A Small Piece of Advice...

So... the trip to the podiatrist is over (sort of...I have to go back next week) and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, although it wasn't good either.  Plantar faciitis is the official diagnosis, although I also have a bone spur on my heel (a result of ignoring the plantar faciitis in the first place...) I had to have a cortizone shot in the bottom of my foot (and when I said "be honest, is this going to hurt?" he replied..."well, it's a needle in the bottom of your foot..." so I guess I win an award for stupid question of the day...and YES, it hurt.  ) After the shot, he strapped and taped my foot (helping while sleeping but super annoying while showering since it can't get wet) and they have taken molds of my feet for orthotics...which I will get in two weeks. BUT...the good news is, that about 5-6 hours after the cortizone shot my foot STOPPED HURTING!  Yay!  Which leads me to the the part of this post I'd like to call...

THINGS I WISH I'D KNOW SOONER

• Going barefoot all day is really, really, really, really hard on your feet.  In fact, it was probably a major contributor to my problem.  Shoes are seriously uncomfortable, but compared to the pain I have been living with, shoes are a breeze.  Unfortunately, when you are young and pain free, you're not likely to heed this piece of advice and wear shoes all day...
• People talk all the time about high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc...as a result of being overweight, but rarely do you hear about what happens to your feet until it happens.  I should have lost all this extra weight years ago...but late is better than never, so I have new motivation to get moving.
• Flip flops are the worst shoes ever invented and should be banned.  Sure, you're getting all that fresh air circulating around your feet, you stay cooler than wearing athletic shoes, and they are quick to put on when you're in a hurry.  Unfortunately, you're also getting hammer toe, horrible callouses, and fallen arches (and did I mention plantar faciitis?)
• Treadmills, while good for your waistline, are not so great for your feet.  We've all heard the term "pounding pavement"...but when you're on a treadmill, you're also pounding.  They have no give, so your feet take a lot of abuse.  It's still better than not working out at all, but an elliptical is a better option.

So... now that I know what I know it's time to make changes.  The doctor informed me that my barefoot days (and days of flip flops) are OVER...permanently.  It's athletic shoes for me, all day every day (and while this sounds horrible...again...after the pain I've had I will do anything to keep it from coming back)  I have gone back on the treadmill but I'm thinking maybe I'll look into water aerobics again.  I lost a lot of weight and really toned up back in my college days with water aerobics, and loved it also...Hopefully there are classes that will work with my schedule. And of course, I will be enjoying walking without a limp.