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Foot/knee biomechanical issues? (Read 1042 times)

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

    I noticed something a bit on my last couple of runs that maybe someone can shed some light on for me. I've been having this chronic hip flexor issue for several weeks that I thought was mainly over-use, but now I wonder if it might be more than that. I have noticed that it almost seems like my right foot and knee want to angle inwards a bit, rather than straight-ahead (as my left leg and knee do). Maybe I'm just imagining it, but it almost feels like when I concentrate on keeping that leg/knee going more straight-on that my hip flexor/upper thigh area feels a bit better and I can go further with less pain. Or am I only thinking this is the case, since I'm probably overanalyzing things? If my foot/knee are angling inwards, what would be the solution? My shoes are already designed for moderate-to-severe pronators. Might I need orthotics? Or do I simply need to work on strengthening some muscles...which ones? TIA, k

    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

         ~ Sarah Kay

    Wingz


    Professional Noob

      ::sigh:: Remember when Starflight started out here? One foot was "plopping" and causing him all sorts of trouble... and he just slowed it down a bit and somehow the problem got better? I know you want to zoom-zoom-zoom-zoom-zoom... but it's not always the best thing. But you knew I'd say that, didn't you. Roll eyes You want some different advice. Someone to tell you that there's a magic shoe out there that will fix all your overuse injuries... Roll eyes Sure, a different shoe *might* help. A little bit. For a while. But you already know what the root of the problem is, don't you... but you don't want to accept it. Well, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink! Good luck in the future... I'm going to stop telling you that you're overdoing it, because you just won't listen. No hard feelings - just that it's like talking to a wall! Roll eyes

      Roads were made for journeys...

        I think you're probably onto something that the inward roll of your right foot could be causing the hip flexor pain. It's probably not something you can get diagnosed without an orthopedist* watching you run/walk. It could just be a muscle imbalance that will correct itself over time as you run more, but if it's getting worse, not better, and it is really bothering you, might be a good idea to get it looked at. *Is Orthopedist the right doctor for this? Podiatrist? Sports medicine-ist? I dunno.

        Runners run

          Also, I agree with wingz that slowing down for a while and seeing what happens is probably a good idea before running off to the doctor. Especially since when you conentrate on keeping that leg straight it seems to make it better. My point was just that if you can't manage it yourself by slowing down and relaxing then you likely will not be able to get it diagnosed without having someone who knows what they are doing watch your gait and see what's happening.

          Runners run

          Wingz


          Professional Noob

            mikeymike - I agree... it's just she's got this whole list of overtraining symptoms, from wandering aches and pains to strings of bad runs... and if you look at her log she's jumped up in milage A LOT lately... in spite of her protests that she's cutting back. Roll eyes An orthopaedist MIGHT be in order if training more sensibly doesn't fix the problems. But s/he could only fix the alignment issues (if any) and couldn't do anything about that overenthusiasm. Big grin Not that enthusiasm is a bad thing! Big grin

            Roads were made for journeys...

            Mile Collector


            Abs of Flabs

              *Is Orthopedist the right doctor for this? Podiatrist? Sports medicine-ist? I dunno.
              An orthopedist will be able to diagnose the biomechanical problem. I went to one for my hip flexor problem, which he diagnosed as hip flexor tendonitis. I'm probably repeating it, but I don't care Big grin I know there was nothing he can do for me except refer me to physical therapy, which was exactly what he did. It turned out that the hip flexor tendonitis was the symptom to a different problem. The physical therpist discovered that my pelvis shifting, causing me to feel like one leg is shorter than the other. What I experienced was that when I'm walking or running, the "shorter" leg would land on the imaginary center while, while the longer leg will land away from it. So you should have it checked out. It's a much better solution to find the root cause than to get something to work around it.
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              rectumdamnnearkilledem

                and if you look at her log she's jumped up in milage A LOT lately...
                I have? I have never increased my running time/week by more than 10% from one week to the next, which is how I schedule my runs, including any races: 9/24/2006 — 9/30/2006: 19.3 Mi 3:30:09 9/17/2006 — 9/23/2006: 25.4 Mi 4:50:00 9/10/2006 — 9/16/2006: 24.8 Mi 4:33:23 9/3/2006 — 9/9/2006: 27.2 Mi 5:00:00 8/27/2006 — 9/2/2006: 24.6 Mi 4:35:00 If you look at my actual times I definitely have had some decreasing weeks in the past month. k

                Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                     ~ Sarah Kay

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                rectumdamnnearkilledem

                  So you should have it checked out. It's a much better solution to find the root cause than to get something to work around it.
                  I agree. I've always thought one leg must be a little longer than the other, and stuff I'm reading concurs. I've always been prone to minor pain in my lower back on the right side if I stand for too long (hello, retail jobs and waiting tables), plus my right foot is always the one to have issues with blisters, and now the right hip flexor...makes me wonder if there's something *different* from one leg to the other. k

                  Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                  remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                       ~ Sarah Kay

                  Wingz


                  Professional Noob

                    Kirsten - I have to scoot off to work here in just a minute, but I wanted to tell you that I owe you an apology - somehow I managed to get my ego tangled up in your injuries. Sorry! I'm going to try *really* hard not to do that again. Not in terms of trying to prove "I was right" or not, but I went back and scanned through posts to try to see if I could find where your injury complaints started... because I thought it'd been going on for a few months. I found a reference back on 5/30 you'd made to tight shins and calves... and that it was similar to problems you'd had in high school. My impression is that you've been having difficulty since you started back running and really the problems have never gone away. Is this right? If so, I'd say this has been going on long enough, eh? I sicerely hope a visit to an orthopedist will fix the cause of the problem. Please do what you need to to take care of yourself. That's most important. Janell

                    Roads were made for journeys...

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                    rectumdamnnearkilledem

                      Not in terms of trying to prove "I was right" or not, but I went back and scanned through posts to try to see if I could find where your injury complaints started... because I thought it'd been going on for a few months. I found a reference back on 5/30 you'd made to tight shins and calves... and that it was similar to problems you'd had in high school. My impression is that you've been having difficulty since you started back running and really the problems have never gone away. Is this right? If so, I'd say this has been going on long enough, eh?
                      I actually haven't had too many shin/calf issues since I started back to running...generally not more than 1-2x in a month. It's really only seems to be a problem when I run too hard (ie during races or in a run or two after a race when I'm still feeling a bit beat up, or if I have two hard runs in a row...I think it's partly an insufficient stretch/warm-up issue, too. The numb foot thing I had a couple of times makes me almost wonder if there could be some minor chronic compartment syndrome issues, too...which could only be "cured" with surgery if they became a regular problem)--nothing like the issues I had in HS, which was pretty much EVERY run. The problem I've been dealing with lately (my right hip flexor pain) doesn't seem related to my shins/calves in any way. And I only first noticed it a few days after my 10 mile race. It doesn't really bother me except for when I run and only a couple of miles in. And it comes and goes...never is excruciating, just nagging. I've given up all hills and speedwork (aside from 5k races) until I can either get it to go away or get to the bottom of why it's happening. I don't know that I will be able to get in with a doctor (orthopedist, right?) before the HM in 3 weeks, but afterwards I will have a much quieter month to have that analyzed fully. k

                      Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                      remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                           ~ Sarah Kay

                        Sometimes I have barely noticeable injuries that cause me to favor whichever side is injured. I don't generally notice until the side taking the extra load starts to act up. Everything OK with the left side?
                        It doesn't matter whether you win or lose, until you lose.
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                        rectumdamnnearkilledem

                          Left side has always been my good side...never complains, always reliable. My right side always seems to be the trouble-maker. Though when I do have shin/calf issues it's pretty evenly a problem with both legs. That's really the only time my left side ever is bothersome. Although my left foot (on the outer edge) has been a teeny bit achey after a few runs of late, which I have been attributing to the right hip issues. I only notice that after my longest runs. I'll be interested to learn what really is at the root of the hip flexor pain. Hopefully it's something that can be easily helped by strengthening other areas. Since I started running I have done 0 cross-training. I used to do plenty of ab and leg strength exercise, so I almost wonder if my formerly strongest muscles are getting overpowered by other areas that are gradually becoming the dominant ones. I know weak core can really be the sources of all sorts of balance and alignment issues, so it makes me wonder if my tummy is trying to tell me something (other than lay-off eating like a pig so much, LOL). k

                          Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                          remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                               ~ Sarah Kay

                          JakeKnight


                            Not saying a word. Mmm mmm. Uh huh. Not one. Tight lipped I said, “Doctor, it hurts when I do this.” He said, “Then don’t do that!” – Henny Youngman I said, “Doc, my foot hurts. What’ll I do?” He said, “Limp.” – Henny Youngman I told my doctor I broke my leg in two places. He told me to quit going to those places. – Henny Youngman

                            E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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                            Wingz


                            Professional Noob

                              Not saying a word. Mmm mmm. Uh huh. Not one. Tight lipped
                              Hey, you don't have any room to talk, Mr. Sharkbitmytoe... Tongue

                              Roads were made for journeys...

                              JakeKnight


                                Hey, you don't have any room to talk, Mr. Sharkbitmytoe... Tongue
                                Funny you should mention that right now ...

                                E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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