Walkers Foot PAIN...HELP!

I am walking 2-5 mi a day, either outdoors or on treadmill (dictated by weather) with varying speeds and inclines. I started at weight of 303lb and am down 45lb since March, now weigh 258lb.

I have not fallen, twisted my foot or anything but have suddenly been stricken with a searing, take your breath away, stop you dead in your tracks type stabbing pain right in the top right side of my right foot! I was unable to walk yesterday and I know how quickly this can ruin my routine.

Does anyone have any insight into this? Have you had it, what can I do? HELP!!!!

I remember when my shin splints started it was more top of foot shooting up my leg pain so might be shin splints --  of course you may want to research more on line Webmd has a pretty good symptom analyzer. 

You may need to invest in new shoes.  Make sure the shoes you get are for walking/ cross training and fit right.  I recommend New Balance for walking shoes. 

mostly what's on the top of your foot are tendons... and some very thin muscles

it is possible to sprain them, pull them, otherwise injure them.... also a tendon can move out of position, which can cause a lot of pain.

have you iced it?  when this has happened to me, i've iced it like this 20 minutes ice, 15 minute rest, 15 minutes ice, 10 minute rest, 10 minute ice, 5 minute rest, 5 minutes ice.

And take ibuprofin or tylenol, whatever works best for you

and if it doesn't feel better in a day or two, go to an ortho-hand & foot doc - you could also have a hairline fracture in a bone, or something else serious... ignoring it could make it worse and make it take longer to heal...

good luck!

bejthin - Go to the doctor, a podiatrist or an orthopaedist. You don't want to derail your great progress with an untreated injury.

Thanks for the input! I just listened to my body yesterday and didn't walk. It is weird because it is not constant, just sporatic, like someone stabbing you in the top of the foot. I will try the ice thing, I use Ryka stability shoes for walking and keep them new, if none of this helps..I will get checked out...thanks all! BJ

Go to the podiatrist or an orthopaedist. 

I have planta fasciatus (? spelling).  My arch tendons are overstretched and have micro-tears.  The result is that I have excrutiating heel pain.  I thought I had broken my heel!  My first few steps in the morning were impossible.  I even crawled to the bathroom.

I got this becuase I was pregant (gained 50 pounds), pregnancy hormones relaxed my tendons, walking in flip flops (no arch support shoes), and have tile floors in my house.

If I wasn't breastfeeding, the doctor would have given me a cortisone injection.  He said that that clears up the vast majority of cases.  Instead, my podiatrist has me wearing Crocs or New Balances, orhopedic inserts, physical therapy twice a week, a night splint, .... and it's actually helping.... but it still hurts.  This can take several months to heal.  Also, I roll my foot on a bottle of frozen water every day.

Good luck!  The doctors & sports therapists will help you.

DIfferent pains, but --and I know it sounds idiotic-- I loosened my shoelaces.

DId any of these suggestions work for you?

I too am a new walker----and I am keeping at it, but sometimes my feet are screaming.

Go to the doctor. 

My doctor said that if I did not do the treatment, I'd end up with scar tissue on my tendons.  This is very painful, can be permanent, and requires foot surgery to repair. 

I have the same symptom in my left foot.  There is a slight redness and swelling along with the sporatic stabbing pain.  I would also consider gout (a form of arthritis), which I have been diagnosed with.

The prescription drug allopurinol is supposed to decrease the frequency of gout attacks.  The pain (for now) is best treated by two shots, a steroid for the swelling/inflammation, and one for the pain.

Hey Skatingisfun....I feel you, I had plantar fasciatus back in the late 80's, I went through the injections, had custom orthotics, etc....and suffered. I know all to well how it feels to crawl for a while when you first get up! The injections do not cure it, but do mask the pain for about 2 weeks.But let me tell you, those injections are SO painful, I thought I would pass out! They do help though.  I suffered A LONG time, I mean more like a course of a year. Then it was gone as mysteriously as it had appeared. Good luck!

My foot pain is now gone, I just listened to my body, followed your good advice, but stayed with the walking program. I decreased intensity and time a little but kept on. Never did progress any worse, so that is a good thing!