cantSUPenough said..
OK - this is probably a dumb medical/physio question, but I got a bit sick for a while and took some meds that made my feet/ankles swell. The swelling has long gone, but as a result my feet have numb patches - not totally numb, but maybe 80% loss. So my big toes don't feel much, the outside edges of my feet and heels don't feel much. Some of the other toes are sketchy.

The question: how much does the feeling in your feet affect balance?

If you are in very cold water your feet go numb - do people have balance issues afterwards?

that's no good to hear! Short answer - YES, decreased sensation is very much related to making balance more challenging. How effected depends on how good your other senses are including your vision, proprioception (joint position feedback) and vestibular (inner ear) Are you certain it is the medication that has caused these numb patches - would be discussing with your GP. It is possible for some medication to give you what is called a peripheral neuropathy, which would relate to numb patches. Also, the areas of your foot you describe fit quite well with your L5/S1 dermatomes (i.e do you have any lower back issues).

cantSUPenough said..
Thanks CarterSUP. I do have some back issues like most tall old guys (53), but it all came about when I had the medical issues. I was on a few meds, but one of them was Amlodipine and after I did some research I found that was a possible side effect so they changed it. The swelling went down but my feet stayed numb. I was taking some heavy meds around that time so it may have been something else, but that is certainly when the numbness started. The specialist sort of had the attitude - well, you're alive aren't you. He clearly was not into SUP (but he had a good point)!

Thanks again.

Yeah, that's a real bummer and a very standard specialist attitude - but gotta give it to them they know how to keep us alive. The best way to combat some numbness is to make everything else work harder.Anything that challenges your balance particularly on your effected leg will help both with proprioception and also your vestibular system. Work on some single leg balance, eyes open and eyes closed - do three trials each open and closed and time yourself. You'll find it much harder eyes closed - so your goal is to then improve on your time. You can then get creative and stand on a doubled over pillow so the 'ground' is softer (home made bosu ball or dura disk, if you don't have access to one) and start on that balancing eyes open, progress to eyes closed. Progressing on and keeping other ailments in mind, you might get creative with some 1/2 lunges with your effected leg in front so that you're challenging your senses in a more functional position. You can then have your front foot on a pillow / dura disk etc etc. At the end of the day, you shouldn't have huuuuge dramas on the sup. Good luck with it all!

Hi, I have pheriphal neuropathy in both feet and toes from chemotherapy and meds I am presently on.Maybe a 50 percent scale of numbness, I think it affects my balance to a degree,from research and trying different things Vitamin B12 is supposed to help, I have a multi B tablet daily, Fish oil,and creams with vitamin E,I put it on before bed.I have recently tried a TENS machine,hard to judge if it has helped as I cant feel the pulsing.Up side was recent trip to Tassie didnt feel the cold water on the tootsies, mate hope it goes for you its very annoying just got to put it out of the head,just nice to be alive

No Amlodipine for me,I had Velcade for induction therapy which caused neuropathy in my left foot outside toes also a 24 cm blood clot in my thigh which caused my swollen feet,the nerve damage nearly disappeared a couple of months after the velcade stopped but feet continued swelling especially when driving.I had an auto stem cell transplant and I am now on Thalidomide as a maintenance drug, this has caused the serious nerve damage I had to have the dose lowered because of it, I think this with me permanently now. Feet dont seem to swell as much but I dont think the swelling causes my nerve damage.I got the therapies from good cancer sites, cant hurt to try , the feet get annoying.I have multiple myeloma a blood cancer,no cure yet.Supping is the best medicine.Keep safe.

Sorry to hear of your medical issues guys.
I don't want to take this off topic - I'll blame the fact that it's early Sat morning, I wanted to sleep-in but couldn't (bummer), and am only sipping my first coffee - but it does go to show that we all shouldn't assume that we'll be surfing for an infinite amount of time. Yep, get out there, enjoy it (even the bad surfs) and appreciate how good it is to be able to get into the ocean and do what we do...and don't let the grumpy mal riders get you down!

Thanks Rosscoe, Cant imagine life without the ocean,that would be depressing, I live in N.Q the only loggers at my beach are the crocs.
Cheers mate.