We all need weight bearing or our bodies go to pot...there are some very interesting studies on astronauts in space. Actually the Vanderbilt U program was designed to study the effects of zero gravity, and from there it evolved into one of the better Dysautonomia and Autonomic Centers. Our bodies are designed to be upright and, dysautonomics are loathe to be upright, as it is a constant struggle to keep the blood pressure up.

Walking on a treadmill with impaired sensation could eventually cause a shear injury or foot ulcer. If you have plantar fascitis and history of ankle fractures, it is obvious that there is a mechanical issue. I wouldn't exercise with that history until I saw a phsycial therapist and orthotist.

I have been thru cardiac stress tests several times and ended up black and blue from the tibias down due to the treadmill....and I used to use treadmills all the time before this got so bad.

I know one other member who got a foot ulcer from a treadmill.

Pool walking is better than no walking, as it is still weight bearing but much less so. Pool exercise is very good for people with neuropathy, and I hit the pool, three times per week. I mostly do laps but like you finish up with a few 'runs' around the pool.

Sorry to hear your feet are too sore to walk on. There are lots of new medications out there to use for burning feet. The antiseizure meds and cymbalta may work for the burning. If you have aching pain, there are lots of orthotics to redistribute weight, and opiates work better on the aching, in general. I hope you have been able to at least try some of these meds.

Disuse syndromes are the worst cause of pain and disability, and believe me, I know, as I am dealing with this issue due to not being upright enough due to spinal pain from shot thoracic discs that are inoperable, and severe hypotension....not to mention leg pain and foot drop. It hurts like #$%@ to walk, but I do it anyway, but it is my own fault for not being up enough, and not on my feet enough...or I see it as my own fault, anyway....maybe it would have gone this way anyway, as the course of the disease.

It is good to hear you are in the pool, and I hope you can get more relief from the pain with mechanical or medication routes. I am pretty emphatic about correcting mechanical and postural problems as as each joint malfunctions, the next one is affected until your whole body is a mess...and if you are a mess, it takes orthotics and braces to get you to the point that you can even work on core strength issues, to correct muscle imbalances...add to that myopathy, some of those imbalances must be permanently corrected with devices.

BTW, orthotics hurt really bad for a while, quite a while during the break in period, which is much longer for PNers....if you do get them, make sure they give you something for pain if it is too bad.

I think in general, the way PNers are treated for pain is in the dark ages. I hope that the medical community will see the light, soon.