I'm just going to go ahead and enter today now because I'm driving to Abilene for a book signing later on and I won't be back home until tomorrow. Yes, I know I'm going to have to learn how to do this on a laptop from a remote sight. But not today.
Let's talk about feet. Women's feet specifically. Remember I flew out of bed a couple of minutes ago. Try not to do that. If your house is on fire or there's someone in your room who you think might be trying to kill you then haul ass and worry about your feet later.In all other circumstances, if you're older than 40, try to make getting out of bed a ritual of tender loving care, because more than likely there's something wrong with the bottom of your feet. I don't know why but for some reason the bottom of women's feet are especially sensitive. The plantar fascia is a structure that starts at the base of our heels and stretches like a bow string across the bottom of the foot. When we sleep the bow string shortens because our foot is relaxed and pointed down. Trust me, no once sleeps with their feet pointed straight up. Guys, if you ever look over and see your wife with her feet pointing straight up, then either she's stretching her foot or she's dead. Give her a foot massage or start CPR, which ever seems most appropriate and which ever she will allow you to do. If she's alive and you tilt her head back and start blowing down her throat she'll probably bite your lips off and then you'll know she has plantar fascitis. You'll have made the diagnosis. You don't even need to go to medical school.
When you sleep with your foot pointed down and it stays pointed down all night, the plantar fascia contracts. When you get up, put your foot down and stand up, you force the plantar fascia to stretch out acutely. This sometimes will tear the fascia, sending a searing pain across the botttom of the foot. Keep doing it and that eventually leads to plantar fascitis. If I see a hundred patients with plantar fascitis in my office, 99 of them are women over the age of forty. Why? Who knows? There must be some hormonal factor or something.
So when I turned 40, the next morning when I got out of bed like I was 39, there was a searing pain across the bottom of my foot. Of course I knew exactly what it was and from that day forward, except for last night, I always stretch my feet before I get out of bed. Just stretch your toes and feet upward, like you were stretching your Achillies tendon. Of course I told my husband I would be doing that from now on so he wouldn't try to do CPR on me and you would be wise to let your husbands know that too.
And those of you gals who are already 40 and have not experienced the pain...well you must have young feet for your age...
