I know Roxie uses them for her back and finds them helpful. I have found them to increase my pain but I am weird. It is not from the meds inside but anything resting on my pain area even a finger aggrevates. As for the stick if you are just getting out of the shower or bath try to wait a little so your skin is not so wet still. The foot sounds hard if on the bottom. Could you put it on the top and may stick better?