[pct-l] Foot, ankle, leg pain, shin splints, etc.

[Dan Jacobs]

So we have all seen the recent messages about foot pain or concern
that there will be foot pain while hiking, or ankle pain, shin
splints, etc. I have done alittle thinking on this, as I am in the
process of not only losing weight (280 lbs is a little heavy for
anyone to go for long walk in the woods, even if you are *all* muscle,
like me* ;-) but also relearning how to walk so that my feet, ankles,
and legs work like they are supposed to as propulsion devices but also
as shock absorbers, and not injure myself.

(* I am not all muscle, but the parts of me that aren't all muscle
want to be all muscle when they grow up.)

Unfortunately for many of us, the only advice I can really give is
simple, yet likely painful for many.

*SLOW* *DOWN*!!! What's the big rush anyways? Wherever you are going
will be there when you get there. Unless you are in California, in
which case you better hurry up before that part you are headed for
slides off into the ocean. Stop reading this now and get going before
it's gone!Just kidding, it will be there throughout the summer, I
*promise*!

I may be overweight, but I'm in decent aerobic condition, have no
cardiac or vascular troubles, and I do like to test my boundaries now
and then. However, in my experience, when I injure myself or find at
the end of the day, or worse at the beginning of the next one, that I
am really sore, stiff, and in pain is after I have pushed my feet,
ankles, and legs too hard for too long.

Just who am I writing this declaration for? Myself, really, but are
there others that could benefit from my thoughts about my own
situation being put down in this message and transmitted out to
everyone? I think there are. I scanned recent mail and the archives.
We all clearly deal with pain while on the trail. On this list, you
deal with me, a pain in your *neck*. You can't eliminate pain, but you
can minimize it, or you can see one of the lines from my particular
annoying signature block at the near end of this message. To eliminate
the pain in your neck I give you, delete my messages before you even
read one single word. See? Easy peasy!

When I hear of something I don't know anything about, I search for it
and get at least enough info about it to have a basic understanding.
Plantar fasciitis, ankle strains, stress fractures, shin splints,
painful and stiff muscles, etc., all can come from abuse. More than
mild pain, the kind of mild soreness you might get that feels kind of
satisfying in that "I really enjoyed that hike/run/ride/swim" is your
body's way of saying "You were trying too hard, and now I need time
for repair".

Hey, of course these problems can be from other things, but in a very
general sense, if it hurts, slow down a little. If it keeps hurting
after you've slowed down, you might have a real long term problem, and
you need to help it, find the problem and try to fix it.

I have been very hard on my perambulation parts. I now hope I can use
them in a way that makes all of me, but especially them, as happy as
can be! If my lower extremities could only smile, they'd do it once,
early in the morning, and get it the hell over with.

Dan
-- 
"Loud motorcycle stereos save lives."
Motorcycle to hike, hike to motorcycle.
Make a friend of pain and you'll never be alone.