I wondered if any of you can shed light on this?

About ten days ago I started to get pains in my left foot, sort of between the pad of the fourth toe mound and the index toe primarily. I could not bend my toes but they were not swollen. Nor could I walk heel to toe on that foot.

Anyway, I soaked the foot in a bath of iced water for about three hours and the pain eased. The next night I got the most ferocious cramp in my calf muscle and that went on for the past few days .. then eased.

Two nights ago my foot started up again and today I have the same pain, again no swelling and I am unable to walk heel to toe. I will soak my foot in iced water.

Of course this all means no treadmill or dance mat, a lot of wincing and it is really difficult to do housework.

I am horribly reluctant to go to the doctor with it almost to the point of being phobic. She will slide in references to being fat and suffering fat related issues as if I don't know that already. I am agoraphobic and going to the doctor is difficult to start with and I am a bunch of vulnerable nerves when I get there without being slapped down even more. I wish she could focus on a solution rather than the problem.

I am hoping this is just one of those things, that perhaps one of you knows and has experienced it and knows the magic unicorn, pixie dust solution!

It sounds like it could be anything from a vitamin deficiency to a pinched nerve. Do you take a multi vitamin? Have you had blood tests done lately? I'm guessing not for a while if you don't like seeing the doctor. Do you get any tingling or numbness along with the pain? I would recommended resting the foot and when you do have to go out make sure you're wearing comfortable, supportive footwear (no heals or flip flops), and perhaps add a multi vitamin to your diet if you don't already take one. There are also some stretches online you can do, but I would try the other stuff first (rest and get your vitamin levels in check) before you look up any of those, just so you don't hurt yourself any further.

Sometimes if I overdo it with exercise, I get a bone spur. Mine are usually on the heel; but it is possible to get them on the ball of your feet. There are some over the counter shoe inserts you can get to help ease foot pain...whether it is bone spur, plantar fasciatis, overexercise or from wearing heels. You can take ibuprofen and if you ice it a frozen water bottle to roll your foot over works well. Wearing shoes with good arch supports, inserts, etc. for most of the day instead of dress shoes, flats, heels, etc. There are even some exercises that might help. Alternate pointing, flexing for a count of ten with making circles with your feet. Also, rolling your foot over a tennis ball. HTH.

Thanks so much for your responses. I dont take a multivitamin so that is on order right now!

I had blood-work done nigh on five years ago which, strangely, uncovered the fact I had hepatitis C, already cured, from lords knows when, plus gallstones. Go figure =)

Digging out some tennis shoes. I tidied up my shoes the other day and packed some away!

Oh, yes, there is tingling with it ... like pins and needles are about to happen but don't actually get around to it.

I have the frozen water bottle and fussing it around under the desk, with my foot, as we speak =)