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Windsurfing Heel

 
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knifeonwater



Joined: 25 May 2000
Posts: 51

PostPosted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 11:26 pm    Post subject: Windsurfing Heel Reply with quote

Has anyone ever experienced numbness in their heel as a result of windsurfing? It's been coming and going all summer, but seems to be worst when I sail numerous days in a row, not a problem lately. Wondering if jumping and general pounding would cause this. Unfortunately, I am serious. MD's???
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surfersteve



Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 203

PostPosted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As a PT I can offer what I know and suspect as someone who has never evaluated you formally. The sciatic nerve eventually goes all the way to the toes. Along the way it changes names and wraps around both sides of the calcaneus, or heel bone. There are several places you could be generating excessive pressure on the nerve. We have fat pads under the calcaneus which serve as shock absorbers. As we age these fat pads may become thinner and provide less protection for the bottom of the foot. It is also possible you have plantar fasciitis which could cause similar symptoms. The plantar fascia is a thick fan-shaped ligament which provides some arch support. It can be irritated from excessive stretching or going flat-footed in the arch. This is also more common in athletic people and our arches tend to spread out as we age. It is also possible that the calcaneus itself is being bruised from being barefoot so much on hard surfaces common with sailing. This would be more likely with the thinned fat pad scenario I mentioned earlier. I would get it looked at by a good orthopedic MD or go to a good PT in the area who deals with sports and ortho issues on a regular basis.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And the sooner you get a medical evaluation, the better. Soft tissue problems like Steve mentioned can get chronic and a real bear to treat if they are allowed to advance to the point of actual tissue damage, i.e. pathology. Think tennis elbow; gutting it out can lead to permanent damage.
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knifeonwater



Joined: 25 May 2000
Posts: 51

PostPosted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks surfersteve. I will get it checked out.
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biffmalibu



Joined: 30 May 2008
Posts: 556

PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I seriously recommend switching to a more forgiving polyester board.
Smile
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Or just slapping a piece of self-stick deck padding on your existing pads under each heel ... after getting diagnosis and treatment.
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spennie



Joined: 13 Oct 1995
Posts: 975
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

PostPosted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 8:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My Exocets have a gel-filled cup built into the deck where your heel sits, super comfy and proven to be indestructable over many years of my 215 pounds pounding on them. Takes away all the small vibrations and feels better than you're thinking right now. Great riding & turning boards, too!
_________________
Spennie the Wind Junkie
www.WindJunkie.net
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dosfatboys



Joined: 09 Jul 2000
Posts: 13

PostPosted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Knife, maybe your handle should be smokeonwater (Hee Hee!)
The cause is more likely GOUT from eating too much shellfish. Or the problem may be an OD of nicotine not windsurfing. Ya gotta be more light on your feet, stop sucking shells and stop pounding on them stinky butts. Treat your board like egg shells not crab shells. Be like twinkle toes! Less smoke on land, more smoke on the water!
No wind = crappy diem. BTY didn't you break a few boards jumping?
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knifeonwater



Joined: 25 May 2000
Posts: 51

PostPosted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fat Boy, shellfish intake is way down so I don't think that is the cause. I'll cut down on the training sticks when you cut down on eating. No jumping, no fast sailing, no wake. Smoke on the water = make it rain!
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