[ben]

I’ve suffered with this for years. It gets better but never really goes away and then something happens and it flares up again. It’s been a while since it’s been really bad for me though. A 500ml coke bottle filled with water and frozen is sheer bliss when it’s really bad. The shape means you get the ice right into the arch of the foot which is where I get the pain rather than in my heels. I keep two in the freezer permanently just in case. I do the calf stretches daily as well and they do help.

The right shoes are really important for me (a day in wellies and it’ll flare up straight away). Shoewawa orthotic shoes (google them) are a god send. I have a couple of pairs now – some loafers and a pair of ankle boots. They are designed for people with foot problems. I’m not yet 40 and work somewhere where I need to be fairly smart so I had a real problem finding suitable shoes that didn’t look like they were made for grannies until I found Shoewawa. They’re not cheap but I live in mine and I’ve got my eye on another couple of pairs. They’re so comfy but look ‘normal’. I have insoles too which I can put in some shoes but they don’t fit in more dainty shoes.