The Foot - series of articles for athletes + others

I'm going to read those articles when I have some more time. I have problems with my feet.

I've been reading these articles gradually. A world of information there...

thought I'd post this one, but you may still be able to read the full batch of articles from my link above.

This one is about toe exercise - and could be really useful to some.


Work that toe! Work it!

Yes, feet need exercise to stay strong and flexible. Stretching classes and tools help.
By Janet Cromley, Times Staff Writer

I guarantee there are no foot aerobics classes around here, but I have been doing some of the exercises from the article when I think of it. Granted, it's probably not often enough to do me any good. I do one where you try to scrunch a towel with your toes. I hope it's doing some good. I have two conditions, plantar faciitis and Morton's neuroma. I think they are both associated with weakening connective tissue.

I think I've had capsulitis for decades and not known it except for the odd occasion of not being able to walk, say after walking around in, for example, san francisco, on vacation for days. Slap slap slap on concrete with my high arched foot. So I've worn cushioned shoes with good arch support all this time, and that has mostly worked - though it's affected my wardrobe toward the less fetching.

Interesting articles.

I suffer from Morton's neuroma too, Swimpy. After years at home with my kids and always wearing sneakers I went back to work, stuffing my feet into narrow, modest, heels. Next thing I know I can hardly walk. Now I have indoor, outdoor, and dress-up Birkenstocks and wear custom orthotics in everything else (wide width New Balance mostly). It has improved though -- I have those Dr Scholl insoles for diabetes/arthritis in some runners and can wear them without orthotics if not walking for hours. We do a range of toe and foot exercises when warming up for t'ai chi -- I guess it's helped!

I just developed the neuroma in the past year or so. I have two pairs of shoes that have wide enough toe boxes that I can where them without pain all day. I don't know if the exercises are helping, but I'll try to remember to do them more often.

What's capsulitis, osso?

Capsulitis is described in this article (part of the series of articles about feet) -


January 1, 2007


Action plan


From the pickup basketball player to the motivated marathoner, all who exercise can suffer the agony of the feet.

During the simple act of walking, the foot absorbs one-and-a-half times the body's weight. In running, it bears two to three times the body's weight. One giant leap to dunk a basketball can ratchet that force up even higher. Because one stress fracture can seriously derail an entire sports career, researchers are continually studying athletes to determine the optimum methods of training and treatment, to both prevent and care for these injuries.

The most common athletics-related injuries, say sports medicine orthopedists and podiatrists, are plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, neuromas, capsulitis and stress fractures.

Plantar fasciitisAchilles tendinitisNeuromasCapsulitisStress fractures

It sounds very similar to Morton's neuroma. Have you had a diagnosis. I haven't and assumed that's what I have.

No, but it sounds exactly right. I did go to an orthopedist decades ago, just after that time I walked many days in san francisco and could hardly walk after - and he did xrays, etc. Told me about the high arch and the way the some high arched feet can hit concrete expecially hard re the ball of the foot, and then solved my problem by suggesting a certain running shoe (they didn't make women's running shoes back then, or were just beginning to.)
Anyway, those running shoes with arch support, the smallest men's adidas I could find, fixed the problem immediately. So, I've always since followed Runner's World suggestions for my type of feet, and generally avoided the problem. I end up wearing Dansko's a lot in every day life, and Air Max sneakers when walking miles on concrete.