Posts Tagged ‘orthotics’
5/15/11 – Sans Orthotics
Posted by admin in Reflections on May 15th, 2011
Yes, I have been without my prescription orthotics for FIVE DAYS! Let me explain how this wondrous milestone came to fruition:
Over the past few months, I have been increasing my time in my Vibram 5 Fingersâ„¢ very slowly each week. I tried to remember to wear them daily, but sometimes I would forget. I also started trying to run in the 5 Fingersâ„¢ for approximately 10 minutes on the treadmill. I struggled with not aggravating that posterior tibial tendon on my left arch. I struggled with my right knee.
However, last weekend I decided to dig out my Newtonsâ„¢ that I had purchased last September. The Newtonâ„¢ is a running shoe that is designed to train you to run on your toes. I figured it would probably be a good transition shoe to running in the barefoot shoes because the Newtonsâ„¢ have regular running shoe structure. I was in a hurry, and I did not have enough time to put my prescription orthotics in the Newtonsâ„¢. I thought it would be a great experiment, if nothing else.
Away I went with a goal of one mile. I ran approximately .6 miles and walked intermittently. I felt great, but with all those endorphins from the run, it is truly hard to judge just how good my feet and tendons felt.
I woke up the next day to sore hamstrings (good, tired sore from working so hard) and happy feet! Wow! I couldn’t believe it! I ran some distance without my prescription orthotics and I could still walk! AWESOME!
So, on Tuesday, I decided to try the run again sans orthotics. This time I went for 1.5 miles. I ran for .4 miles, then walked .25 miles, then ran .25 miles, then walked and ran the rest of the distance in short bursts.
Now, here’s the weird part. My right arch was really wanting to cramp up on me in a way that reminds me of how plantar fasciitis is described. I had my Vibram 5 Fingersâ„¢ with me as well as a pair of shoes with my orthotics in them (yes, I am a veritable walking shoe closet – I have a large backpack). I put on the orthotics thinking that was what my feet really needed was a break from doing any work, but, you know what? The shoes with orthotics made it worse. Much worse, in fact.
So, I quickly, mostly out of curiosity, put on the Vibram 5 Fingersâ„¢.
After several steps, relief. My feet were so happy to be able to spread my toes and arch. It was like the Twilight Zone. I literally was walking on cloud 9. My feet preferred carrying their own weight to having the help of the prescription orthotics. Truly amazing!
So, since Wednesday, May 11, 2011, I have been ORTHOTICS FREE! I have worn my regular shoes (Keensâ„¢ for those who are curious) with their original inserts on the walks to work, and I switch to my Vibramsâ„¢ at work. If I’m feeling saucy, and it is not raining outside, I walk home in the V5Fs.
Yesterday, I decided to push the envelope and really challenge my feet – OK, I was actually just doing an experiment to see just how much my feet could take. At the beginning of the day, I put on the Newtonâ„¢ running shoes and ran .6 miles to the gym sans orthotics and did my workout, too. After that, my husband and I had a big day of walking planned, and I really wanted to wear my V5Fs all day. So, I did. I walked 1 mile to our first destination, which was a chocolate festival. Said chocolate festival equalled 3 hours of walking around vendors. Then, we walked about .5 miles to another festival where we walked for another hour around vendor tables. Our third stop was an art gallery, and finally .5 miles back home.
The result: My feet were tired, but fine. I woke up today with store hamstrings and really super happy feet!
Can it be true? Is it real? Am I actually free of the oppressive orthotics? Will I be able to simply purchase shoes and wear the original inserts home?
I cannot believe this day has arrived. I may have to wear the orthotics again for short periods of time as my feet continue to adjust, but to have gone for 5 days with no pain already. It is like I have real feet just like everyone else.
Now, it is onto training for a 5K or maybe, if all goes well in the next month, a 10K in September!!! 🙂
8/14/10 – Run 8A – The HEAT! The HEAT!
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on August 14th, 2010
Having changed locations from the lovely and cool northwest to the much hotter and more humid southeast, i.e. Tennessee, and I must run in the wee hours of the morning so that the temperature is below 80. However, early morning is not necessarily my strength. So, I was out by 8am and 80 degrees. OMG.
Goal today:
walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4, run 3/4, walk 1/4.
Actual run:
walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 0.2, run 0.62, walk 1/4.
It was great running today! My ankles felt awesome, which could have been partially attributed to the gravel I was running on rather than the usual concrete/asphalt combo. Still in the stability shoes and orthotics. The great challenge was surviving the heat.
Not only is the temperature higher, the intensity of the sun is also much greater! So, when I was not in the shade, the sun was beating down upon my head. It felt like my head was going to explode.
I was really close to the goal and had there been a few more trees providing shade, I might have made it. Also, I could have gotten up an hour earlier 😉
Anyway, a success to me.
8/10/10 – Run 7A – Trying for 1.25 Miles, not so much.
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on August 10th, 2010
Today, I was going for upping my mileage to
Walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4, run 3/4, walk 1/4.
The first half mile run was going well. My ankle felt great, my quads a little tight, but not too bad. So, I tried for 3/4 mile, but I only made it to 1/2 mile on the second run due to the small, yet, sharp pain running up my posterior tibial tendon just above my left ankle. Even though I could have kept going, I kept hearing Travis in my ear saying, “There should be no symptoms. Stop running if you have symptoms.” Well, I guess a pain in my tendon counts as a symptom.
I will try again to up the mileage next time. For now, one mile it is!
Oh, I was wearing my stability running shoes and prescription orthotics.
Also, next time I run, it will be 90 degrees outside – geeze!
8/8/10 – Run 6A, One Mile! No Stride-Outs.
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on August 10th, 2010
Finally, one mile feels good! I did the usual:
walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4.
The run parts felt really good. No fatigue in my feet! Still in my stability shoes and prescription orthotics.
I decided not to do stride-outs because I think my quads need a little more time to heal and stretch. I am not interested in actually tearing them. So, I figure I’ll get to the stride-outs soon.
All in good time, my pretty. All in good time.
7/29/10 – Run 4A – 0.75 miles!
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on August 1st, 2010
So, I finally recovered enough by Thursday to run again. It was also the first run for me where I was going to increase my mileage as follows:
walk 1/4, run 1/4, walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4 wearing new stability shoes and prescription orthotics.
I made a deal with myself that if I had pain, I would stop no matter what. So, I began.
The first 1/4 mile was cake. The walk was needed and wonderful. The 1/2 mile actually felt quite good. My left ankle did fatigue a little, but nothing painful. So, I ran the entire 1/2 mile.
I am so excited about running actual distance again! I admit that I am not ready to run a solid mile, I don’t think, but I will be able to very soon!!! Woohoo!!!
No stride-outs this time as I had guests in town, and being a tour guide requires walking. So, I figured I’d play it safe and skip them.
Also, I had to skip the weekend run due to guests and too much fun with said guests 😉
Will get back in the routine on Tuesday.
7/21/10 – Run 2A – Exactly 1.0 miles with 0.5 miles running :-)
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on July 22nd, 2010
So, I went with Option 3 (as proposed by my Physical Therapist, Travis): I kept the stability shoes and the prescription orthotics.He says, “The symptoms really might just be some increased soreness with breaking in a new pair of shoes and getting use to less support. Â If you continue to have symptoms, again, you should not be increasing mileage, but rather staying at the same level until you are able to complete that distance symptom free.”
He also suggested that I continue the exercises for the “strengthening”, and I could also add stride outs (that he suggested a long time ago) with my Vibram Five Fingersâ„¢ after each run. “Stride outs are brief stints of running ~60-100 yards, where you slowly pickup your tempo until you are at or near top speed running on your toes.” Travis also said that the stride outs would increase strength, while the orthotics and stability shoes during the sustained runs will provide support to help my feet adjust to the impact of running for a longer time.
Ok. This totally makes sense to me, and I, thus, I opted for Travis’s suggested Option 3.
I am really excited about the stride outs, but I did not do them on Run 2A. Those will happen on Run 3A, and I will tell you all about them in good time.
Back to the run at hand. My friend and I had a limited amount of time. So, we found that we could really only squeeze in one mile total.
We walked the first 1/4 mile and ran the second 1/4 mile. Just like last time, this felt really good, but I was really winded. My body was definitely feeling good, and I now need to get my lungs up to speed.
Then, the second 1/4 mile walk, which is when pain will show. I didn’t have any!! None! Woohoo!!! My left foot felt fine, and my right foot was ready to keep going. So, onto 1/4 mile #2.
This one was just as good, and my breathing was getting better (as it does once you are a little more warmed up). At this point we had to stop and go home to get to a bellydancing class, which is a story for another time and blog.
On the way to class, I felt fine. All was well with feet, hips, back, shoulder, etc. I had a difficult time due to fatigued quads in bellydancing, but other than that, the running seemed to be just fine for my feet.
I am thinking that another go of just two 1/4 mile runs with three 1/4 mile walks. We shall see what the next few days bring!
7/19/10 – Run 2A – First Run for New Shoes: The Beginning of the Experimental Stage
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on July 19th, 2010
Today was the inaugural run for the new shoes. I was really excited to get out and see how they work. Let me just say that I definitely am surprised and unsure.
Run 2A was the same and the first run – walk1/4, run 1/4, walk 1/4, run 1/4, walk 1/4 – and this time I was joined by two friends!
Keep in mind that I am wearing my new stability running shoes WITH my prescription orthotics. That will be important later….
Of course the beginning of the run was fine. I was having difficulty maintaining (ok, let’s be realistic – getting to) a mid-foot strike as the shoe and my orthotics were working against me. So, I kind of gave up on that and focused on my muscles staying active during the run.
Specifically, I was trying to engage glutes, hamstrings, core, quadriceps and big toes during each step and push-off. This takes a lot more concentration that I thought it would. However, I could tell a difference when I was making sure I was pushing off with the big toes and when I was not.
The second 1/4 mile run was a little more difficult. I noticed that my feet, specifically, were getting quite fatigued. The rest of my body seemed to be all set to move more.
After the third 1/4 mile walk, we had enough distance to do a bonus 1/4 mile run and still have a 1/4 mile walk for a cool down.
I really wanted to do the bonus run, but after walking almost the entire 1/4 mile, I discovered that as my endorphins thinned out, I began to feel that my RIGHT arch was killing me! You see, the combination of orthotics and brand new, apparently very high stability shoes was just too much together.
On a daily basis I do not really notice the orthotics at all, unless my feet are particularly sore or inflamed, then I am relieved that the orthotic is taking so much work off of my feet. When I feel the orthotic it is usually because it is doing too much.
So, this brings me to a very interesting place:
Do I keep these shoes and try to run without the prescription orthotic and maybe add a pre-made more supportive insole?
OR
Do I keep the orthotics and exchange the super stability shoes for shoes with less stability?
What to do?
I truly have no idea at this point. I have 60 days to return my shoes. I’m considering getting the pre-made supportive insoles and giving those a try, but which option GETS ME CLOSER TO MY GOAL?
Not a clue at this point.
Stay tuned….
Orthotics Questions
Posted by admin in Reflections on March 16th, 2010
So, today, as I slogged up some stairs in my super stiff running shoes and orthotics, I was thinking about how my right knee was hurting, and my left IT band was twinging. Then, my mind began to wonder, as it does, to the idea of how does a doctor actually “know” what orthotic adjustment my foot actually needs?
In case you have never gotten orthotics, let me fill you in on the process. There are two ways for a doctor to get the shape of your foot:
1. plaster molds. In this version, the doctor holds your foot at what they call “neutral” (this varies by doctor and person – it is incredibly subjective in my opinion). The doctor then tells you to keep your foot in this position while he/she places the plaster laden strips of material on your foot. They then take the plaster mold and send it to a company with a “prescription” for your foot. In about two weeks your orthotics show up at the doctor’s office. Voila!
2. computer imaging. This is a new version that I recently had done for my new orthotics. Once again, the doctor holds your foot at “neutral” and a machine scans the bottom. I think this way certainly does cut out some of the middle man in that the patient does not have to “hold” their foot in “neutral” while the plaster is being added. However, is the doctor actually in “neutral” for your foot?
I am writing my questions here, not to disrupt major medical processes, but because I think they are interesting. How does a doctor know what is “neutral” for my foot? Is neutral for my foot different from what is neutral on my husband? Also, how does the prescription work? It is such a black box to me, this process, that is. Then, when I get my orthotic, does it really do what it is supposed to do? And if not, how can I, a lay person, convey what is going on or how I think it might need to be adjusted to my doctor? It can be a very frustrating experience.
So, in my trip up the stairs today, I wondered if my orthotics are indeed a good match for my malformed feet. I do not have an answer. My answer is that I really want to get barefoot more than ever. However, patience is the virtue that I must hold onto.
Thus, back to the stationary bike I go….
Run 7 – Saturday, March 6, 2010 – Not really a run…
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on March 7th, 2010
Remember how my physical therapist said no weight-bearing exercises? Well, I decided to follow his advice. However, I have enlisted my friends to join me on the wonderful gravel 3 mile loop runs on Saturdays. So, how was I going to keep up my commitment and not run? Oh yeah, I have a bike!
I went down to the storage room to unearth my long-forgotten and completely neglected bike. I did this, of course, 30 minutes before I was supposed to start picking people up for the run. Yes, it was dumb.
Of course, the tires were flat. So, I had to dig out the bike pump. Then, I had no idea how to use said bike pump. So, I had to get my husband to help. Then, I had to yell at my husband because I also had to add the bike rack to the car, and OMG I had to pick people up in less than 20 minutes now. Thank goodness the bike tires held air! We get to the car to add the bike rack. I couldn’t quite remember how to do it. Then, I had locked it – WHERE WAS THE KEY TO THE BIKE RACK?! @#!$@##@#% Oh, right, it’s on my key chain. Now, the bike won’t go onto the rack – AAAACKKKK – the bike is falling. Ok, caught the bike, and, with the help of a guy who saw us struggling, we got it secured and ready to go. Whew, and I’m only 15 minutes late 🙂
I did two loops, that’s six miles total for those who are counting, and wore my super stiff running shoes with my orthotics. My foot was so relieved that day. I iced it for 15 minutes, and it felt fine. My friends were great, too. They ran and had a grand ole time.
So, for now, I am going to start biking to work to help give my feet a break from walking the one mile each way. I hypothesize that this will help the healing go faster. I am still going to bike on Monday and Thursday; I’m just not sure how to handle my running commitments. Maybe my friends who run with me have bikes, and we could switch to bike riding. Also, should I continue to wear the stiff shoes on the bike or could I try my barefoot shoes? Hmmm….. [Edit – my husband has just pointed out that when bike riding shoes act as a helmet for your feet. He’s got a good point. I guess biking in barefoot shoes is not a great idea. Nevermind]
Keep going!