On Thursday, December 1st I went with Susan when she met with a foot doctor to get treatment for two issues that have plagued her for some time. The first issue is the dreaded plantar fasciitis in both feet. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the tissue that connects the toes to the heel and creates the arch of the foot. It can be very painful. The second issue is a callus between her little toes on her right foot. While also painful, this issue can be more quickly resolved although relief is temporary. A third issue regarding two previously untreated broken or severely jammed toes remains unaddressed.
To address the plantar fasciitis Susan was outfitted with splints that she is supposed to wear whenever she's not on her feet and when sleeping. She's also supposed to do stretching exercises several times each day. However, she has found that the exercises aggravate her broken toes.
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| The entrance to Southern Orthopaedic Specialists in Stockbridge |
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| Dr. Williams checking Susan's foot |
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| Susan listening to Dr. William's advise |
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| Susan gets fitted for an Aircast Dorsal Night Splint |
After the trip to the foot doctor Susan and I drove up to Decatur to get her some new running shoes at Big Peach Running Company.
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| Big Peach Running Company in Decatur |
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| Susan getting her arches checked with a BPRC salesperson |
We left Big Peach with a new pair of Brooks Ghost 4 running shoes for Susan. While we were there we ran into Brad Kauffman. Brad, a 2010 Ironman Louisville finisher, used to work at the Trek store in McDonough before returning to college and starting work part-time at BPRC. Brad said that he also has experienced plantar fasciitis and recommended a Medi-Dyne Pro Stretch. He suggested rolling a frozen bottle of water along the underside of the foot as well.
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| Medi-Dyne Pro Stretch |
With Susan's broken toes it seems as though the Pro Stretch, or a similar device, may be her only option to get a good stretch. We didn't buy one of these while we were there but it looks like a lucky someone might be getting one for Christmas.
The reason for the interest in Susan's feet is that she's racing now too. Saturday, December 3rd was her second race. She ran the Jingle Jog 5K in McDonough, Georgia. A report on that race will soon follow.
Thanks for reading.
