# Protecting Feet from Injury - Takin' Care of the Doggies



## gkygrl (Mar 6, 2008)

Ok, I am a newbie with MS and a lot of times, I don't feel my feet fully (this makes for fun) or I OVER feel them with all kinds of funky sensations like pins and needles, heat, burns/scrapes.  Really strange stuff -- let me tell you.

Right now I am in the process of learning some simple kicking.   It's difficult for me to understand proprioception sometimes (positioning) because of MS -- especially on the back kick.

I need to understand how to protect my feet better.  One of them which has altered sensation recently is more bruised than it should be on the top.  I want to work with a Wavemaster -- but I don't want to injure my "doggies" too much.   I have MA shoes which I am going to start wearing but I wondered if anyone could recommend anything else (a certain kind of padding)?

I think I am working my right foot harder than I should and that is part of the problem.  My issue is with position sensing and some lack of sensation.

Thanks a ton!


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## myusername (Mar 6, 2008)

Hi Gkygrl, 

I'm a newbie too so my suggestion is a bit of a guess, but perhaps some sparring foot protectors might do the trick? Most martialarts shops sell them. They would protect the top of your feet and your toes but I don't think that they will provide much protection for the soles of your feet so it depends where your feet are hurting as to whether they will be useful.

Good luck with your training,

Mark


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## Andrew Green (Mar 6, 2008)

Wrestling shoes are probably your best bet.  They give you better ankle support then the TKD style shoe would, and in my experience, last a lot longer too.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Mar 6, 2008)

Andrew Green said:


> Wrestling shoes are probably your best bet. They give you better ankle support then the TKD style shoe would, and in my experience, last a lot longer too.


 
Wrestling shoes definately are the way to go for footwear.


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## masherdong (Mar 6, 2008)

> Wrestling shoes definately are the way to go for footwear.



Indeed.  I wear wrestling shoes under my shin/instep guards when I spar and they work like a champ!


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## jks9199 (Mar 6, 2008)

You might add a small insole, or even just half an insole on the heels because I've seen some things suggesting that a LOW heel or slightly raised heel is better for your feet.  Don't know... 

As far as padding and wraps -- there are a number of sorts of pads and support booties out there.  Unfortunately, the only way to know what would help you is to try some of them out.  You might find that the combined shin/instep pads are pretty helpful -- or you might find that you need to wear the foam booties...


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## tyciol (Mar 7, 2008)

I think doing a lot of work in bare feet where you can grip softer ground with your toes and spread them out, especially when balancing on one foot while moving around (slowly or faster later) to keep balance can be helpful in building stability and strength in the foot.

I always wondered what those vibrating platforms did for it as well.


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## 7starmarc (Mar 7, 2008)

gkygrl said:


> Ok, I am a newbie with MS and a lot of times, I don't feel my feet fully (this makes for fun) or I OVER feel them with all kinds of funky sensations like pins and needles, heat, burns/scrapes.  Really strange stuff -- let me tell you.
> 
> Right now I am in the process of learning some simple kicking.   It's difficult for me to understand proprioception sometimes (positioning) because of MS -- especially on the back kick.
> 
> ...



First off, I think it's great that you're starting up a MA in the face of something like MS, something that has challenges that become daunting even for regular day-to-day stuff.

We all have the inclination to overdo training from time to time (currently, I'm nursing a sore shoulder from some drills on Wednesday night), but your body has an impaired ability to protect itself from the harmful effects of over training. To add to that, you mentioned that your proprioception is off. This means that you may not be executing techniques properly. In hard kicking, poor foot positioning can pre-dispose you to injury from striking objects incorrectly.

I would advise slowing down a little bit. Slow down your techniques and pay special attention to getting positioning and striking surfaces down right before you go for power. (this goes for everyone, but is doubly important for you).

Also, recognize that you don't have to strike with full power yet. You're just starting. I know that it's fun, but the harder you strike the target, the harder the target is hitting you. Take the time to build up toughness/conditioning in your feet/hands. Body hardening is a gradual process, and rushing into it often leads to injury and delays in training, instead of accelerating the conditioning.

The other side of the equation is that you should develop proper technique for your style to generate power, if you start striking hard early without proper technique, your body will learn bad habits which can ultimately rob you of power down the road, making your strikes less effective, and costing more energy (something else you can't necessarily afford with MS).

Don't get me wrong, I love your enthusiasm and energy for your new sport. I just want to encourage you to take the long view of some of these issues that will probably be better for your development as a martial artist and for your overall health.

While shoes and padding  mentioned by other posters might help, I think focusing on building proper technique, strength, and body conditioning will carry you further. 

For my money, I have tried wrestling shoes and found them wanting. The soles of these shoes often have rounded edges and are designed for lateral traction while ground fighting. I have noticed some increased ankle instability when using wrestling shoes for standing activities (particularly single leg stances), even with the high ankle.

Best of luck!


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## Carol (Mar 7, 2008)

Perhaps you could train your body in ways other than the feel of the impact on your feet?

Try do kicks with a partner that is wearing pads or carrying a kick shield...and your partner can offer feedback as to how firmly you are kicking.

If you are not hearing-impaired, focus on sound, and how you hear sounds when training.

When you strike any solid object, your strike will make a sound.  The sound you make will vary with the impact that you make.  Train your ears to tune in to the subtleties of the sound you make with every move...the sound of your feet on the floor, the sound of your uniform rustling as you change position.  Sound waves travel better in water than they do in air.  If you have a chance to kick a wavemaster that is filled with water you will likely find that you have more auditory feedback than you would have kicking a wavemaster or other heavy bag stuffed with some kind of granular fill.  Try to fine tune your moves based on sound, like a musician honing the technique of the notes the play.

Perhaps also you could also find some kind of foam target that would give you some visual feedback as to how hard you are kicking? 

Remember, slow and steady wins the race.  You've got a big cheering section here on MT


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## gkygrl (Mar 7, 2008)

Thank you for all the great feedback.  I will take it to heart and work on slowing down and working on better technique with feedback.

I want to be in this for the long haul -- not the short sprint.

I appreciate the input.  Great stuff!


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