Podological support soles

It was somewhere in May I believe that my heel hurt the first time.  Since the pandemic I had not varied my shoes much anymore but had worn my good old decathlon walking shoes...just basic sneaker types for a couple of years most of the year non-stop and they had worn out so I bought new ones. And the new ones weren't comfortable.  Aaaagh the pain of new shoes, that's why I hate buying new shoes.

So my feet were painful and I wore some alternatives and then it was nice weather and I could switch to sandals for the rest of the summer mostly.  

Yet now, and then I vaguely had a sore heel and I remember it more actively in August. I dismissed it and didn't give it too much thought.  "Ha, I'm mostly wearing flip-flops now, that can't be good,... I'll surely get better when I wear proper shoes that support my feet better".  But it never went away anymore.  I wasn't in pain as if I couldn't do all the activities I wanted , or as if I needed pain relief.  But my left heel was present.  It drew my attention more frequently, and it still did when temperatures cooled down, and I was wearing proper shoes again.

But in November and early December I walked quite a lot - at one point I had, 13000 steps a day on average - and the background pain had become constant.  A few times at night in bed I felt it, a couple of times in the morning, my first steps were a small limp. It passed again, but I guess I could no longer ignore it so mid-December I visited the doctor with my complaint. 

He sent me to a specialized podological centre to get some soles...Fine, I'm working from home tomorrow, I figured so I'll go and pick some up.   Ouch, good that I looked it up beforehand: there was a month's wait time for a first appointment. Say whaaat?? And the price of these things were also twice-tripel what I would have assumed and non-refundable.   There seems to be a difference between support soles and podological soles. The first type can be prescribed and refunded, the latter don't.  

Ugh, so Jan told me to phone the doctor again and ask for an alternative. But mid-December was quite epidemic with doctor's offices being overloaded.  Additionally his working hours overlapped with my agenda filled with meetings so I only managed to phone him 10 days later....well a bit silly to complain about the waiting time only 10 days later. And in the meantime it was almost Christmas break, so I assumed any place would now take delays...so I decided to simply wait it out and see what happened.  
I noticed in the meantime that reducing my walks a little had an immediate effect, so I took it easy in the Christmas vacation. The weather didn't permit to spend much time outdoors anyhow, much to my chagrin. 

So on January 10th I showed up at the podological centre where I was extensively measured from knee to toe in all positions.  Then I had to walk on the treadmill for a while with camera's pointed on my feet in all angles etc... Then I had to step into a sort of rubber bottom to leave all sorts of footprints.  I realized while walking that podology is a whole industry and specialism I wasn't aware off that it exists. People and tools and equipment exist that to full-time measure and correct those little bones at the bottom of our body.  A whole new world! 

I asked for the difference between support soles (prescribed and refunded) and podological soles:   support soles are calculated from a static posture to give support. In order to get refunded, they need to be adjusted on 2 points but the rest is prefab apparently (this is a podological centre speaking with jealousy and frustration obviously, no objective speech).  Podological soles are calculated from a dynamic movement and are 100% personalized, but not recognised by the government.  Hmm ok. 

And then I got the verdict:  apparently my calf muscles and tibia muscle is too short...hence that I have never ever in my life succeeded in touching the floor with straight legs.  Screw that common yoga position, I am just dangling my hands in the air.  But that means that I overstretch my heel with each step forward and backward. 
And on top of that your ankle is supposed to wobble 5° inwards or outwards (I forgot) as a shock absorber of each step but I do the double.  And soles should correct that in shoes that give proper support. I had , as instructed, brought along multiple of my frequent shoes to the consultation and they all got thoroughly investigated and all had a red card for some reason. Ugh...new shoe shopping will need to be extensive in 2023 and I hate new shoes. 

Anyway, none of it was mandatory. I just got the advice and could go home without soles ordered but after all the wait and the whole consultation, not ordering them felt a bit stupid despite the price.  It's not like I didn't know they'd recommend soles to me.   I could ask my doctor for a physiotherapist that would teach me to stretch my lower muscles more regularly, but somehow I didn't think that would solve my pain in my heel on its own.   I don't think I can stretch out an extra cm of muscle there in the short run.  So...the soles were ordered.  

A week later I could pick them up in a whole other personalization session where I had to describe the first sentiment, "that feels weird and annoying! "  And some more adaptation iterations.  More of my shoes got judged, and we placed them in my current winter boots that I wear most at the moment.   

Over the last month I had to slowly adjust to the soles in short sessions, so I've been going to the office with 2 sets of shoes and switching them around.  I've come to the point that I am no longer bothered by the soles in a swift march, on the contrary, but when standing still for a long time is still annoying.  
And the pain in my heel...that's way too early to tell.  I should only be pain free by May.    But in the meantime, I am so used to the simmering awareness of my heel that I'm not paying much attention to it anymore. I guess I am confident that it won't worsen anymore.

So this winter, since I don't wear them full time yet, I am good enough with a couple of walking shoes in which I can position the soles.  But I had a check in my cupboard, and that won't be the case in the summer. Blah, I'll need to shop, and I'll need to find some sandals with an upper heel that can fit the soles.  And I'll need to feel and adjust and decide to which degree I wear them full time or not. It's up to me.  But the more I wear them, the more effective they should be.  To be continued.