Severe foot and ankle pain when walking

@maggie1627
Have you seen a podiatrist? I would recommend you get evaluated for bracing options and physical therapy recommendations. If you have small fiber neuropathy, you may benefit from medication and supplements for neuropathy to help reduce symptoms.

Do you have your diabetes under control now? Have you seen a dietitian/nutritionist to help you make healthy changes to your diet?

Thank you for the info and no I've not seen a podiatrist yet and my diabetes is under control. I'm on a low fiber low fat diet due to also having gastroparesis . I will definitely get an appointment with a podiatrist, I never thought of that. My ortho surgeon said a brace won't help but then the pain specialist recommended one when I read my chart on my lower spine last night. But again thank you so much

It sounds to me like you may have gout, which is incredibly painful in your foot. Get a blood test done to check your uric acid levels. If it's high, there are medications that prevent it like allopurinol.

Thank you, I've had gout long ago but just my big toe but definitely will ask for this test. I'm going to see a podiatrist 9/11, I'll have to ask them

I also have diabetes, Neuropathy, fibromyalgia, gastroparesis, 210 NG tubes and at my wits end on my health. I feel alone, I'm only 51 and have been dealing with all this for 32 yrs, right after my son was born. So here I am! My A1C is at a great number at the moment. The last year I have noticed the same pain in both my feet, but I have a bad habit of walking with no shoes all year round, so I changed that habit, but still had issues and they were getting worse not better. I talked to my primary about the pain and she states it is possible I have what's called Plantar fasciitis which is the inflammation of the plantar fascia, tissue in the foot used during walking and foot movement. Plantar fasciitis can be caused by a number of factors, including type of shoes, foot structure, overuse and types of walking surfaces. There are braces you can get for this as well. The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is heel pain. Since I have been wearing sketcher's and the exercises it has gotten better. I am also on 300 mg of Lyric a day and that helps some. My biggest relief is a hot foot soak in Dr. Teals Aches and pains, works really good. Sorry about the book, lol I'm just trying to find someone that has same issues as I. Hope to hear from you soon ~ Thanks in advance Stacy

I have those same health issues by no NG tubes, I have been wearing house slippers for about a year because shoes cause even more pain. Anything touching in certain spots is excruciating as I have nerve issues from my spine. The surgery in May did relieve it some so it's not like it was, I use a walker but I'm trying to get to where I don't have to use it but between my foot and then weakness in lower back I have to use the walker and the hope is I can be rid of it and down the road I'll need a fusion in L1-L5 I don't know why our bodies just want to attack us, I'm 61 and would love to enjoy life and go do things. I bought a pair of light shoes for diabetics and can wear for maybe 1/2 hour and then have to take them off, I'm going to ask the podiatrist I see next week for recommendations, getting nails trimmed, feet examined and go from there. The past week or so I wake up many times with severe pain in my right foot and a bit in the left and my leg is red, my feet are swelling every day now and I'm on a low dose water pill but do have a stronger I use when they get bad and it swells up to my thighs, sorry this is long winded. I elevate them and the swelling used to ease up then within an hour and now it's 8 plus or just stay that way. Do your feet swell?

Yes, my whole body swells, tried water pills etc. and nothing seems to work. It gets so frustrating at times I just want to say I give up. I am like you, just want to enjoy life and live life but kind of hard if you can hardly do anything no matter what it is. My PCP tells me I need to walk more HA!! If her feet were like ours she wouldn't want to walk either lol

If you just had a laminectomy, you will need to do the exercises the doctor orders and give your body time to heal. And use your walker so you don't have an accident. You can tell if you have gout if the toe is swollen and warm to the touch. But it doesn't sound like. Please tell us how far out from surgery you are? You might be getting a little ahead of your skis. It takes a few months for the post op swelling to go away. Walk when you can as much as you can as per doctors orders. Please call your triage team (all surgeons have them) and stay in touch with them to get the best advice.

Good morning, I am almost 14 weeks post op and have been doing some of the exercises as many require laying on flat hard surface and that is the floor which I cannot get down on it. The nurse practitioner said that I'm pretty much where I'll be at from now on but I know strengthening my back will help and I'm going to see if I can get ahold of the physical therapist I had awhile back to ask about exercises. I agree it's not gout as I've had issues in the past with that but it seemed to calm down after 2 years of meds. Maybe I am expecting too much, I have to move in next few weeks and trying to stand to do anything is so difficult and I'm so frustrated because I have no help right now. Thank you so much and it is probably still swelling issues, I am walking as much as I can bear and still taking lyrica once a day and muscle relaxer in evenings and not taking it all day

I don't believe it. 14 weeks is only about 3.5 months. Get a new therapist! Get a yoga matt. Search the internet for chair exercises! Use ice and rotate with heat every twenty minutes. Leg lifts from a chair. Get to work, girlfriend! don't take this lying down! 😉 Do the exercises 3 times a day. Keep your legs up when you can. They can prescribe a machine that does the movement for you. My neighbor had one. Do the exercises on your bed. Ask for another therapist! good luck.