Flat feet and Minimalist Running
Discussion
Does anyone have an experience of this?
I suffered an injury last year. Pain the tendon by the ankle bone. I saw a physio and podiatrist who diagnosed massively flat feet as this issue and made custom othortics.
They seem to work fine and I don't get the pain in the ankle. Sometimes some soreness in the muscle that is connected to it though. Problem is I get huge blisters on my arch because of the constant banging. I have tried vaseline, bodyglide, 1000 miles socks etc.
Anyway I was reading about using minimalist running shoes instead as this causes the arch to strengthen. There also seems to be some exercises involving picking a wet towel up with your foot to help the arch. Has anyone tried this and has it worked? My feet are very flat if that makes a difference. I think the podiatrist said they classify on a scale of 1-12 and I am a 10.
I am still a bit overweight so will probably wait until I have lost some more before trying.
I suffered an injury last year. Pain the tendon by the ankle bone. I saw a physio and podiatrist who diagnosed massively flat feet as this issue and made custom othortics.
They seem to work fine and I don't get the pain in the ankle. Sometimes some soreness in the muscle that is connected to it though. Problem is I get huge blisters on my arch because of the constant banging. I have tried vaseline, bodyglide, 1000 miles socks etc.
Anyway I was reading about using minimalist running shoes instead as this causes the arch to strengthen. There also seems to be some exercises involving picking a wet towel up with your foot to help the arch. Has anyone tried this and has it worked? My feet are very flat if that makes a difference. I think the podiatrist said they classify on a scale of 1-12 and I am a 10.
I am still a bit overweight so will probably wait until I have lost some more before trying.
I've read the same as you. It makes sense to strengthen the arch rather than to support it, but it isn't a problem I've had. Well, yet, I suppose. /Eyeore.
Let us know how you are getting on with the fingers, they are one step 'on' from my current Brooks Pure.
ETA- Forget that last bit; you didn't say vibrams. Bed time.
Let us know how you are getting on with the fingers, they are one step 'on' from my current Brooks Pure.
ETA- Forget that last bit; you didn't say vibrams. Bed time.
Edited by grumbledoak on Saturday 5th October 20:56
944fan said:
Anyone?
I have bought some vivo barefoot shoes so will give it a go and see what happens.
Dear Christ, Don't!I have bought some vivo barefoot shoes so will give it a go and see what happens.
If you've flat feet and hypermobility syndrome, vibrams or whatever brand will cripple you. You've been given orthoses which have "raised your arch", going into BFR (barefoot runners) will be the antithesis. I find that they are great for people who are hypertonic with a "normal" foot shape but you? Not a hope in hell.
Stupid question, are you a heel striker? You'll be far better off correcting your stance and running style than trying new trainers. Get to one of the Running Schools, change your running and I'm hoping that you'll find the solution through that.
tori said:
Dear Christ, Don't!
If you've flat feet and hypermobility syndrome, vibrams or whatever brand will cripple you. You've been given orthoses which have "raised your arch", going into BFR (barefoot runners) will be the antithesis. I find that they are great for people who are hypertonic with a "normal" foot shape but you? Not a hope in hell.
Stupid question, are you a heel striker? You'll be far better off correcting your stance and running style than trying new trainers. Get to one of the Running Schools, change your running and I'm hoping that you'll find the solution through that.
I disagree. I have exactly this problem and have tried running in various structured/support shoes with and without various custom orthotics (wife is a podiatrist specialising in gait and biomechanics) and could never go more than about half a mile without being in crippling painIf you've flat feet and hypermobility syndrome, vibrams or whatever brand will cripple you. You've been given orthoses which have "raised your arch", going into BFR (barefoot runners) will be the antithesis. I find that they are great for people who are hypertonic with a "normal" foot shape but you? Not a hope in hell.
Stupid question, are you a heel striker? You'll be far better off correcting your stance and running style than trying new trainers. Get to one of the Running Schools, change your running and I'm hoping that you'll find the solution through that.
I bought some minimalist shoes (New Balance Minimus) about 18 months ago for doing deadlifts (non-compressible soles make them great for weightlifting). I thought i'd give them a go for running just to see what they were like. Ran 18km that afternoon, with no pain whatsoever. Wife very confused.
pilchardthecat said:
tori said:
Dear Christ, Don't!
If you've flat feet and hypermobility syndrome, vibrams or whatever brand will cripple you. You've been given orthoses which have "raised your arch", going into BFR (barefoot runners) will be the antithesis. I find that they are great for people who are hypertonic with a "normal" foot shape but you? Not a hope in hell.
Stupid question, are you a heel striker? You'll be far better off correcting your stance and running style than trying new trainers. Get to one of the Running Schools, change your running and I'm hoping that you'll find the solution through that.
I disagree. I have exactly this problem and have tried running in various structured/support shoes with and without various custom orthotics (wife is a podiatrist specialising in gait and biomechanics) and could never go more than about half a mile without being in crippling painIf you've flat feet and hypermobility syndrome, vibrams or whatever brand will cripple you. You've been given orthoses which have "raised your arch", going into BFR (barefoot runners) will be the antithesis. I find that they are great for people who are hypertonic with a "normal" foot shape but you? Not a hope in hell.
Stupid question, are you a heel striker? You'll be far better off correcting your stance and running style than trying new trainers. Get to one of the Running Schools, change your running and I'm hoping that you'll find the solution through that.
I bought some minimalist shoes (New Balance Minimus) about 18 months ago for doing deadlifts (non-compressible soles make them great for weightlifting). I thought i'd give them a go for running just to see what they were like. Ran 18km that afternoon, with no pain whatsoever. Wife very confused.
Your wife has probably come to the conclusion that you've significantly changed your running style naturally, shortened your stride, automatically become a mid foot runner and developed a lighter more productive gait. I found that orthoses, corrective trainers and the like impaired proprioception in a number of cases, increased heel strike and predisposed to injury, an ultra marathon runner for example. What I'm essentially saying is some people adjust, many don't and the subsequent injuries are nasty. (I tore my PTT as a result of them) and, with the greatest of respect to your gender, you're pretty crap at acknowledging your limitations!
http://www.runningschool.co.uk/
I actually like the barefoot runners as I think us health care lot are so romantically involved with our own brilliance and cool kit that we over look the patients own body and it's capacity to correct itself. I think the problem is that us humans have buggered ourselves with our sitty downy jobs (tightens quads and psoas), walk on flat surfaces (RSI for Post tib and peroneals) and then go leaping about with our increased body masses (rugby, body building, general fattyness) and we wonder why the hell we're in pain.
Do try the link above as the school is one of the few institutions which address this with assessment and exercise. I learnt a lot from them
I actually like the barefoot runners as I think us health care lot are so romantically involved with our own brilliance and cool kit that we over look the patients own body and it's capacity to correct itself. I think the problem is that us humans have buggered ourselves with our sitty downy jobs (tightens quads and psoas), walk on flat surfaces (RSI for Post tib and peroneals) and then go leaping about with our increased body masses (rugby, body building, general fattyness) and we wonder why the hell we're in pain.
Do try the link above as the school is one of the few institutions which address this with assessment and exercise. I learnt a lot from them
I agree - i think the advantage of minimalist shoes is that (for example) if you heel strike in squidgy running shoes, you simply cannot run like this in minimalist shoes - it hurts immediately. So you compensate by shortening your stride, leaning forward, and forefoot/midfoot striking
The fancy orthoses etc work when you are walking, but they make the problem worse when you run, in my opinion, by denying you the cues that tell you to correct your gait
The fancy orthoses etc work when you are walking, but they make the problem worse when you run, in my opinion, by denying you the cues that tell you to correct your gait
pilchardthecat said:
I agree - i think the advantage of minimalist shoes is that (for example) if you heel strike in squidgy running shoes, you simply cannot run like this in minimalist shoes - it hurts immediately. So you compensate by shortening your stride, leaning forward, and forefoot/midfoot striking
The fancy orthoses etc work when you are walking, but they make the problem worse when you run, in my opinion, by denying you the cues that tell you to correct your gait
You should go into business with your wife! The fancy orthoses etc work when you are walking, but they make the problem worse when you run, in my opinion, by denying you the cues that tell you to correct your gait
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