The Hazards of Walking Barefoot, Part Two

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(Edited)

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I added walking barefoot outside to my uplugging regimen. I unplug all my electronics, then take my instantly rejuvenated body outside to feel the shape of the earth under my bare feet. I imagine that this counts as "earthing", letting the power of Mother Earth flow into the soles of your feet, travel up through your loins and suffuse your whole body with natural energy and a connection to all living things.

Here's a poem I wrote about it:

The hazards of walking outside barefoot
include a leaf stuck to the foot -
no mat will remove it -
and you have to
stoop and bend
to remove the offending object
from the bottom of your foot

Sounds good doesn't it?


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To be truthful, walking barefoot outside is hard. I have to watch where I place every step for fear of stepping in fecal material that may have been left there by any number of animals: bird, cat, dog, fox, deer, raccoon, skunk, coyote and, not least, my chickens. I have to be careful not to step on thistle that has been mowed into near-but-not-quite oblivion, on acorn parts that have been strewn about by squirrels, or on very painful tiny stones and thorny twigs. I have to tread thoughtfully, balls of my feet first, testing each patch of earth a bit before putting my whole weight on it. It IS very pleasurable to walk on my neighbor's well tended (and not poisoned in the past year) grass, but to get back into my house I have to traverse a far more wild expanse of my own non-tending. I figured a few more months of this and it would get easier with the buildup of calluses.

I was feeling very good about my barefoot hippy momma behavior, despite the inconveniences.

This all came to an abrupt end Monday when my left knee started to hurt like the dickens. I am an old hand at knee injuries, so I started up my regimen: arnica, comfrey, ice, rest and the most important remedy of all, a cane for every step I took.

Oh I took care of that knee good. That knee was getting better, no doubt about it! I could get back to braving the hazards of walking barefoot outside any day now!

Then came the back pain. A searing and excruciating pain that left me unable to breathe. I resorted to OTC pain medications, that's how bad it was. More ice! More comfrey! More arnica! More rest! I couldn't move so the first three were very difficult, but that last - rest - that I could do. I spent one twenty hour period almost entirely in bed. I made sure I kept using that cane for every step though. Oh yes, that knee was going to get better!

Yesterday I went to my chiropractor, Franca, who is a miracle worker. She asked "Have you been doing anything different?" to which I happily replied "Yes! I've been walking outside barefoot!" She uttered "Hm." She worked on my knee, she zero balanced my back, and she took me to the heavens with her voodoo.

Franca's diagnosis: the feet of old ladies, like the rest of our bodies, have dried up and do not have pockets of fluid that are necessary for balance and support. Walking outside barefoot screwed up my knees, both of them (true but only one hurt terribly). In addition, using the cane as much as I was using it screwed up my back. Then came her instructions: continue the arnica, comfrey and ice, but stop walking barefoot, wear old lady shoes at all times, and ditch the cane.

After a few hours of hobbling around in supportive shoes and without the cane, I got my agility back. My back only hurts a little and my knee not at all.

The moral of this story: Not Every New Idea Is A Good One.

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Here's a link to the previously published post with the above poem: https://steempeak.com/mindfulness/@owasco/unplugged

Image of baby feet: https://pixabay.com/es/photos/beb%C3%A9-nacimiento-ni%C3%B1o-suave-718146/

The image of hazardous material one might step on or in is mine.

My dig at the Witnesses is veiled, but it's there.


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31 comments
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@owasco that was a hard way to find out you can not go barefoot. My husband never wears shoes unless he is made to, like going in a store. He carries a pair of shoes in his truck, just for stores. I feel for you with back pain, it can put you down like nothing else can. I am glad you are feeling better.

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Thank you! The solution was very simple and inexpensive thankfully. I can only imagine what an orthopedist would have made me do, and spend.

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@owasco it would have been a bunch of $$$, no Dr comes cheap. You change one thing and it throws your entire body out of whack. Just by going barefoot. Glad to know you are on the road to recovery.

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There are places where walking barefoot can be beneficial. For example, walking barefoot on the beach, after a few weeks, will leave your feet smooth as silk, wearing away all the dry built-up crusty callouses. The sea-water is also good for your skin. However, be sure your sunscreen includes to tops of your feet.

There is something emotionally therapeutic about walking through verdant green grass… But, there is also the danger of stepping in something hidden there and of picking up a case of ringworm.

I walk with a cane too. It is tiresome. I find I most need it when I first get up and start moving around, then lean on it much less, more for balance than support.

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I'll have to content myself with sitting on a stool or standing still barefoot outside. My walking outside barefoots days have come to an end. I suppose I could take a few steps on a sandy beach, that does sound dreamy and it's been a very long time since I did that. Thanks for the suggestion.

I am amazed at the difference wearing supportive shoes has made. I need to go find a supportive pair of slippers. Why do you need a cane if you don't mind my asking.

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So true there are many hazards to be aware of while injoying walking barefoot 👀 Sorry your knee and back were put out of balance 😞 but glad to hear you're feeling better 😍 Sending reiki in support of your wellness 🙏

Thank you for sharing your experience SiStar ✨✨✨

Posted using Partiko Android

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Thank you so much! My Franca used a bit of Reiki on me yesterday I suspect. She uses so many modalities I just go with it. I will not let her use "high-velocity" on my neck though. I draw the line a that

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I am so sorry your return to nature did not work out well. I have to say I was a little bit worried about the barefoot walking. When I was a child we lived in very primitive circumstances--it wasn't fun :) While I love nature and am probably only truly comfortable around trees and grass, I do value my creature comforts. Shoes without holes. Heat. Running water. I love these things.
Hope you are having a peaceful weekend, despite your orthopedic complication.
Regards,
AG

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It's been a learning weekend. My knee HURTS now. I know what you mean about creature comforts, I like them too. I've had it darn good my whole life and luckily I could afford it.
But my father would not under any circumstances allow barefoot walking. He would go berserk if he caught any of us doing it. This is the first time in my life I ever really gave it a shot, and I had to stop.
Thanks for dropping in!

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It was certainly a good idea while it lasted though! I thoroughly enjoy being barefoot on lawn of grass (at least until I step on a twig). Hope your knees are feeling better soon!

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As of this writing, my knee is killing me! lol.

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I can totally relate.

Last year just about this time, I who have been barefoot most of my life, started having pain in the bottom of my right foot. I thought it was an after effect from the nerve damage done when I broke both bone in my lower right leg nearly 10 years before. That meant it would just go away after a while.

But it didn't, it got worse. I went to PT, and that didn't help. I was finally dx'd with a neuroma and plantar fascitis. Old lady stuff. I've lost the cushioning on the bottom of my feet and can never go barefoot again, unless on a VERY soft surface.

Have to wear slippers with padding inside. This year about 2 months ago, the left foot started.

I hate it! Growing older is not for sissies!

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I know! And it's not going to get better! I wonder what lessons I will learn from it all though.

I had that neuroma thing in my right foot. Got one of those awful steroid injections. I will never do that again. I just live with the pain which, now that I am talking about it, got much worse with all the barefoot walking, lol. It's better today now that I too am wearing cushioned slippers around the house, and supportive shoes outside.

I'm sorry you have had to live with so much pain. I've been pretty lucky there.

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The pain didn't get too bad, as I did something about it when it was obviously not going away. I just make sure I have cushioning on both feet if I'm standing.

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(Edited)

The moral of this story: Not Every New Idea Is A Good One. - this made me laugh! hehehe

Also, hope you feel better soon!

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Thank you for sharing this. Now I know walking barefoot is not so advisable. Hope you are getting better by today. =)

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Did you see goldenoakfarm has found the same to be true? And yes, I am better, but today my knee hurts a lot and my back not so much.
Thanks for the visit!

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Oy Vay, new tricks are not so great when we age my friend.
Amazingly every November month for the past 4 years my back "hooks out". The chiro stretches it back into alignment, I forget about it and the next November I am back there.
I love your poem and your barefoot idea to connect with mother earth was admirable, but best would be to listen to your advisors.
Blessings!

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Oh no @owasco!

Glad to hear your knee recovered quickly. But, how are you feeling today? Is your back 100% again?

Positive vibes to you all the way from across the ocean, and respect for giving new things a go! :*

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I love to give new things a go, as long as I don't have to leave my house to do them!
The back is mostly better, the knee is very bad since I started walking without the protection of the cane. Today I'm using crutches around the house to even out the stress on my back. I did too much yesterday. My knees have been a constant problem dating back to my dancing/running days. What's the psychology of someone going to extremes to make things better and instead making things worse?
Thanks for asking, and as always for your support!

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Ha! I like my house more and more as the years go by @owasco!

Ow ... you have “a knee history” :/ Ops ... So sorry to hear about your current pains! Better to go with moderation, then :)

What's the psychology of someone going to extremes to make things better and instead making things worse?

If this is a pattern, one possible reason for it is “impulsive behaviour”. If not, it may be just a consequence (this time an unfortunate one) of openness to experience, which is one dimension out 5 from The Big Five - Personality traits.

You take care :)

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I can't figure out how to put my scores directly here, but I just took the personality traits test your big five post had a link to.
My highest percentile score was emotional stability 84%-ile (true and those were the easiest questions to answer)
second highest was Intellect/Imagination 59%-ile

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Thank you for taking the test @owasco😍
Glad to hear it tallies with your characteristics and it was easy to answer!

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haha! Howdy owasco! So true about the moral of the story, that's a tough way to learn, too bad about all that pain! Dang. Hey what is arnica? I know about comfrey.

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Howdy Janton! Arnica is also a botanical that comes in many medicinal forms. Arnica is used for injuries, and trauma. (really helpful before and after any kind of surgery). I use the homeopathic remedy orally at the first sign of injury, to give my body a message of what needs to be done. Then I use a variety of arnica salves, gels and ointments directly on the injury, a variety because I have some of it in nearly every room of my house. Super helpful! I tried CBD this time, but there's no way to tell if that helped at all given the rest of the arsenal I have employed.
I admitted defeat this time, the first time ever, and called one of my daughters to come home and help out. After two days of her doing a large part of my daily chores, I am finally on the mend. Still hobbling around, but not in as much pain.

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I'm glad you are back on your feet, literally! I'm surprised I haven't heard of that one, can you grow it yourself? I know a herbalist on steemit, I'll ask him if he's growing it.

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