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Sudden feet growth and pain while trying to find new shoes that fit. Is this TMS?

Discussion in 'General Discussion Subforum' started by Magnolia, May 5, 2021.

  1. Magnolia

    Magnolia New Member

    Hi all, I am new to this forum, buy have been reading this for about 5 years now. That’s because I have been struggling with all sorts of different TMS issues for about 10 years, since 2012. I was always hesitant to join in for various reasons, but now I am at a complete dead end and am desperate for help.
    You see, suddenly in March of this year, I noticed that my shoes are not fitting at all—primarily on my right foot. There was no gradual tightening of the shoes that I felt in the preceding months, but a sudden and severe widening and lengthening of the first and second toes, both primarily of the right foot. Most people would just go to the shoe store and get a new pair of sneakers, but it took me a month to do so, because I was so suspicious that my feet could have literally grown so fast and suddenly, without any logical reason. I thought this was very unusual and visited two foot specialist orthopedists, a podiatrist, and a chiropractor, who all agreed this phenomenon was very unusual, and “never seen”. There was nothing structurally wrong, per say, except for hypermobile joints which led to “splaying” of my feet upon weight-bearing. This made my feet unusually wide, and this had most likely led to the widening and lengthening of my right foot.
    So after a month of denying my feet growth and jamming my foot into small sneakers and painfully limping during my daily walks, I started shoe shopping in April. For a whole month, I tried on/purchased close to 140 pairs of sneakers in every brand, in every style, size, and width, visiting every online and brick-and-mortar specialty sneaker store and shoe store in NYC. The verdict? My sudden feet growth had led to pizza-shaped feet (super wide width and narrow heels), which in conjunction with minimal fat padding on the bottom of my feet and hypermobility, could not comfortably fit into a single pair of sneakers.
    Why only sneakers, you may ask? In 2012, I tore my right achilles, without any apparent trauma, and after being completely immobile for a whole 2 months for recovery, I realized I had to take care of my feet and legs and have worn nothing except sneakers since then. I also had some herniated discs in my mid and lower back from wearing high heels nonstop in my twenties, and so this was another reason to switch to sneakers as my primary shoe option.
    So now it’s May, and I am going bonkers(in both the figurative and literal sense), as I used to be a very active person who would walk 6-7 miles a day, and do pilates, weights, and HIIT exercises 4-5 times a week. Ever since this feet issue, I have been only able to walk 3-4 miles a day, every single time with excruciating pain, either by wearing shoes that fit my heel but are super-tight and painfully rubbing both the sides and top of the shoe, or by wearing shoes that fit better in the front and width, but super-loose at the heel and cause massive strain and pain on my calves and achilles, and eventually make my feet cram into the front. I’m so emotionally and mentally worn-out trying figure this out, I no longer have the energy to do even yoga or pilates. On the rare occasion that I have found a shoe or two that fit overall, the shoe has insufficient support and causes intolerable pain on the bottom of my feet and legs due to the lower heel-to-toe drop. Then other times the shoe is too heavy or stiff, too bouncy and wobbly, ultimately all causing pain in various different areas on the top, bottom, and sides of my feet, as well as severe pain in front, sides, and back of my legs.
    Yes, I have tried to “walk through” the massive discomfort and leg and feet pain, and consequently had to rest for days afterwards because of the resulting strain and pain of it.
    FYI, I have been wearing Mizunos for the past 6 years, alternating between two models(the wave rider and inspire) that used to fit my relatively wider width and narrow heel, which also provided the best support for my hypermobile and rather flat feet.
    I have spent thousands of hours pouring over information regarding feet anatomy and shoes, medical journals, sneaker types and gait analysis, and forums to find a solution to this crazy perplexing issue that doesn’t make any sense and is making me into a cripple, abeit, a cripple with functioning legs and feet.
    Can someone please help me figure out this issue? I have ‘sudden googled feet growth/widening’ all over the internet and the TMS wiki forum and have yet to find anything remotely close to this nightmare situation. I have been unable to be functional for the past two months, because I live in NYC, where I have to walk everywhere, and am unable to do simple tasks like getting groceries because I cannot weight bear for very long since I have yet to find a pair of sneakers that don’t cause pain. Yes, I have tried sandals, loafers, and all types of “comfortable” shoes—even shoes for diabetic patients, and nothing has worked.
    Thanks to anyone who has read this long post. Would love any help or info on this issue.
    Many thanks in advance.
     
  2. Balsa11

    Balsa11 Well known member

  3. Magnolia

    Magnolia New Member

    Thanks, Balsa. I have read that link & an well-aware of the info. I'm just overwhelmed how my feet growth was so sudden & how I cannot find any sneaker that fits without pain. Even with splayed feet I think I should be able to find something that fits.
     
    Balsa11 likes this.
  4. Andy Bayliss

    Andy Bayliss TMS Coach & Beloved Grand Eagle

    Hi Magnolia,

    Welcome to the Forum and Wiki. I like that you recently posted "finding healing" on your profile. That shows me that you're hopeful about this.

    I am not familiar with the situation you describe, but I'll suggest something which might help.

    Find a custom shoe person. They exist. Get a pair of shoes which feel OK to wear, and take this part of your worry away. This might really help, because I think you're worried about the feet, and you're worried about shoes. Why not remove one of these elements, rather simply? Then you can relax that part of your worried-ness. Then take it from there....

    Andy
     
    Magnolia likes this.
  5. Magnolia

    Magnolia New Member

    Hi Andy,

    Thanks for the warm welcome. I appreciate your advice and have already visited a custom shoe place and am in the process of getting it made. Because of my highly precarious feet, I don't know if the support of the shoe will be okay, despite the fit of the shoe adequate. Please lmk if you have any other ideas pertaining to this topic. Shoe number 169 today. Can you believe so many different types of sneakers exist? Can't wait to walk without pain, constriction, and for walking to be a stress-relieving experience again.

    Mag.
     

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