Possible Overlooked Safety Concern?

[Roger Chandler]

Working at a lathe has unique safety concerns. One thing that does not hit the radar very often on these forums, is foot issues related to turning. Over the last few weeks, I have developed a condition known as Plantars Facsiitis, which is a form of tendonitis/severe inflamation of the plantar facscia ligament that connects the heel with the ball of the foot.

I have anti-fatique mats that I stand on, but I have developed this issue. A very painful situation that makes hobbling the best one can do. From research, it seems that contributing factors include standing for long periods....like we do at the lathe. It also seems that good arch support and ankle support are critical.

Research also shows rest/ staying off your feet, anti-inflamitory meds [nsaids] and perhaps injections are required to improve/recover, with about 5% of cases rquiring surgical intervention.

Question for turners: What type of shoes do you wear while turning? What is the level of arch and ankle support do your feet have in what you wear at the lathe? Would boots be best, or perhaps another type of shoe?

I have a demo scheduled in August, and need to be at the lathe in preparation for it, and now this plantars facsiitis won't allow me! It is painful, and can last a year.....not an option! Any tips on speeding up recovery time? I have an appointment scheduled with the Podiatrist, so depending on what she says, there may be injections in store next week?

[Mike Goetzke]

Roger - hopefully you feel better by August. Few years back I developed planters factitious but not as severe are you describe. I ended up buying a pair of Redwing boots with inserts form fit to my foot. I wore these around the house and in the shop and really helped reduce the pain and eventually it disappeared.

Mike

[Roger Chandler]

Roger - hopefully you feel better by August. Few years back I developed planters factitious but not as severe are you describe. I ended up buying a pair of Redwing boots with inserts form fit to my foot. I wore these around the house and in the shop and really helped reduce the pain and eventually it disappeared.

Mike

Thanks Mike! What particular model boot, may I ask? [if you can remember?]

[daryl moses]

Roger I feel your pain......literally!! I have developed the same thing, it makes even walking very painful. I didn't realize that standing at the lathe was a contributing factor, but it makes sense. I just knew that sometimes my foot hurt and didn't know why or the cause. I did find that wearing shoes with a stiff insole does seem to help.
I will be following this thread.

[Brian Kent]

Roger, I am on the tail end of a bad bout with Plantar Facsiitis. Really painful. Number one golden moment is thinking I was over it, mowing the lawn, and catching my foot in a gopher hole. Silver moment award goes to any time I was trying to balance on the worst foot while getting dressed. It lasted a couple of months, and has been tender and vulnerable for several months after that.

What helped? Each was a minor help but built towards some healing:

Stretching - a doctor's recommendation of stretching of the legs and back that helped my whole frame absorb position changes and shock. This was by far the most important to me (and my wife when she had it).

Shoes - I use Dr. Scholl's walking shoes from Big 5 when they are on sale. Cole Haan pull-on shoes for work. Sometimes extra thick socks are helpful when snug is more comfortable. I can also slip them off under the desk when needed. Red Wing Boots that fit really well. Each of these are the result of long searches because my feet don't fit the average shoes. Then every 10 years I buy a top notch pair of Allen Edmonds on sale and wear them once a week. The boots and dress shoes are expensive, but not so much when I get a decade of usage.

Anti-inflammatory over-the-counter stuff.

Good luck, Roger.

(As an aside, It is a good moment for some of us - I mean me - to think about workable lathe seating for the parts of life that have some aches and pains pop up.)

The doctor said mine came not from the standing but from the long periods of desk time - allowing my legs to tighten up.

[Roger Chandler]

[QUOTE=Brian Kent;2575062 "The doctor said mine came not from the standing but from the long periods of desk time - allowing my legs to tighten up.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for that info, Brian.....I may have the same issue with long periods of desk time just like you...we both have the same vocation, if I remember correctly! I do notice that my legs do seem to "tighten up" as you mention. That lawn mowing is another thing..........I am just glad my son volunteered to cut the grass this last time, as I don't think I could have endured that!

[Jon McElwain]

Stretching - a doctor's recommendation of stretching of the legs and back that helped my whole frame absorb position changes and shock. This was by far the most important to me (and my wife when she had it).

+1 on Stretching. Legs and back of course, but I'll add stretching the foot. Stretching the ligaments in the foot (top and bottom) and focusing on the lower legs is important and helps ease the discomfort.

[Reed Gray]

I did tear my plantar once, and the sports doctors had a special way to wrap the foot to help take off stress and help it cure, can't remember though. Good posture when standing at the lathe or any other job is HUGE in reducing and eliminating many common ailments. With bad posture there are so many ways we 'compensate' and that makes things worse. Part of why I recommend Thai Chi to every one who listens. Just sucking in your gut does a lot for keeping your back straight. We relax too much, and it takes effort to remember to 'keep your back straight'. For shoes, I have some Merril Slip ons which are padded nicely.

robo hippy

[David Bassett]

Thanks Mike! What particular model boot, may I ask? [if you can remember?]

Careful. Shoes that help him are unlikely to work for you. We each have different foot shapes. (I needed safety toed boots, went to Red Wing, and spent several hours while the guy tried to fit me. I was in a rush and bought the only pair that wasn't excruciating. I wear them as little as possible because they still don't fit *my* foot well.)

[Mark Greenbaum]

Once I had a part-time job at Geek Squad, and developed Plantar Fasciitis. I remembered what a friend had said, and got a good pair of plain black Rockports, the best shoes for long period of walking or standing on hard surfaces. They worked fairly quickly to resolve the pain (a week or two).

[Brian Kent]

Agreeing with all that has been said - what fits one person's feet has next to nothing to do with what helps and fits you. I tried on a couple dozen pair of Red Wing Boots before I stumbled on the ones that fit my feet. I have to leave the store many times because after trying on several that don't fit and my feet get all weird.

[Bruce Page]

I feel for you, talk to your podiatrist. I was hit with Plantars facsiitis in my right foot several years ago. It was some of the worst pain I have ever experienced. After running the gamut of sleeves, arch supports, rockers, and stretching exercises, the only thing that relieved the pain for me was three cortisone injections spaced over a few months. After the first two injections the pain relief was quick in coming but short lived. After the 3rd injection the pain was gone for good. To this day if I set my right foot down too hard while barefooted I will get a twinge of pain.

[John K Jordan]

Roger, For decades I mostly sat at a computer until I retired. I've had several bouts of severe plantar fasciitis that made it difficult to get around. Several cortisone injections gave instant relief... for a while. The last time I got the injection the foot MD said that I would probably outlive the shot - in other words, the problem will come back. Unless...

He taught me a stretching exercise that seems to have cured it. I'll describe:
- Do this while sitting BEFORE you stand
- Sit straight up in the chair
- Lift the leg to nearly parallel to the ground
- Stretch isometrically by pulling the toe towards you with the muscles for 10-15 seconds.
- Again, do this EVERY time and BEFORE you load the foot, that is, every time before you stand up from sitting.
- Don't go barefoot, even around the house

POINT 1: The doctor said don't waste time with a lazy, wimpy stretch! To demonstrate, he held my foot and pulled and had me stretch while he was pulling. The whole time he was almost yelling, "Come on, harder, pull harder, you can do better than that, you need to get red in the face!" The point is to stretch it way more than you might think necessary.

POINT 2: Following this I have had no problem now for years! It's almost a miracle. I do this stretch periodically with the "good" foot too as a preventative measure. It might look a bit unusual sticking the leg out and stretching before standing in the church or getting out of the automobile, but if it heals the condition?

POINT 3: If I get lazy and forget OR if I don't remember to stretch until AFTER I stand I can start to feel the pain coming back after a few days. There is evidently something to an extreme stretch while sitting.

Another thing I do which has helped with general foot and leg pain, especially when standing a lot at the lathe or walking (I walk miles here at the farm on a typical day). I have needed and used arches in my shoes for decades for more support than most shoes provide. I switched to wearing unique footware with good arch support and very spongy to boot - these things are so amazing I have four pairs at the moment and might order some more:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0128O4DQ2

These things are incredibly comfortable. I usually wear them all day except when I need extra protection (horse riding, chainsawing, beekeeping). I've been wearing them for a couple of years now since a friend brought some over and said I HAD to try these! I no longer get pain from standing too long. My back feels better too, but maybe that's a coincidence. I do use anti-fatigue mats in the shop but these things are like wearing soft support arch anti-fatigue mats on my feet all day long! (BTW, these look a bit like Crocs but there is NO comparison.)

This is part of their advertising hype: Antibacterial, Medical Arch Support, Comfort. Manmade sole. Heat Activated. Deep Heel Cup. Anatomically Correct. Whatever, works for me. YMMV, of course.

That's my story.

JKJ

[Jim Underwood]

I used to work on cars and run around on the concrete all the time. After about 15 years of that, I developed PF in both feet. Summers were the worst because it increased inflammation.

Best money I ever spent was the $90 on custom orthotics that gave me a lot of arch support. Helped IMMENSELY!

The second best thing to relieve the pain? A bag of styrofoam coffee cups. Seriously. Fill a few with water and freeze them. Built in insulation for icing down the foot. The icing really helped relieve the pain and reduce inflammation.

And stretching. You need to balance the strength between the calf and the shin muscles so that they don't tear up the fascia... At least that's my understanding.

Good luck with it.

[Brian Kent]

My wife got it from Bikram Yoga where a 22 year old instructor yelled at her with similar words that John's doctor did - and that is what tore her foot up. So do what your doctor tells you to do. My healing has been very gentle stretching, but the one John said before standing up is wonderful.