materialhiker

[materialhiker]

plantar fasciitis: a prison

Taking care of your feet is the number one rule in the hiker bible. After experiencing grief in all areas of my life all I wanted to do was HIKE. I live in Southern New Jersey, so hiking around here is not very interesting. I planned on doing a LASH (Long Ass Section Hike) on the Appalachian trail. It was the perfect cure to a recent breakup I was going through. What could go wrong?

Plantar fucking Fasciitis. 

After an x-ray and having to cancel my hopeful-therapeutic trip to Jim Thorpe I am left icing and elevating my left foot which seems to be suffering from Plantar Fasciitis. I have no motivation now to plan a weekend trip let alone a month long hiking trip up the coast. 

Thinking on my foot pain, I see the red flags. Flat footwear. No stretching. No days off. Foot pain can also reflect emotional wounds that must be healed. Chronic stress and anxiety can affect your feet in ways you wouldn’t believe! Taking care of your feet is a holistic journey of healing: physically and mentally. 

Caring for my feet (and my soul) has become a priority and if it wasn’t now, it’d be later, because lets be honest, my feet are an after thought. I work long hours at my job, constantly on my feet and putting in a lot of steps. Why did I not think to care for my feet like I needed them?

Plantar fasciitis can feel like a prison because you are unable to walk outside and enjoy the things that make you feel happy to be alive. I feel trapped in my home, unable to search for an option or even a trip to get myself out of my funk and my comfort zone. 

Stay tuned as my foot heals and I find power after grieving because once I do its over for you hoes! I am seriously trying to remind myself that life is big and long and I have lots of time to heal from this injury and this breakup. And lots of time to hike many many trails and inspire lots of people. But for now, we heal. 

Here are some resources I have been using! Foot baths, massages (using a massage ball is amazing), special socks, and ofcourse: the frozen water bottle. Good shoes are a must: not just for hiking and running, but also for day to day footwear. I cannot emphasize how important that is! 

frozen water bottle to roll on arch

https://www.rei.com/product/872985/pro-tec-athletics-spiky-ball-massage-ball?sku=8729850001&store=94&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_8729850001%7C92700057782308407%7CNB%7C71700000074093058&gclid=Cj0KCQiA64GRBhCZARIsAHOLriJwPiIGsH_Hfic68InaiT5M_9or8JWccWgU_dHjCRMgxX1nqK6VOksaAtf8EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

spiky massage ball 

foot baths and a book, a must.

https://www.my-happyfeet.com/products/multi-color-foot-alignment-socks?variant=4753188996¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&keyword=&matchtype=&adposition=&device=c&network=u&gclid=Cj0KCQiA64GRBhCZARIsAHOLriJi5cRplscd9678wYEOx3CJYWGDV9yEskurMAo7wysKUg27ggz6sFQaAoVHEALw_wcB