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A little advice on pain relief and any alternative remedies for the following would be sooo much appreciated:

I have high arched feet and have suffered with arch pain on and off my whole life but it has been getting progressively worse over the last month or so and I am now in constant pain in my left foot (the arch near the heel)
My feet also turn in when I walk (apparantly called 'over pronation' I have just discovered) When I was very little I used to see a chiropodist and had special shoes to try and correct this (I had to wear them at night).
I was always aware that I had this problem but until recently it only really worried me because my feet have a tendency to slip off the inside of flip flops!

I have also been suffering from shin splints when I walk for longer than about 10 mins on and off for a couple of years, this recently has been getting much worse so I did some research (thank you google!) and have discovered that the shin splints are caused by the overpronation!! (apparently it's quite rare to have both high arches and overpronation?) yay I thought! So I went to a specialist shop got some advice and came out with a pair of (£25!!) orthotic insoles which should solve both problems!

Now my shin splints have improved slightly but the pain in my feet (esp the left) is getting worse. Its especially bad after a period of rest and I limp quite badly when I get up in the mornings. (I've been wearing the insoles for 2 weeks or so)

I will be going to doctors as soon as I can register with one but as I am living temporarily with friends at the mo its not that easy.

In meantime I would be grateful for any help or advice anyone thinks they can offer.

(and if you managed to read all that and are still with me, thanks!! I know its hardly scintillating reading!! )

Not sure how to help with your problems but just to let you know you can see any Dr on a temporary basis - you just sign a form. So don't let not being registered prevent you from seeking help.

hi Loobyloo, i also suffer from painful heel syndrome...... or 'planter fasciitis' as it's known. It's to do with the ligaments that connect your heel to the ball of your foot, ( & is also related to probs with arches). Like you, after a period of rest, if i start to walk then i hobble like a goodun' for a few paces. Before i fall out of bed in the mornings, i do some foot excercises which consist, mainly, of rotating my feet/ankles (if you see what i mean), & then some stretching to 'loosen up' the Achillies tendon. You may also find that a anti-inflammatory tablet (aspirin/ibuprofen e.g.) may help. Apparently a major cause of the condition is "overload", i.e. prolonged periods of standing,etc. Hope this is helpful. Andrew. P.S. sorry, can't help with the shinsplints, altho' i do know they are painful.

me again. Can you not register with the local surgery? Surely, as long as you have a N.I. number & a contact address it should'nt be a problem. If/when you move on, then you can transfer....... maybe it's not that easy nowadays as i have'nt had to go thro' that rigmarole for some years!

pumpy wrote:me again. Can you not register with the local surgery? Surely, as long as you have a N.I. number & a contact address it should'nt be a problem. If/when you move on, then you can transfer....... maybe it's not that easy nowadays as i have'nt had to go thro' that rigmarole for some years!

I'm going to try and do that but they need my NHS card and its at the bottom of one of many boxes in storage! Going to try and find it tonight tho, fun fun.

Thanks for the advice!

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they dont need your nhs card. just give them the address of your last doctor, they will tke it from there.






i know this from being a person who loses her nhs card about 3 times a year lol!!!

What you need is a podietrest or bio mechanic ... not a chropodist the spellings You need to have orthotics made for your problem not something off the shelf. You can see one via the NHS but as ever there will be a list If you ever get to Aylesbury my lass is working in ... you know I have no idea what its called ... its a footcare center in a store ... as she can't get work in the Nash even though they paid for her 4 years med degree how mad is that but she would sort you out ...

Silver Ether wrote:What you need is a podietrest or bio mechanic ... not a chropodist the spellings You need to have orthotics made for your problem not something off the shelf. You can see one via the NHS but as ever there will be a list If you ever get to Aylesbury my lass is working in ... you know I have no idea what its called ... its a footcare center in a store ... as she can't get work in the Nash even though they paid for her 4 years med degree how mad is that but she would sort you out ...

Thanks Silver Ether, will bear that in mind, going ot be travelling round UK shortly so if I'm going to be in the area I will pop in!

Went to register at the GP yesterday (sans NHS card and limping all the way) but when the receptionist told me on tuesday that they were open til 6.30 she neglected to say ' but not on thursdays!!'

So going to try and get there tonight and get an appointment for mondaY

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