Ouch!! Im hurtin!!!

[Home is my favorite stop]

I started delivering when i was very young and didnt take seriously how important it was to take care of my body for such physical work. in the last few years i have really passed on to all the new drivers that comein how important it is to stretch and wear proper footwear and work safely.

i have had a few muscle strains and pulls and a few sprains, but the reall doozy came on Dec. 30 2003, when i slipped on some icey steps and fractured a vertabrae. i was laid up for 2 weeks and eventually with rehab got myself back to work after about 7 months. Still, I have never felt quite the same physically. I never felt like i fully regained all my strength and i gained a bunch of weight while i was laid up. I have also lost some of my endurance and flexability and have developed some painful foot issues including severe plantar facitis and heel spurs.

So, my first question is, how should i go about seeking treatment for my foot problems? is there a way to do it through UPS or will I have to seek treatment on my own and if that is the case what will happen if i have to miss time? It is not really an injury where i can point to one specific incident. I may need surgurey to correct these problems permanantly and they are very painful. I really feel like they are causing damage to other parts of my body, for instance, it hurts when i step out of the pkg car and it was pointed out to me by a sup. during an OJS that i hold a great deal of my body weight with my upper body on the handrail and have started to experience pain in both my shoulders and knees. ( i would also liked to get my shoulders and knees checked out)
i try to do exercise and stretch but it is very painful with the current state of my body. i know it would be easier if i dropped some weight but any type of cardio is hard with the foot and knee pain. so i guess im asking how i should seek help for A FEW different physical issues that were not caused by one specific incident but by, i believe, repetition.

and my secondary question is, does anyone else have foot issues,and which type of shoe have you found to be the best in areas of stability comfort, cushion, arch support, durability and lightweight?

 

[705red]

I know a driver right now who has never had an injury to his hips but they have gone out due to repetative wear and tear. It has taken some time with an attorney and hearings but he will receive two new hips on ups's dime.

I also agree when i hurt my back i put on weight and cant get rid of it and have learned to work smarter not harder. Good luck to you.

 

[scratch]

I wear arch supports because of my feet hurting so much. You need to go to a professional and get some good ones, the cheap store bought ones are useless. I went to a shoe store chain called Foot Solutions. They had a device you step on and it shows the pressure points where all your body weight is. I bought some $120 work shoes there, but they didn't last long. The arch supports are fantastic though, they made all the difference. I paid $60 for them and they were designed to last six months. I am still wearing them them two years later. I am currently wearing Nike Air Monarch IIIs, they are fairly comfortable. And always stand up to measure your feet, you get a bad measurement sitting down and most people buy wrong fitting shoes because of this.

 

[chev]

I wear arch supports because of my feet hurting so much. You need to go to a professional and get some good ones, the cheap store bought ones are useless. I went to a shoe store chain called Foot Solutions. They had a device you step on and it shows the pressure points where all your body weight is. I bought some $120 work shoes there, but they didn't last long. The arch supports are fantastic though, they made all the difference. I paid $60 for them and they were designed to last six months. I am still wearing them them two years later. I am currently wearing Nike Air Monarch IIIs, they are fairly comfortable. And always stand up to measure your feet, you get a bad measurement sitting down and most people buy wrong fitting shoes because of this.

Me too. I have flat feet. A good arch support makes a huge difference. It's a shame most shoe stores have done away with the true shoe salesman. I remember when they would measure your feet, have you try the shoe on and make sure it was a good fit. Now, most of them are self serve. It is nice to have someone that is a pro with shoes and can give you an idea of what shoe would be good for your "foot type".
I gained a lot of weight too. I think it flattened my feet.

 

[Home is my favorite stop]

yeah, i went to the New Balance store and got the old fashioned treatment. i got my feet sized properly and the saleswoman recommended a crosstrainer ($50) and carbon fiber arch support insert ($25) they were GREAT but the shoes only last about 2-3 months and the inserts are good for about 6 months. i guess thats not that bad.

 

[705red]

Bring back al bundy!

 

[pickup]

same problem without the cracked vertebra. Developed when i was laid low for a few weeks. Found one of the best solutions was to get an hour and 1/2 long massage from top to bottom( did it because i passed a place that looked legitimate and was just stressed out) Turns out i didn't realize how tense i was and more importantly how every other muscle in my body by being tense was causing more strain on my foot problem. After the massage, i can stretch more easily and know how my body is supposed to be. Also can crack my own back afterwards by myself. Try it pal and hopefully you'll see what i mean. Its funny but a day or so after the massage i forget about the problem and then as the week goes by and i stess out, i feel a tinge at the bottom of my heel . If it seems frivoulous, okay fine. But do try it before you do surgery because surgery always has complications and you can't have a do over. God bless you man. (also exercise in a pool always negates any effect of being overweight)

 

[toonertoo]

Chev "I gained a lot of weight too. I think it flattened my feet "
Is that how that happens?

 

[chev]

Chev "I gained a lot of weight too. I think it flattened my feet "
Is that how that happens?

It's the only explanation I can come up with.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

I started delivering when i was very young and didnt take seriously how important it was to take care of my body for such physical work. in the last few years i have really passed on to all the new drivers that comein how important it is to stretch and wear proper footwear and work safely.

i have had a few muscle strains and pulls and a few sprains, but the reall doozy came on Dec. 30 2003, when i slipped on some icey steps and fractured a vertabrae. i was laid up for 2 weeks and eventually with rehab got myself back to work after about 7 months. Still, I have never felt quite the same physically. I never felt like i fully regained all my strength and i gained a bunch of weight while i was laid up. I have also lost some of my endurance and flexability and have developed some painful foot issues including severe plantar facitis and heel spurs.

So, my first question is, how should i go about seeking treatment for my foot problems? is there a way to do it through UPS or will I have to seek treatment on my own and if that is the case what will happen if i have to miss time? It is not really an injury where i can point to one specific incident. I may need surgurey to correct these problems permanantly and they are very painful. I really feel like they are causing damage to other parts of my body, for instance, it hurts when i step out of the pkg car and it was pointed out to me by a sup. during an OJS that i hold a great deal of my body weight with my upper body on the handrail and have started to experience pain in both my shoulders and knees. ( i would also liked to get my shoulders and knees checked out)
i try to do exercise and stretch but it is very painful with the current state of my body. i know it would be easier if i dropped some weight but any type of cardio is hard with the foot and knee pain. so i guess im asking how i should seek help for A FEW different physical issues that were not caused by one specific incident but by, i believe, repetition.

and my secondary question is, does anyone else have foot issues,and which type of shoe have you found to be the best in areas of stability comfort, cushion, arch support, durability and lightweight?

Call these people and see what they have to say about your issue. http://www.fleetfeetstuart.com/content/view/32/59/ they're actually nationwide, but don't have the 800 number for ya.