Charley Horse in Arch? Why?

[DanPatch]

Just recently, and only when I am swimming around in an indoor pool (once a week), my foot starts to 'charley horse' right in the arch. It is pretty painful, and after having done a bit of research but finding clear answers as to why this is happening, I do believe it is my 'flexor hallucis longus' that is causing me grief. It feels like this tendon is contracting in my foot (both right and left). You can feel the ridge that it creates in the arch when this happens, and rubbing it does NOT help. To get it to go away, I had to either get out of the pool and walk on it or place my palm on the ball of my big toe and gently press down to stretch out the tendon. The second week that it happened was worse than the first, and probably occured about 3-4 times in an hour and forty five minutes of being in the pool. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

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[DanPatch]

Anyone have any suggestions?

[MrPhysio+]

Hi Dan Patch,
I suspect that the arches of your feet are becoming over tight and are cramping. You will need to stretch the muscles and mobilise the bones in your foot.
First, find a plastic traditional Coca Cola shaped bottle 3300 to 600 ml in size. These bottles look like the outline of a chest and waist. Empty out or drink the contents, fill
with water to about 25mm from the top. Do not use glass bottles. Freeze the contents. You now have a frozen rolling pin. Place the frozen bottle underneath your foot with
the chest part of the bottle under the high part of the foot arch and the waist part under the low part of the arch. One foot at a time. The bottle goes across the foot ie
the bottle cap points 90 degrees fom the toes.

Stand on the bottle with around one third of your body weight on the bottle and the roll the bottle underfoot front to back. This will numb the foot, decrease any inflammation if present and mobilise the foot structures.
Continue for two minutes. Do twice a day. Be cautious of this if you have diabetes or any other condition that affects the feeling in your foot - check with your Doctor first if sensation is compromised.

The next exercise involves placing your toes against a wall. Keep your heel on the ground and lean forward from the ankle. You should feel a stretch on the foot arch
as the toes bend backwards. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and repeat three times one ach foot 4-6 times a day.

Continue both exercises for one week after symptoms ease. Relief should begin within a few days.

Have you recently changed footwear or started wearing orthotics / arch supports. If so, the supports may be causing the problem.

Hope this helps.
Cheers,
MrPhysio+

[violablue]

Oh, that's my fave calf stretch. Should loosen up those calf muscles! Which can cause lots of trouble in the foot.

[DanPatch]

Thanks for the responses! I will be sure to try them out. I have been recently wearing shoes with less support than the ones I normally wear. Perhaps this is causing the trouble.