I have a lot of pain when I first get up in the morning. I used to have pain all the time, but I started wearing Vibram toe shoes when I clean, go out walking, etc. and that made a WORLD of difference. I still wear regular shoes most days for work, but the Vibrams strengthened the muscles in my feet and calves, separated my toes, and has eliminated almost all of my knee and joint pain. So…yay! I can go up and down stairs again BETTER than I could ten years ago. However, the pain I get in my feet when I first get out of bed in the morning, that’s been getting worse. I hobble around for a good hour before my feet relax and feel happy again.
I’ve been thinking about my hands. I started wearing wrist guards at night around four or five years ago. For some reason, my hands curl up like claws at night while I sleep. The wrist guards keep this from happening, keeping me pain-free. I started to wonder, are my feet doing the same thing? Are they curling up while I sleep?
But before I spent money on braces and whatnot for my ankles, I tried a little experiment last night, based on this video by Jane Rackham:
I modified this somewhat because regular socks squish my toes together.
I wore my Vibrams to bed, put a sock over the toe area, and safety pinned it to the bottom of my pajama pant leg like this:
Yes, it looks ridiculous, but it was just an experiment.
Holy WOW! She was right!! The results were immediate. I could walk this morning without hobbling. My knee felt great. And wasn’t uncomfortable to sleep in, all things considered.
Thank you so much, Jane Rackham!!!
xo Juli
JULI HOFFMAN 
Well done 🙂
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Thanks!
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I had some miserable months with plantar fasciitis years ago on what was supposed to be the best walking vacation of my life. When I got home, a doctor sent me to a store which specialized in runners’ shoes, where I bought the recommended rigid orthotic insoles. Instant decrease in pain for me, but they’re not right for everyone.The long-term answer was physical therapy, which taught me exercises — some to stretch the sole of my foot, some to strengthen the ankle, and some to stretch the legs in other ways. Biggest rule they gave me: never walk around barefoot: Out of bed, into shoes (sandals, in my case) with arch support. (And, yes, when I first wake up, the bathroom is calling, but there’s usually time to do a few foot stretches lying in bed, before I put my feet on the floor. That way I don’t re-tear the fascia by putting all my weight on it first thing in the morning.) Good luck with this really painful condition.
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That’s good advice! I picked up a set of splints, yesterday to wear to bed. worked out well until around 3 am. That’s when EVERYTHING tried to curl in. My hands. My feet. My whole body was fighting the various braces. However, I felt MUCH better when I woke up and got moving this morning than I have previously!
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Hubby has this and bought some things from Walmart- kinda like socks but they just go over the middle of your foot, like a band – and he says they’re miracle workers.
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I’ll look for those! Thanks!!! 🙂
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Wow, great tips!
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You’re welcome!
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