10 replies to this topic

[Freetoez]

I decided to give barefoot running a try back in the beginning of April this year as every time I got up to the five km mark with my running I started to develop lower leg tendonitis. I was running in Vibram sprints and barefoot on appropriate surfaces. I have enjoyed the experience immensely despite ongoing tendonitis, the need to have to spend 20 minutes taping my feet and ankles into a stirrup configuration prior to any run and battling severe blistering of my feet. The physio suggested that perhaps barefooting is just not for me and it might be better to go back to normal running shoes and see the podiatrist for new orthotics. So I did that, I have new orthotics and new Mizunos all ready to conquer the running world. 2kms in to my first run I developed a severe friction wound and blistering on my left foot from the new orthotic, had to stop and let it heal as I had a triathlon to do that weekend. About 1/3 of the way in to the run leg I had to ditch the shoes, the pain was immense from the blister as the taping had come off from the swim (thankfully not a TA sanctioned event). I dump my shoes at the water station and went on to finish the run in a ripping good time, gaining ground and going fast now that the "clogs" were off my feet.

So life got in the way for a few weeks and haven't trained much except for a couple of little runs. Last Thursday I headed out and only made it about 2kms in before I had to stop. I hate the rigid feeling of the orthotics and normal runners, it feels like wooden clogs, I can't move naturally, the blister was starting again, my hip flexors fatigue quickly and then the rest of me is buggered too. Found suitable road for barefooting the last km or so in and ditched the shoes again to run the rest of the way home quite happily and freely.

So I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place and not sure what to do. Do I persevere with the orthotics and runners? How long do you expect it will take to become accustomed to them if I do? I'm miserable.

I've contacted my podiatrist for advice but he still hasn't gotten back to me.

[twosheds]

A lot of people blister when they first get new orthotics- take them back and get the podiatrist to adjust them so they dont rub. Keep doing this until they dont rub. I had horrible arch blisters when i first got orthotics- a slight adjustment was all that was needed.
Orthotics wont be a qucik fix- if you have an injury it wont fix it- they will hopefull address the biomechanical issues which cause it-
I dont really have any other advice than that- I guess you just have to choose which you are going to persist with and perist. hopefully some of the pods on here can help you more.

[FakePlasticTrees]

Whilst not qualified to give medical advice, why would you go from the extreme of no support to maximum support? I'd ditch the orthotics and see if shoes alone work for you. Maybe get some light weight trainers or some such...

[phYx]

Hey Freetoez, do you know what aggrevates your tendonosis? Is it hills, too much speed work, road camber etc? Can you avoid those situations? I have achilles problems and hills agrevate it. I can wear FFs and go barefoot on flat ground but when I do lots of hills I wear flats or the Nike Frees. This kind of masks the pain a bit and makes it bearable. And these shoes are not heavy and are nothing like wearing clogs. Maybe you could try avoiding or minimising the situations that cause the problem, and when you can't avoid it, then use your clogs or as FPT said, try some light weight trainers or similar.

[Bellthorpe]

+1 EnvironmentallyDegradableFakePlasticTrees

[Paul Every]

Blisters, orthotics and triathlon.

If you are running with new orthotics and without socks that would increase the odds of blisters. If you intend to persevere with the orthotics, perhaps it may be easiest to ditch wearing the orthotics during the tris. If you resume racing triathlon with the orthotics at a later date, try putting a generous dob of vaseline on the orthotics where they rub.

Are you using elastic laces in your running shoes? You may find conventional laces keep the shoe a bit firmer on the foot. The extra movement of the foot in the shoe with elastic laces may also be contributing to your blister problem.

Edited by Paul Every, 02 November 2009 - 05:40 PM.

[Freetoez]

The orthotics aren't a priority for racing at the moment, I can handle the short distances as I can recover after a few days, I'll probably race this weekend in my Vibrams as I am used to those. I wore the orthotics with socks and taping to help prevent the blisters. I raced with elastic laces but change them out to train. Will try the vaseline.

FPT and Bellthorpe, this is a long, long, loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong running issue, a problem I have battled with for over 15 years without coming to a real solution other than to give up running. I refuse to accept that this is the answer for me this time as I have goals that I want to achieve. Shoes alone have never worked, the tendonitis got so bad years ago that I could barely walk let alone run.

Hills and speedwork make it worse very quickly, any distance of 5k and over on a regular basis will do it too without hills or speedwork. I have very loose joints which makes my ankles very unsupportive which causes the problems, there is just too much stress on the tendon. I don't heel strike, I land mid to forefoot and am very careful about any changes or increases in distance or intensity to help nurse it along.

[Duffman]

FakePlasticTrees, on Nov 1 2009, 09:40 AM, said:

Whilst not qualified to give medical advice, why would you go from the extreme of no support to maximum support? I'd ditch the orthotics and see if shoes alone work for you. Maybe get some light weight trainers or some such...

A properly designed orthotic device improves function. This doesn't necessarily equate to more support. I make orthotics all the time which assist motion at different joints within the foot depending on the presenting case.

[rio228]

Hi there,

I had similar issues and found these orthotics....

http://www.footlevelers.com/

they made a big difference and I also changed my shoes from New Balance to Newtons.

Happy with both, worth a look!


Graham

[gmac]

Speaking of orthotics, does any one else have problems of wearing out the inside heel in the shoe liner when they wear them? Every pair of shoes I've had since I got orthotics this has been a problem. I'm currently running in Luna trainers since they have minimal padding around the heel.

[Freetoez]

I think I read in the info with mine that it can happen and to put a slippery tape on the inside of your shoe to protect it, like electrical tape or that grey tough slippy tape