Maybe It's Growing On Me

I have yet to have surgery on my right foot. I'm 43, very active and I just cannot bear to think about doing my other foot and potentially having complications like my first surgery. My issues have become that of balance and proper gait.

I do quite a bit of running, strength training and hiking. I was a swimmer and water polo player in my younger life - which would be so much better for my feet, but the havoc chlorine wreaked on my skin and my hair no longer entices me. I pay entirely too much to keep those things in great shape and I'd like to keep it that way.

 When I strength train or do yoga especially, my balance is almost completely shifted off my surgery location - still. I don't have pain there, other than the occasional arthritic bother. It's more like I'm just used to keeping weight off that part of my foot after all the trauma and so it has remained that way. This causes quite a bit of imbalance when I'm doing any sort of balance activity and my concern is that over time this will cause significant issues with my lower back, spine and overall stability.

I'm not sure that a surgery on my right foot would remedy this. I've begun to think it's just par for the course... speaking of, my weight shift in golf is greatly affected as well. My solution to this has just been to continue wearing my favorite Birkenstocks or my Vionic flip-flops. I don't wear heels often, since I'm 5'10", so that's good. I have considered more of a minimalist shoe for working out or running, like Xero shoes or something similar. 

I'm curious if any of you have tried these and have input on them. One day I will get around to fixing the other foot. It will be dependent on finding a doctor here in San Diego that I trust and who has a LOT of experience. After all, they're just "practicing" surgeons.