I didn’t realize how bad my foot pain had gotten until I went to visit my daughter — which is apparently when my body decided to remind me that I am no longer 25 and cannot ignore basic biomechanics forever.
I arrived already dealing with plantar fasciitis, arch pain, and that special kind of misery that mostly lives in my right foot. I’m pretty sure it comes from sitting too much for work — because nothing says “healthy lifestyle” like being glued to a chair all day. Of course, the irony is that when I stand too long, my foot hurts. So basically, existing is the problem.
I’ve tried all the things you’re supposed to try. Stretching. Rolling my foot on a ball. Self-massage. Positive thinking (okay, maybe not that one). It helps a little, but nothing has actually fixed it.
My daughter had planned a day at the Phoenix Zoo. She had gotten season passes and was beyond excited to take me — and I was excited to watch my grandson experience the animals for the first time. Because honestly, watching kids discover the world is pure magic… even when your foot feels like it’s plotting your demise.
We went on a Friday — the last Friday before kids went back to school — which meant every parent in Phoenix had the exact same idea: “Let’s exhaust the children before Monday.” We parked in what I can only assume was another zip code. So before we even saw one animal, we had to hike across a parking lot large enough to qualify as cardio.
I was in pain before we even made it to the gate. Just getting out of the car after the drive made me question my life choices. But I was determined to push through because I refused to be the grandma sitting on a bench missing the fun. Besides I am “The” Gen X Gaga. I’m not a regular grandma, I’m a cool grandma.
We walked the zoo — slowly. Well, normal speed for everyone else and “snail with a limp” speed for me. I’ve always been a slow walker — my ex-husband used to call me “Pokey,” which at the time felt rude but now feels medically accurate.
Every step felt like I was walking on tiny glass shards embedded in my arch and heel. But watching my grandson light up at every animal made it worth it. Kids don’t notice your limp — they just see you being there.
My favorite part was the carousel at the end. My daughter suggested my grandson and I sit on one of the stationary chairs, and honestly that sounded like the best idea anyone had ever had. Unfortunately, two kids beat us to it. So we grabbed a horse. He got to sit like royalty while I stood beside him pretending my foot wasn’t screaming at me.
Then came the walk back to the car — uphill, because of course it was uphill. I hobbled along trying to look casual and pretending I wasn’t calculating how many steps remained until freedom.
Later, I finally admitted to my daughter that my foot was killing me. She suggested I try their foot massager — something she had bought for my son-in-law a couple years ago.
I didn’t expect much. I mean, how good could a machine be compared to my elite-level foot rolling skills?
Turns out… pretty good.
The first time I used it, I thought it might actually kill me — but in a productive way. It had that “hurts so good” feeling like it was digging into knots and breaking up tight spots I didn’t even know existed.
During the rest of my visit (about 30 days), I used that thing daily. Sometimes twice. Sometimes three times. And slowly, shockingly, my foot started feeling better.
Not miracle-level better — but enough that I noticed.
So naturally, I decided I needed one waiting for me when I got home.
I went into full research mode — reviews, features, comparisons, rabbit holes — and decided to invest in a fancy Comfier 2-in-1 foot and calf massager. It was more expensive, but I figured if I was going to do this, I might as well go big.
Unfortunately, it did not love me back.
It pinched my toes, felt weak in the arch area (which is literally the whole reason I bought it), and overall just didn’t deliver like the cheaper one my son-in-law had.
So back it went.
Now I’m officially on a quest — part science experiment, part midlife survival strategy — to find the foot massager that actually works for plantar fasciitis.
Next up: a Comfier Shiatsu foot massager with heat. Stay tuned, because I will absolutely report back… for science.
