How it all began...

Hello.

I thought I'd start off this blog with the story of how and why I became a Rolfer™. I touch on it very briefly on the "About Stephanie" page, but I thought I'd go into more detail. 

It all starts way back when I was a little girl... Bunions. People tend to think of them as things that older people have, and that they are a result of wearing too tight and pointy shoes. This is true, BUT they can also happen when you are very young. Bunions can actually form because of structural imbalances and how you walk. If I only knew then what I know now...
I have basically had a bunion for as long as I remember. As soon as I started walking pretty much. I used to have them on both feet, but over the years my right foot corrected itself, and the left did too, to an extent, but it was still very noticeable. I remember seeing a specialist when I was about 6 years old, and I remember him saying to my mum, that in my case surgery wasn't a matter of "if" it was "when." So, I basically grew up "knowing" that I would need surgery to fix my foot. Fast forward 20 years and I was now seriously contemplating surgery. I was in pain. I was no longer able to run. Hiking was giving me issues. I had trouble in some yoga poses (particularly the toe squat), and my toe just ached in the cold Ottawa winters. So, I went to my doctor and got a referral to a surgeon. I didn't end up seeing the one I wanted, but that is another story...
February 2011 I had the bunionectomy on my left foot. It was... unsuccessful, to say the least. While the lump on the side of my foot was smaller, my toe still bent inwards towards the other toes, and it was still painful. In fact, it was worse. The surgeon had (in his infinite wisdom...) decided to put a plate and screws through my first metatarsal. Why I do not know. I was young (only 27). I was healthy, and had strong bones. The plate was not reinforcing a joint. In short I can see no reason for it. I actually just had it removed last week, and I am so glad it is gone. It was causing me nerve issues, and a lot of pain, which is where Rolfing comes in. 
A year after my surgery, my toe was giving me a lot of trouble. It has started to turn purple and go numb! It had started off with only a few minutes of numbness after several hours of walking; within a month, a 10 minute walk or bike ride would leave my toe purple for an hour! It was extremely uncomfortable and quite worrying. I went back to the surgeon and his response was to fuse the joint. Great... I said "No" to that. My aunt and uncle (to whom I am forever grateful) suggested I give Rolfing a try. I did, and within 3 sessions the numbness and discolouration had stopped. It has never really come back. I occasionally get a bit of tingling and numbness, but I do some Rolfing on my own foot, and it goes away. It is my belief that with the plate and screws gone it won't happen anymore. You see, the surgeon used a screw that was too big for my foot and the screw went into my second metatarsal, effectively screwing my toes together, and impinging on nerves in the process. But it took years for even the minor tingling to come back after my Rolfer worked on me. 
If I had know when I was contemplating surgery for the first time what I know now, I would not have had surgery. I would have tried Rolfing first. It would not have changed the shape of my bone, but it may have made my foot functional. And, if I decided to have surgery after trying Rolfing, I would have better recovery because I would have been better prepared. And I most certainly would have made sure I saw the surgeon I wanted and not the one my doctor sent me to. 
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If any of you has a bunion that is bothering you, try Rolfing first! Try exercises to strengthen the intrinsic muscles in your feet. Have someone work on the muscles and fascia in your feet and lower legs. Check the alignment of your pelvis. This all plays a part in your foot function and your bunion (and do stop wearing high heels and tight, pointy shoes for long durations). If you are still in pain, then have surgery, and make sure you see the bunion specialist. Feet are complicated, and trust me, you don't want someone experimenting on you.  

Toe, day before surgery

Toe, 2 years after surgery