The Steel Guitar Forum

I am begining to have problems in the top of the (ARCH) on my left foot.It starts slowly and then progresses to the point that I can barely touch it.It lasts for about a week then goes away and will return somewhere around 6-8 weeks later.

I went to the Doctor on Friday who said there are two joints that run across the top of your foot and that he felt like it was probably arthritis (sp) aggrivated by the movements used when playing the steel.

Have any of you experienced the same or simiular problems?

EDITED: I'm most interested in pain in the players left foot due rocking on and off pedals A&B

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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Dick Wood on 05 June 2005 at 03:58 PM.]</p></FONT>

Dick, I have never had that particular problem but I am concerned with doctors "guessing". If at all possible, I think you should be referred to a specialist who can correctly diagnose and treat the problem. The sooner the better.
I was almost "guessed" into an early grave one time. Let us know how this turns out. A lot of us care. Maybe your experience can help others........... JD

The Doctor I saw is not my regular but his partner and I have never liked him.

In fairness though he did say he wanted me to see a specialist which he said would be able to give me a more definitive answer.

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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.

Dick,
Arthritis, not to rule it out, is a common kind of 'guess.' Often things are repetitive motion 'injuries' (strain). That's common among musicians.
You can always try icing the top of the foot for relief; ice is good for cooling any inflammation that comes from strain.
I'd sure like to be kept posted on this goes.

Dick,
I'm in the same boat here.I just found out that it has something to do with what you eat.Tell your doctor what kind of meat you are eating.Most of these problems start with people that eat a lot of pork.Sounds weird huh?
I did cut down the pork and my problems seem to get less.These pains also can occur when your foot stays in the same position during the day.Do you perhaps work a lot on the computer and cross your legs a lot?Try not to rest the ankle of your hurting foot on the other knee.
Thats one of the reasons I had problems with my foot.This and eating pork caused me these pains.
Just think about it and try to keep your feet on the ground when you work.
Eating beef can help you to.Eat the part that contains fat.Just checked out your profile and saw you are a sheriffs deputy.It also can have its origin when driving in your car.Try to use a different angle when you push the gass or the brakes.

Maybe you can work with this.It helped me a lot.

Ron

I could see where the left foot could develop problems, especially in those of us (me included) that are no longer "25".

How you are sitting at the steel and the angle your foot is at, can be an issue. Same way with the height of the seat you are using.

I also have my "A" pedal (Emmons setup) slightly higher than the "B" pedal and this seems to help me.

You need to see a podiatrist, period.

If you read Ronalds post casually and quickly ,as I do most times,it sounds like he is saying that Dick is a pork eating pig with light feet. ls

Yes !! I picked steel for many years in Texas & Tn, My left foot lost feeling, so I quit for 10 years, missed it bad!!! so I wrote songs, and recorded others, One day I was at Bobbe S. steel shop, I sat down behind an Emmons teal green D-10, foot worked great, I was very Happy,, I asked Bobbe, how Much, went to bank , paid cash for not only the guitar, but the whole rig,Nash-1000 seat everything, Petterson tuner, bars , strings every thing!!I also was so glad I could play steel again , I bought a brand new recording studio, I recorded a CD called Steel having Fun, you can hear mp3s on CD baby. com under search inter, Ron Kirby, Yes I know how its feels, not to be able to use your left foot, Rest,, your foot , it may take a year or two, my case, several years, but keep the faith, Your friend , Ron

GOUT??????

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Ron Petersen &
The Keep'n Tyme Band
Mullen Universal 12 - 1975 Session 400 - Nashville 1000 - Nashville 112

Hi Ronald,I've heard that eating certain things can cause problems with feet.

Jack, I just turned 50 recently so I'm right with ya on the past 25 issue.And I also have my A pedal slightly higher.

Heck it won't be long til I have the heater on in the summer and my house smells like Ben Gay...ahhh strike that....Sports creme

Herb,I will be going to a podiatrist soon cuz if this keeps up I'll have to put the pedals on the other end of the guitar.

My reason for the post was to see if other long time players had or were experiencing what I am.



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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.

Yup, foot problems can be real trouble. This is somewhat different - I sprained my left (why my left!?) ankle loading into a gig about 8 weeks ago (dark, uneven back stairway into the club). I immediately iced it down and got through the gig, but just barely. It's mostly better, but gives me a twinge still. I do alternating ice-water/hot-water+epsom-salts treatments every once in a while.

I agree, a podiatrist, and sometimes a chiropractor/kinesiologist, have helped me out a lot. I see the chiropractor a few times a year, and he specifically addresses my left foot. I didn't tell him there was anything, he just found it. I'm also over 50.

I also keep my B-pedal a bit lower than A/C, I always thought that was SOP for most players. It's much more comfortable for me that way also.

Herb has got the right idea. But i would send this poor fellow to the nearest Rheumatology Clinic. Those doctors, were closer to it then you think. Dick, the human foot is NOT design to be twisted back and forth for hours on end, without sending you the message of PAIN! i am not sure of your age, or how long you been twisting,but chalk it up to one of those things that you are going to have to live with i guess. By the sounds of things, it is interfering with your joy of playing now. And not to be the bearer of bad news..but it is only going to get worse. Do you also have swelling in your left foot, a very bad sign if you do. You have injured that foot, get it X-rayed, have them put you on a good anti-inflammatory medication if it is swollen. Dick, unfortunately, you are going to have to give that foot, and joints a rest, before you do permanent damage to that foot. As hard as it is going to be....please keep us posted as to how you are doing with this problem ok? as sooner or later, looks like more and more of us are going to go through this situation...if steel guitar players were many in number, i bet the doctors would come up with a nice little name for this condition like they did that Carpal Tunnel Syndrome thing. How about maybe something like.."Pedal Foot Syndrome"?
Soak that foot, aspirin for now, and avoid long periods of weight bearing, elevate. I just saw where you are 50.. that will be $250 for this private medical consultation!
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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....


<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by George Redmon on 05 June 2005 at 07:20 PM.]</p></FONT>

Dick.. another possiblity to discuss with your doctor is Tendonitis.. VERY different from arthritis, and VERY painful... Its a possiblity. It is very hard to get rid of without rest.. Anyway, can you back off steel for a few weeks?.. Before spending a mint on treatment, I would rest it a while and see what happens.

However I really think you should check with a doc, like everyone else said.. BEST of LUCK... I've been there and its NO fun...bob

Deek, I'm having a vet come over and work on you. He's cheap - especially if I set you up between him working on a horse and then you and then work on a cow after that appointments. Working on your feet, the smell won't be any different in the appointments.

I don't think it's gout. Gout is caused by the crystalisation of uric acid and usually only affects the big toe joint.
Good Luck,
Arch.

Arch,I have to disagree with you on this.Gout not only affects the big toe joint but the ankle aswell.My whole story typed here before was based on this word.I knew the dutch translation for it but not the english one.Sorry for that guys."Gout" can be helped like I said before with eating beef.
For the rest you are right.It is caused by crystalisation of uric acid.Most doctors will say it's arthritis.Simply 'cause they don't know much about this issue.

Ron

I get this problem from time but I noticed it reappeared suddenly yesterday when I booked the 4th of July weekend and told my wife. My pain is quite a bit farther up my leg and around the back sort of at the base of the spine if you know what I mean.

It sounds like a condition called "Plantar Fasciitis" and there is not much you can do for it except try different inserts for your shoes with stretching exercises. It can take months and up to a year to get full recovered from this situation.

I tried cortizone shots and custom orthotics to no avail.

Check out the following site for some products that may help.

I hope this helps...

Relieve Plantar Fasciitis - Shop the foot health experts for products to treat & prevent pain. www.footsmart.com

Hi, Ronald.
I know it doesn't only occur in the big toe joint, but that is the most common.
I have an inoperable scaffoid fracture in my right wrist which is affected by gout, making playing virtually impossible.
I actually gave up playing for five years because of it. I took Allipurinol to disperse the crystals. It takes some time to work, but, it has been ok recently
All the Best,
Arch.

Better watch it Frank.That sounds like a severe case of "Kickarhitis".No cure for that one.

Ron

Dick, I've had this problem for about the last 5 years. It seems that on Monday or Tuesday, after I've been playing on the weekend jam, sometimes the upper arch of the left foot will suddenly feel stiff then if left untreated, will swell and be extremely tough to walk. Lasts about a week then goes down spontaeously. I find if I hit it in the early stages with Ibuprofen it'll stop it dead in it's tracks, or at least lessen the severity. My doc says it's from flat feet and I need arch supports, so i bought a pair of Scholls shoes and that has seemed to help. Definitely consult professional help.

Another possibility that sounds kinda off the wall but it happened to me.

I had very bad pain in my foot, tried hot salt water soak, everything in the book and somethings not in the book. Finally went to a chiropractor. He X-rayed the foot and found a bone dislocated. He worked on it a couple of times and got it back where it was supposed to be and I haven't had a problem with it since.

Just a thought. Foot pain is very debilitating.

Bill

Dick, Len had mentioned "Plantar Fasciitis". I used to get this when walking on a hard surface without shoes or slippers on. The ‘giveaway’ is that the pain is much worse first thing in the morning – in fact there were times when I could only crawl out of bed!
Solution (for me): curl the toes imagining that you are trying to pick up a pencil from the floor; a few times a day, soak the foot for 45 secs. in hot water, then 45 secs. in cold water (as hot and cold as you can bear it); use shock absorbing ‘Tulis’ heel pads in your shoes www.supports4u.com/tulis/pro.htm; refer to the web, e.g. http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw114566.asp

Mike, What you describe is very much what I see also. It usually is worse in the morning and gets a little better during the day if I walk on it even though it hurts like all heck. If I sit down and let it relax,it gets worse until I get up and walk around a little.

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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.