[Jim091866]

I have had a problem with my right foot for a while now. Due to PD I seem to walk on the outer edge of my right foot-affected side. My walking is extremely affected, the foot is painful even to stand on it. I have a tailor's bunion on the lateral side as well. I have gone to a podiatrist, x-rays show not only the bunion but since I have a tendency to walk on the edge of my foot it is causing the larger bones up toward my ankle to spread apart like opening your hand. My right ankle is 2x the size of my left. He does not think that this has a surgical solution, nor do I. At present I have a brace/splint which goes down the back of my leg and to the toes, this is to try and force my foot to come down squarely. I have had PD for 12 years now and this is like making my body do something it's not used to doing, I've fallen more with it than before I got it. Have any of you had anything like this to deal with? What worked for you?

[Sasha]

Originally Posted by Jim0918

I have had a problem with my right foot for a while now. Due to PD I seem to walk on the outer edge of my right foot-affected side. My walking is extremely affected, the foot is painful even to stand on it. I have a tailor's bunion on the lateral side as well. I have gone to a podiatrist, x-rays show not only the bunion but since I have a tendency to walk on the edge of my foot it is causing the larger bones up toward my ankle to spread apart like opening your hand. My right ankle is 2x the size of my left. He does not think that this has a surgical solution, nor do I. At present I have a brace/splint which goes down the back of my leg and to the toes, this is to try and force my foot to come down squarely. I have had PD for 12 years now and this is like making my body do something it's not used to doing, I've fallen more with it than before I got it. Have any of you had anything like this to deal with? What worked for you?

Yes! Except that it's my left foot - it's my first and most enduring symptom of Parkinson's after 7 years....medications help. I tried exercising (walking past the point of pain) and fractured 3 metatarsal bones - which took a year to heal with all of the complications...I have a $3000 orthotic in the back of my closet, just gathering dust...I have found shoes with a wide sole (for instance, Keens) discourage that rolling over response without overly confining my foot. And at night I elevate and ice it. With the brace, I've been advised to try an hour a day and gradually increase the time - (I'm equating that to orthotic) only when it is no longer causing problelms at 1 hour should I go to two, etc. I may try it again at some point.

Let me know how it goes for you.