Orthotics for overpronation
Discussion
Went to see a private physio today for a long running issue with my left hip flexor. During the consultation she also noticed I have flat feet slightly and I am pronating. She recommended I wear orthotics and obviously recommend buying them from them at around £40 a pair.
I’ll ask more about this when I next see her but does anyone wear orthotics? Do you have to always wear them and for what reasons did you start wearing them?
Apart from my hip flexor issue I have no pains in knees or heels so I’m a bit sceptical at the moment. Would it be worth getting a second opinion perhaps through a NHS podiatrist?
I’ll ask more about this when I next see her but does anyone wear orthotics? Do you have to always wear them and for what reasons did you start wearing them?
Apart from my hip flexor issue I have no pains in knees or heels so I’m a bit sceptical at the moment. Would it be worth getting a second opinion perhaps through a NHS podiatrist?
AI1694 said:
Went to see a private physio today for a long running issue with my left hip flexor. During the consultation she also noticed I have flat feet slightly and I am pronating. She recommended I wear orthotics and obviously recommend buying them from them at around £40 a pair.
I’ll ask more about this when I next see her but does anyone wear orthotics? Do you have to always wear them and for what reasons did you start wearing them?
Apart from my hip flexor issue I have no pains in knees or heels so I’m a bit sceptical at the moment. Would it be worth getting a second opinion perhaps through a NHS podiatrist?
I used to wear them when I ran, the podiatrist kindly sold me some carbon ones for £400.I’ll ask more about this when I next see her but does anyone wear orthotics? Do you have to always wear them and for what reasons did you start wearing them?
Apart from my hip flexor issue I have no pains in knees or heels so I’m a bit sceptical at the moment. Would it be worth getting a second opinion perhaps through a NHS podiatrist?
They worked up to a point, but I never ran properly again and suspect they were merely managing the symptoms rather than addressing the underlying cause. I eventually gave up running when I was becoming injured even with orthotics.
The symptoms were repeated calf minor tears in my calf muscles, the orthotics mainly addressed over-pronation IIRC.
AI1694 said:
Apart from my hip flexor issue I have no pains in knees or heels so I’m a bit sceptical at the moment. Would it be worth getting a second opinion perhaps through a NHS podiatrist?
The physio is trying to sell you a product which may be of no real benefit to you. I’d be talking to the podiatrist first.I'm a podiatrist.
I spend most days actively trying NOT to give out foot orthoses.
There is no such thing as over pronation either. Pronation is a normal movement of the foot and ankle. You are just a variation of normal
Also there is not good evidence that orthoses help with hip pain.
Problem you might have is getting to see a decent NHS podiatrist. If you don't have any foot or ankle pain then getting referred might be tricky. It might be better to ask to be seen by an NHS physio, if they think seeing a podiatrist will help they can usually refer on. I see lots of people referred via physio for knee problems mainly, orthotics can sometimes help for that.
Good luck!
I spend most days actively trying NOT to give out foot orthoses.
There is no such thing as over pronation either. Pronation is a normal movement of the foot and ankle. You are just a variation of normal
Also there is not good evidence that orthoses help with hip pain.
Problem you might have is getting to see a decent NHS podiatrist. If you don't have any foot or ankle pain then getting referred might be tricky. It might be better to ask to be seen by an NHS physio, if they think seeing a podiatrist will help they can usually refer on. I see lots of people referred via physio for knee problems mainly, orthotics can sometimes help for that.
Good luck!
AI1694 said:
@So - I’m beginning to fear that I may have to give up playing football at the rate things are going with my thigh/hip. Did you ever find out why you kept getting tears in your calves?
.
Not really. My current physio thinks I kept getting micro tears which made the muscle less stretchy and prone to injury. He said it can be fixed with aggressive massage with a bar that heats up the muscle and allows the scarring to be broken up. But it sounds long-winded and uncomfortable..
The problem was, I'd recover and start running again. All would be going well and then BANG! it was if I'd been shot in the calf and I could barely hobble home. Recovery would take 2-4 weeks, rinse and repeat.
I gather that football teams use this test to determine how susceptible players will be to calf injury. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMKp5f9G8tg
I don't perform very well at it.
In my early teens I had shocking flat feet leading to over pronation issues, knock knees and general pain whenever I did anything too energetic. Podiatrist sorted me with custom orthotics ($AU400+ in the 90s) which I wore for 4 years and changed my life. Feet now not flat, gait relatively normal etc. Maybe that was useful as I hadn't finished growing, but honestly I'm so grateful to have had them.
Also consider no lift and no cushioning shoes. It will cause gasps from most but having been given the same sort of advice as the OP, then one day I accidentally ran in my no lift no cushioning shoes and the next day I felt so much better. I kept going and shin splints and sore hips vanished.
dave_s13 said:
I'm a podiatrist.
I spend most days actively trying NOT to give out foot orthoses.
There is no such thing as over pronation either. Pronation is a normal movement of the foot and ankle. You are just a variation of normal
Also there is not good evidence that orthoses help with hip pain.
Problem you might have is getting to see a decent NHS podiatrist. If you don't have any foot or ankle pain then getting referred might be tricky. It might be better to ask to be seen by an NHS physio, if they think seeing a podiatrist will help they can usually refer on. I see lots of people referred via physio for knee problems mainly, orthotics can sometimes help for that.
Good luck!
Excellent post. I spend most days actively trying NOT to give out foot orthoses.
There is no such thing as over pronation either. Pronation is a normal movement of the foot and ankle. You are just a variation of normal
Also there is not good evidence that orthoses help with hip pain.
Problem you might have is getting to see a decent NHS podiatrist. If you don't have any foot or ankle pain then getting referred might be tricky. It might be better to ask to be seen by an NHS physio, if they think seeing a podiatrist will help they can usually refer on. I see lots of people referred via physio for knee problems mainly, orthotics can sometimes help for that.
Good luck!
Thank you.
I’ve decided to buy the £7 pair of orthotics someone recommended above.
I’ve had 4 sessions of physio and she has been working on my hip flexors front and back on my left side. She uses her elbow and forearm to apply pressure on the muscles and it actually is pretty painful. I was under the impression though that whilst physiotherapy should be uncomfortable it shouldn’t be painful.
I’ve had 4 sessions of physio and she has been working on my hip flexors front and back on my left side. She uses her elbow and forearm to apply pressure on the muscles and it actually is pretty painful. I was under the impression though that whilst physiotherapy should be uncomfortable it shouldn’t be painful.
the_stoat said:
Also consider no lift and no cushioning shoes. It will cause gasps from most but having been given the same sort of advice as the OP, then one day I accidentally ran in my no lift no cushioning shoes and the next day I felt so much better. I kept going and shin splints and sore hips vanished.
Vivobarefoot shoes have given me a huge boost in ankle strength and movement, whilst reducing pain.I went from expensive orthotics, gel heel pads and ankle braces, to nothing but barefoot shoes and normal socks. I love them and would recommend everyone try them - 100 day no quibble trial.
and tadeevo too.
.I have some custom orthotics made up. Completely changed my life for the better, before I could not stand up for anymore than 5 mins without knee pain, walking long distances and cycling was painful. All that has changed now, I still can't run, but day to day the knee pain has gone and cycling is my main passion as it is non impact.
Off the shelf ones never worked for me, but give them a go and if not, get some custom ones made.
Off the shelf ones never worked for me, but give them a go and if not, get some custom ones made.
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