By Florence Mattox of Paris, Texas
If you’re like me, you love spending time with your family. My granddaughter Lily just loves the playground and now, after years of lower back, hip and severe heel pain, I can be right there with her. A few weeks ago, I went to see my doctor, the pain in my right hip and lower back had become unbearable and my feet ached all the time. At 62 I had all but given up until she suggested I go to Foot Solutions. My pain, she thought was due to a combination of foot imbalance conditions.
It turns out Foot Solutions was located in the shopping center right around the corner from my home. I’ve driven by several times and have been meaning to stop by. What I didn’t know was that Foot Solutions isn’t just a shoe store. I met Tina, a Certified Pedorthist and her team. Tina wanted to evaluate my feet and after the examination, she felt certain that my pain was, indeed, foot related. I had a severe bunion, hammertoes and most importantly a bad case of plantar fasciitis, a painful condition that was causing my heel pain. Tina suggested we run a scan of my feet that would actually map the surface and show us where the problem areas were. It was amazing to see how the different colors indicated where my feet needed more support. I also learned that I had been wearing the wrong shoes. For years I’ve worn a size six, but my feet have actually changed over the years and what I’ve needed was a size seven. To help with the hammertoe and bunion Tina felt a shoe with a slightly wider shoe would do the trick.
Tina had noticed my interest in a pair of brown sandals I saw when I came into the store and suggested I try those on as well as a few pair of casual shoes and even a pair of boots. I could tell the difference instantly, these shoes felt great and looked terrific. Most importantly I needed a custom support insert, a special insole made just for me that would work in combination with my new shoes to give my feet the extra support they needed.
Now, after six weeks of wearing my new shoes and custom inserts, I’m almost pain free. In June, I’m going on a beach trip with the whole family and I couldn’t be more excited. If you have pain like I did, go to FootSolutions.com and find your nearest store or just call them at 1-800-FIT-FOOT. You’ll be glad you did, I sure am.