No Arches

Yesterday I found out I am flat-footed.

I read in a shoe catalog about how to find out if you have arches or not.  You wet your feet and then stand on a piece of paper, and from the outline of your feet, you can tell if you're flat-footed, high arched, or just in-between.

I asked my physical therapist, Jeannie Dufrene, what kind of new sneakers to buy.  She said, "it depends on your feet."  I told her about what I'd read, and she said, "I can tell you right now.  Here. take off your shoes and socks, and let me take a picture of your feet."  She got her cell phone and took pictures from the front and back view of my feet.

Wow!  Even I could tell I am flat-footed!  And feet are not the prettiest part of my body, even though I just had a deluxe pedicure, courtesy of my friend Amy, who gave me a gift certificate last Christmas, and I finally got around to using it two days ago.

My physical therapist asked if one leg was shorter than the other.  I said, "I think one is, but I don't know which one."  She said, "Lie down on this table and let me measure you."  She took a tape measure and measured from the point on my hip bone down the length of my leg.  "Your left leg is 1/2 inch longer than your right leg."

I said, "O.K. so I need orthotics for my arches."  Jeannie said, "Yeah, and you can try them for a while, and then see if you can get a lift for your right shoe."  I said, "I never knew, until I read that article in the shoe catalog, that having flat feet can affect your knees.  Maybe if I start wearing these orthotics, my knees will get better."  Jeannie said, "I'll start you off with these - they're mild.  You can use them for about six months, and then move up to moderate.  But only wear them for two hours a day, or you might have pains because of the new orthotics."  I said, "O.K., I 'll just wear them when I'm working out."

I am so happy to learn about all this, and I'm hoping this makes a difference.