Foot/knee biomechanical issues? (Read 1039 times)

::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. You want some different advice. Someone to tell you that there's a magic shoe out there that will fix all your overuse injuries... 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!

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.

*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 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.

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

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

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

Not saying a word. Mmm mmm. Uh huh. Not one.

Hey, you don't have any room to talk, Mr. Sharkbitmytoe...