Heel pain exercise, relief and steel toe shoe recommendation

Being in the business of supplying our safety footwear product, OSHATOES, to customers throughout the US and Canada, I often hear from our customers that many have been suffering from a variety of foot ailments that makes it virtually impossible for them to wear steel toe boots, and therefore they find us as the best alternative to steel toe boots or shoes. Our product is worn over the shoe, providing the same steel toe protection as the boots, but is much lighter and easier to wear.

But as good as our OSHATOES product is, there may be an easier and completely free way to ease your heel pain, if that is in fact what you may be suffering from as a foot ailment. I myself suffered horribly with heel pain several years ago, and found that it was unbelievably difficult to get out of bed in the morning and hobble about, using every chair back, railing or whatever, to try to take weight off my feet and lessen the pain of walking to begin my day. And it didn't get much better than that as the day progressed, and usually worse. By noontime, I was exhausted, just from the pain. Those of you who suffer from this heel pain know of what I'm talking about, it is truly a nightmare to experience.

I went to the foot doctor, who promptly injected cortisone into the heel, an experience that will bring a tear to the eye of even the most hardy among us. Ouch, in spades. Then, with bandages, booties for the shower, and now an overstuffed shoe, I was off.
The problem was, when the cortisone wore off in about a week or so, the heel pain was back, same as before…. same problem… same pain.

But, while on a plane one day I was reading an article in the on-board magazine that showed a very simple exercise to do to conquer this heel pain, and this is what I would like to share with you. I am not a doctor, and therefore can only render to you my own personal experience and success with this exercise. It is a suggestion, not a prescription.

The primary cause of heel pain appears to be a loss of elasticity in the Achilles tendon. As we get older, it loses its elasticity, 'shortens', and because of this can be the root cause for heel pain, plantar fasciitis or other painful foot conditions.
The exercise I'm about to suggest is one that will help you to stretch your Achilles tendon, and therefore hopefully restore the elasticity you may have lost, and subsequently improve your overall foot wellness.

To do this exercise, stand on a stair with the balls of your feet, letting your heels hang out into space. Now, gently lower your heels below the level of the stair and hold it there for several seconds. Then, raise your heels to rest for a moment, and lower them again, this time slightly farther down, and for a slightly longer time. Repeat several times a day, each time increasing the duration.

In my own case, I noticed a distinct difference within minutes, and had complete relief from heel pain within a few days. This may or may not work for you, but to try it, you have everything to gain and virtually nothing to lose.

Good luck, and I hope this simple exercise brings relief to you if you are suffering from heel pain.

RPHooker
www.OSHATOES.com

An American Safety Revolution in the Workplace

There is a Safety Revolution going on in America today. While the requirement for steel toe protection for workers in heavy industry has been around for years and years, manufacturers in light industry that use to be considered “safe” are stepping up their foot safety requirements.

Interestingly however, is the fact that this same move by safety conscious employers towards a safer workplace can result in more foot pain and even additional injuries to the same workers that they want to protect. Many people have problems with their feet that make the wearing of steel toe boots very difficult, and painful as well. For example, the majority of people with diabetes have severe foot problems that make it literally impossible for them to wear steel toe boots. Also, people with heel pain, plantar fasciitis, arch issues or other foot-related problems simply cannot wear steel toe boots. Likewise, they may not be able to afford those medical devices such as orthodics, special braces or cushions that might make wearing the boots bearable for them.

One solution to this problem may be OSHATOES, which are an over the shoe steel toe safety shoes alternative. This product combines a rated steel toe cap into a standard rubber overshoe to provide the same steel toe protection to the wearer as that supplied by typical steel toe boots. The difference is that now the employees can wear their own comfortable shoes, with the OSHATOES providing the protection over the shoe instead of inside the shoe.

Many companies are now requiring visitors to their facilities to also have steel toe protection, and OSHATOES provide the perfect solution for this situation. Previously, if there was a site-visit requirement for people to have steel toe protection, the facility may have supplied over the sock boots for their visitors to wear. This is not the most sanitary of conditions, and can result in the spread of foot-related diseases such as fungus, plantar warts and so on. Because OSHATOES are worn externally over the shoe, they are inherently sanitary, and can be worn by anyone, man, woman, or child. And again, they afford the same level of steel toe protection as does an over the sock boot.
At around $27.00 per pair, in most cases, the OSHATOES are a very affordable solution to a multitude of problems revolving around how to provide steel toe protection not only to employees that may have pre-existing foot problems, but to factory visitors and vendors as well.

Find out more information about OSHATOES Safety Shoes at www.oshatoes.com

Steel toe overshoes provide both safety and relief to diabetics

Steel toe overshoes are becoming extremely popular with people who have diabetes. Diabetics, as most people are aware, very often have severe foot problems and discomfort, making it almost impossible for them to wear steel toe boots to work. This discomfort and the effects of the illness couple with the necessity of wearing unsuitable or uncomfortable protective footwear in the workplace can sometimes then lead to the necessity to amputate toes or other parts of the foot. When that happens, the 'work' problem becomes horribly magnified, requiring the affected workers to learn new skills, be re-assigned to lighter duty, reduce their work week to part-time, all of which may then lead to a loss of income for them. Add to this the fact that our working population is aging, and that with age comes not only wisdom but also more health issues, and you have the basis for a crisis in the workplace. Fortunately, oshatoes.com seem to be helping, if only in a small way, many of these people suffering from this dreaded diabetes disease.


The people with diabetes that call in from around the country can be very interesting and informative. Most who call do so because they have the need to wear steel toe protection, yet suffer horribly when wearing steel toe boots. The boots cramp their toes and restrict blood flow, a very serious condition for a diabetic. With that comes the pain, so devastating to most sufferers that they simply cannot work an entire day, even when they so dearly need to for the income. And, some say, the quality of the work that they can do suffers as well because their minds are so overwrought with the pain that they have trouble concentrating on the task at hand.

OSHATOES, which are an over the shoe steel toe alternative, seem to be helping thousands of diabetics overcome their pain and allow them to work full days and be more productive. The covers are a very simple product and idea. Wear the steel toecap to protect your feet over the shoe instead of inside the shoe. This way, workers wear their own comfortable shoes, and yet still be protected by the rated steel toecap that is molded into the over the shoe rubbers.

And, OSHATOES are also much lighter on the feet, being only about 12 ounces per foot compared to 2+ pounds for most boots. This causes less physical drain on the workers after a full day at work, making them not only less tired at the end of the day, but also less prone to accidents resulting from carelessness caused by being overtired.

The product is interchangeable for men or for women; either/or can wear them and achieve the same benefits.

Many of the customers call a day or two after receiving their order thanking us for solving their safety footwear problem. It is really quite gratifying to be able to solve this steel toe boot alternative that makes life so much easier for all those people with foot problems. We all have to work, and it is a lot easier to work when you're comfortable and not in foot-agony

Find out more information about OSHATOES Safety Shoes at www.oshatoes.com