RunningAHEAD - Topic: After injury getting off of orthotics

Yeti

posted: 7/29/2014 at 7:28 PM

Hi all, I'm a first time poster but long time lurker. Anyway- about two years ago I had a few tears in a ligament of my foot from a high mileage week paired with a fall off a curb. I went to a podiatrist who provided orthotics and I have been able to race since then using the orthotics.

As it has been 2 years- I do want to get off of the orthotics- I ran 20+ years w/out them and I don't want to be dependent on them for the rest of my life. When I bring this up with my podiatrist- he naturally responds with- 'why not stay on the orthotics'?

My foot is healed- but it doesn't seem as strong as my other foot. If I run w/out the orthotic- my foot gets sore after about 5 miles. Have any of you been through this before and successfully transitioned off orthotics? If so, how did you do this? What exercises should I do to strengthen my foot?

Thanks- appreciate any insight you may have!- Owen

spaniel

Feeling the growl again

posted: 7/29/2014 at 7:47 PM

Your foot is not as strong because it is crutching on the orthotics.

You need to work on strengthening the foot back up. There are two things you can do:

1) Run without the orthotic until it challenges your foot...perhaps every other day, hopefully increasing over time.

2) Get light, flexible, minimal shoes to wear a lot of the time that you are not running to strengthen your foot.

"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

Yeti

posted: 7/30/2014 at 4:24 PM

Thanks Spaniel, I'm going to start this today.

BlazinCajun

posted: 7/31/2014 at 7:13 AM
modified: 7/31/2014 at 7:15 AM

I second spaniel

I weened myself off them. Started additional barefoot running on grass. 3x200m week1, 3x400m week2, 3x600m week3, then 3x800m each week for two months. I continued this and ran my first marathon in Saucony Kinvaras - no problems.

Andrew
------------------
God, my Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet swift as those of hinds
and enables me to go upon the heights.
Hb 3:19

Yeti

posted: 7/31/2014 at 9:17 PM

Awesome to hear BlazinCajun- your story gives me hope. I can't wait to get rid of these orthotics.

After injury getting off of orthotics (Read 80 times)