If you think you have a serious health problem, you need to see a doctor. Don’t rely on the internet to treat serious medical conditions.
That said, I was suffering, but not from a serious medical condition. A couple years ago, while walking in my own back yard, I slipped on some damp grass and sprained my ankle. (What is it that’s often said about accidents happening close to home?) The pain was so bad that I had to crawl on my hands and knees to get back into the house. I spent most of the next few days on the couch, alternating between applying ice packs and a heating pad to the injured foot. Within a few days I was able to walk, albeit with quite a bit of pain.
The pain slowly subsided over the course of a few weeks. But several months later there was still notable pain. Not severe, not debilitating, but still bothersome. The ankle just didn’t seem to be getting 100% better. I waited a few months more, but still the pain hadn’t gone away.
Finally (sometimes, I’m just slow), it dawned on me to search the internet. I had a vague idea that a physical therapist would do me some good, but I didn’t want to take the time to actually go see a physical therapist. I just wanted to know what a physical therapist would be likely to tell me.
Of course, within seconds of typing a few keywords (and what is a “keyword” anyway? why don’t I just write that I typed “words”) into my favorite search engine I found a blog written by a physical therapist that discussed what kind of exercises he usually prescribed for patients who complained of persistent pain from a sprained ankle. There were also helpful videos on youtube. Basically, it was standing one one leg, standing on tiptoes, and leaning and pushing against a wall from a distance of an arm’s length or more. Also, while seated, stretching the heel, pointing the toe, and lifting the outer and inner sides of the foot.
I started doing the exercises a few times each day, and after a few weeks, hallelujah! I’m healed! The pain was reduced to almost nothing. The exercises were just the right thing. The internet to the rescue!
