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Day 21: My VFFs Work Great – My Foot Not So Much

by Daniel Dessinger » on Sep 06, 2009 0

vibramI went to Richland High School yesterday morning to try out my VFF Classics on the track. Since Run #1 went well on the treadmill, I decided it was time to test alternative surfaces, i.e. the track and the football field.

I took my video camera with me to record this epic event. Unfortunately, HD video takes FOREVER to download to the computer and upload to a site like Viddler or YouTube. So unless God smiles down on me and grants me a sucky technology pardon, I’m skipping the footage this time.

Run #2 was surprisingly easy on my left foot. It’s now the day after and I have no soreness in my left foot, ankle, shin, or knee. My right foot is another story. My post-surgery pain is ridiculous.

Back in the Day

I had surgery on my right ankle 3-4 years ago. I did NOT rehab it properly. I made a bad decision that, as far as I can tell, still costs me. Shortly after wearing the boot until it was “healed”, I began playing basketball. My foot ached intensely, as though it were being overworked and the muscles couldn’t handle the strain. I stopped playing for a while, hoping that the muscles would strengthen on their own and I’d eventually be able to play again.

Fast forward two years. I haven’t played but a handful of times since then. And even with seriously padded basketball shoes, my right foot would ache so bad I felt guilty for putting it under so much strain.

I went back to the surgeon who operated and asked him to check it out. X-Rays came back normal. My bones healed up nicely since the surgery. I did NOT have an MRI at this time, however, because I couldn’t afford it. The surgeon seemed satisfied that whatever pain I was experiencing wasn’t his fault, and he let me leave without recommending any further action. I got the impression that he didn’t care about pain as long as the bones were good.

What We Do or Don’t Do Actually Matters

So here I am. It’s 2009. I should have taken care of my foot a long time ago. But it still hurts every day when I put pressure on the inside edge of my foot. It shoots pain into my arch, my ankle, and through the middle of my foot.

The VFFs are great shoes, and I was hoping that since they are so much more muscle intensive than most shoes, I was hoping that I’d strengthen my stabilizer muscles and what-have-you just by wearing them on a daily basis. I’m now starting to second guess my logic.

If something is actually damaged, no amount of strengthening will repair it. It feels like there is a wound, based on the amount of sharp pain I feel when I put my weight on a certain area. I guess I’ll have to bite the bullet and go see a foot doctor. Oh, the joy.

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