks.)

Yeah, that's what it really is.

Who knows? Maybe six months off is all I need. (Heh, hope never dies.)

Re: another option regarding dancing

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

Who knows? Maybe six months off is all I need. (Heh, hope never dies.)

Well, hope is spozed to not die. That's a GOOD thing. :)

The tape group I dance with is notorious for cheats and short cuts, and while I'd love to have the ability to dance each call fully, it's great to be with a group who can react with perfect aplomb when I don't. They would occasionally even adopt my movement as a new "standard cheat" they'll use in the future!

Sounds like a lovely group, with just the right sort of spirit!

Even with that, though, I'm going to have to stop.

Well, that is reasonable, and I hope you find something
hobby-wise that makes the non-dancing as painless as
possible. Something wonderful enough to have you so
distracted that you don't think much about what you
aren't doing. I'd like to someday have the time for
scrapbooking.