Is this an "old person" thing, or what?

[LaraMN]

Whenever I sit down for more than five minutes, the ?tendons? at the back of my ankles get tight. When I stand up, I have to stretch them out before I start walking, or I will move funny. Wtf? I think this is karmic retribution for making fun of my husband for his various minor complaints of physical peculiarities.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Just wait another 20 years.

You will know you're old when every time you stand up you go "Uhhhh" because it's such an effort. And then when you sit down you collapse into your chair and you go "Uhhhh" again. And when you first get up in the morning you can't just stand up, you have to sort of unroll yourself slowly. And you say "Uhhhh."

[LaraMN]

2. So it's like being pregnant, but with a view of your feet?

:P

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Pretty much.

Not so much throwing up, but sometimes a little leakage. And nobody thinks you're "glowing."

[LaraMN]

7. Meh. I never "glowed," anyway.

In fact, I have never had worse skin than I did when I was pregnant. Can't say that I miss it.

[elleng]

14. Hi, ocelot!

.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. Hey!

:hi:

[Rhythm]

4. I have a similar thing going on...

My right foot hurts like hell in the mornings, but then as i move around, it gets almost normal. If i sit down again (like on the bus, or in class, etc...), when i get back up it's excruciating again.

My doc said it's 'tarsal tunnel syndrome', and i'm supposed to get a referral from him for PT. Meanwhile, i take a cane with me everywhere i go.

[LaraMN]

5. Gah! That sounds painful!

:(

My issue isn't painful, just tight-feeling and weird.

You poor honey!

[noamnety]

10. that sounds similar to the plantar fasciitis

which I am battling. They're so close I see sometimes one is misdiagnosed as the other: http://www.progressive-pt.net/index.php?action=articles&article=tarsaltunnel

For a few months, I could barely walk and in the morning first getting out of bed, it was unbearable. I tried a few things - stretches, a splint at night for it, but the one thing that helped was the Rx line of crocs shoes, which I had to get at a foot doctor's office. http://www.crocsrx.com/ Best money I ever spent - even wearing them around the house helped.

They aren't glamorous, but neither was wincing at every step I took. After doing more research for shoes that help plantar fasciitis, today I decided to up the fashion setting and bought a pair of dansko clogs. I've never spent that much for a pair of shoes in my life - but I couldn't figure out another way to do "professional" and "mobile" - I can't wear that one pair of crocs every day forever, especially with dress pants. :)

I don't know if shoes make a big difference for your condition, but given how similar they sound, I thought I'd mention it. The new shoes completely changed my quality of life.

[1gobluedem]

13. That's what it sounds like to me too

I had a big problem with it a few years ago. Shoes helped me too, including Crocs. I stretch my feet now whenever I sit for long periods of time and before I get out of bed; helps a lot.

[cwydro]

6. Do ankle rotations.

and stretch a lot. It helps.

[LaraMN]

8. Noted, but why does it do that, in the first place?!

It's very annoying!

[cwydro]

9. I run everyday and never had that problem until recently...

so maybe it is old age, lol.

Don't know how old you are or if you exercise a lot, but I am much older than I used to be.

Everything is getting stiffer. (Thank god I am female or I might get your thread locked on that one!:P)

[Bossy Monkey]

11. Flat feet?

I was told decades ago by a doctor that I had them, but just ignored it. Last year, tired of years of back pain, I started doing various stretching exercises and found that my calves were incredibly tight. Internets indicated that this was indeed a sign of fallen arches, and showed a picture of my feet. So I got some Dr. Scholl's Back Relief Orthotics and have been better since. As far as I know, I'm still not gellin', however.:)

[Fleshdancer]

12. do you wear high heels a lot? n/t

[noamnety]

15. Great question

I should have thought of that, too. Those will eventually ruin your feet, and will give exactly that symptom. My grandma ended up not being able to walk barefoot at all, she had to wear slippers in the house that had a wedge heel because years of high heels shortened her tendons so much she just physically couldn't bear weight on her feet if they were at a normal angle.

[zanne]

16. My mother's toes were shaped to a "V" shape...

She wore high heeled, pointy shoes for many years. They're terrible for your feet, not to mention your back. It's almost as though we're using the ancient Chinese custom of "banding" our own feet.

[MissMillie]

18. It sounds like plantar fasciitis

my sister had to sleep with braces on her feet to keep her feet at a 90 degree angle from her legs.

There are some stretches you can do to improve it... also see a podiatrist. The shape of your foot might be part of the problem too.