Fitness Files: I tried these remedies and now I’m a believer

I scoff at miracle cures, supplements and muscle braces.

Blame my skepticism on my dad, a scientist, who guffawed at unsupported ideas we kids brought home to discuss.

Yet my habitual disbelief turned to belief — for the items below.

1. Last year, the ball of my left foot burned so bad during distance running workouts that I knew I’d never last a marathon’s 26.2 miles.

I visited a podiatrist who handed me a Toe Buddy. “This will cure you,” he said. I put the soft gel toe spacer between the big toe and the second toe. The doctor explained that wearing it would relieve pressure on the inflamed bunion joint.

“Baloney,” I thought, leaving his office.

A year later, I’m 80% cured. Actually, 100% unless I run more than 10 miles. However, only nutty people run more than 10 miles. I’m not blaming the Toe Buddy. I love the Toe Buddy.

2. My shins hurt. Last year’s 50-mile weeks preparing for the L.A. Marathon did it. Never again. All those miles on asphalt left me with shin splints, including a lump on my right shin. “Maybe it’s bone cancer,” I worried, promising myself I’d see a doctor.

Last May, I purchased compression socks for the OC Half Marathon. After I got first place in O.C. (as well as L.A.), I put the compression socks away. Forgot I owned them.

My shins continued to hurt. Seven months later, I noticed the compression socks in a drawer. I pulled them over my sore shins, wore them for two days and the lump disappeared.

I slept in the compression socks. I now wear them for hikes and runs. I can’t believe the lump is gone, but it really is. My sore shins are 80% better, but who knows what will happen if I continue to wear compression socks? Maybe my shins will heal completely.

3. My husband suffers from a scoffing wife. He ordered the Rumble Roller online and I sneered. “Paul’s Torture Roller,” I dubbed the rubber cylinder with the tractor-like treads.

I squealed in pain when I rolled my tight back over it. Ow! Ow! Ow!

Then I got up, glared at the roller and at my husband and walked away, pain free.

Darn! Paul got it right.

My theory is that rolling on the treads breaks up tension around the places that hurt. Perhaps it hits what are called pressure points. I’m not here to explain exactly why these things work. I’m writing in absolute surprise because the three items I mentioned actually help.

4. Last idea is the strangest. Years ago, I published articles in the Los Angeles Times’ “My Turn” column. The People’s Pharmacy article appeared right beside my writing, pairing scientific studies with readers’ anecdotal evidence.

Since my husband had sore muscles from time to time, I bought him People’s Pharmacy “cures” of tart cherry juice and gin-soaked yellow raisins.

Along the way, I accepted my sore back, rump and thigh as permanent. On long car rides, I used kids’ foam balls behind my back, sat on one and kept another under my thigh. These balls moderated the pain and kept me on the road, but didn’t cure anything.

I liked the taste of the gin-soaked yellow raisins, so I enjoyed a spoonful every morning, never expecting results.

Weeks later, I realized all those foam balls, still in my car, were going unused. Who knows if it’s the gin-soaked raisins. How could it be?

Dad, I know you’re laughing, but still, I accept pain-free driving gratefully.

No scientific research reported this week. Just life lessons for a skeptic.

Newport Beach resident CARRIE LUGER SLAYBACK is a retired teacher who ran the L.A. Marathon at age 70, winning first place in her age group. Her blog is [email protected].