Hello and welcome to the world of running with flat feet. I have been running on and off (due to injuries and laziness and car accidents) for over 15 years, and I have been continually learning all about my body, my feet and how it all works together. This adventure began the summer before I started college.

My best friend, Amy, got me to run with her that summer so that we could look hot for the boys at our new schools. This adventure started well for us. I found that I could run, which I had previously thought was impossible. Lo and behold, if you just go for it, you usually find that it is not impossible.

So, I started school and ran intermittently (especially when the freshman 15 started creeping 0r shall I say just dumped itself on my body). Usually I would run successfully for a few weeks, and then I would have to stop due to shin splints.

After two relatively unsuccessful years, my right knee started really bothering me. So, I did the responsible thing and went to the doctor for a diagnosis. I had patellular tendonitis. Yep, it meant that my knee hurt. So, I iced and continued to run. No one told me at that time that I should stretch or strengthen – that came much later.

The next year, I went out for a run to blow off some steam, and I pounded away at the concrete sidewalk. Yes, this hurts me to think about it, too. I seriously injured myself, but did not want to admit it. I had severe pain in my left foot. Four months after that run, I went back to my foot doctor to find that I had fractured my lateral sesmoid bone and had a hairline fracture in the bone of my fourth toe all on that same foot. I ended up having to have the lateral sesmoid removed, which has caused some interesting side effects such as splaying of my big toe – more on that later.

So, what did I do after that? I kept running, of course! The next year, while running, my hamstring began to really bother me a lot both during and after a run. At this point, I was in graduate school, and I followed a reference from the  university health center to go to a physical therapist. I had no idea what they would be able to do for me.

First, I ran with tape on my shoe and ankle with a video camera recording my feet. Then, I was told I would have to have prescription orthotics – plaster molds, baby! After that I was stretched in every conceivable fashion and given all kinds of exercises for my hamstrings.

I wore my orthotics religiously. I changed my shoes to accommodate orthotics. I stretched and strengthened. I will say that I have never had shin splints since wearing orthotics.

However, after my hamstring issues came IT band problems. I had switched schools. So, I switched physical therapists. They applauded me for wearing my orthotics religiously. The difference with this physical therapist was that he told me we needed to treat the problem, not the symptoms. He looked at how my core was working – oh – it WASN’T! And he looked at my glutes – they weren’t doing anything either. Turned out that at this point, my hamstrings were doing all the stabilizing as well as their own job. This also led to the increased tension on the IT band as they tried to help to the hamstrings. “Eureka!”, I thought. “Now, I will be able to run pain free!”

So, I stretched; I strengthened; I even did exercises to strengthen my big toe; and I ran on grass, etc. Then, when my symptoms did not really improve, my physical therapist told me that I would never be able to run.

I did not believe him.

I still do not.

After having my orthotics for about 4 years, I went to a new doctor to get a new pair. More plaster, but this time, the doctor cut away the padding under the big toe on both feet to enable them to do more work. I also learned around this time that I should have a callous under my big toe because it should be doing the push-off motion. Well, my callous for push-off was under my second toe. Hmmmm…..big toe still not working. Could that be the cause of some symptoms? Maybe…

I returned to working on the strengthening exercises for the big toe with more vigor! This had to work! All the while I am buying the stiffest motion control shoes I can find because that’s what I needed, right?

During this time, I graduated from graduate school and got a job. The running was very intermittent as I switched to a very high stress job. Then, I changed fields: I started teaching; then, acting; then, coaching, etc. Finally, I returned to running only to find that the old IT bands were still inflamed at the smallest of runs. ARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!

I continued to run despite the issue. I added massage once per month. Then, I got in a car accident. Halt to running for one year. During that year, I moved across the country, got married and started a new job.

After moving, on the recommendation of a friend, I found a chiropractor in my new city. I was all kinds of out of alignment. I had a shoulder problem (couldn’t raise my arm above my head without pain), TMJ, and my right hip was killing me all the time. Running was out of the question. Walking was a daily necessary pain as my new city was awesome and pedestrian friendly.

After 6 months of chiropractic and massage, I started running again. With the responsibilities in my new job ramping up, I did not stick with it.

Last summer, my chiropractor went to a conference where he learned about how we might be doing it all wrong. Maybe the body doesn’t need all these fancy orthotics to function correctly. Maybe the body was built, even with imperfections, to function at its best without help. He also learned of Vibramâ„¢ Five Fingers. He told me that they were shoes with a pocket for each toe, and that they simulated barefoot walking as well as stimulated the bottom of the foot.

Ok, I’ll try anything once. So, I bought some. They were amazing. Unfortunately I was so enamored of using them, I jumped in too quickly and the top of my right foot ended up swollen. I was not running in them at this point. I was walking (I walk one mile one way to work) in them and wearing them all day. Turns out that if you read the Vibramâ„¢ website, they tell you to ease into the barefoot sensation – especially if you pronate! Duh!

Anyway, I stopped wearing them for winter because I only have the Sprint model and a pair of injinjiâ„¢ socks, which do not really keep my feet as warm and toasty as I would like.

Now, we come to the present day. My husband and I spent a week skiing, which really felt good as far as being active. Once we got home, I resolved to try and run in my Five Fingersâ„¢.

This blog is an attempt to document my steps in the process. I want to track what my feet feel like. Research that I do. Information to share on how things are going – what to look for if you, too, are starting down this track.

Basically, I want to test my hypothesis that I can run barefoot with my flat feet. I think that by going slow and not jumping in too fast, I can make this a reality.

Be on the lookout for pictures, and I will start with my first run experience tomorrow!

For now, good night, and good running!