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Latest Activity
Do Orthotics help prevent injury?
Anyone have direct experience with orthotics? Want to share your experience here?
I've been wearing orthotics for over 10 years now and kind of wonder if I should consider giving them up. I've read that you can actually weaken your foot by having 'too much' support, it creates a situation where your foot is just not strong anymore, and in the end you are actually more open to injury.
Nike has this big push on 'bare foot running' in order to make your foot 'stronger'. My general question is has anyone given up on orthotics and been successful going back to just wearing regular running shoes?
I've been wearing orthotics for over 10 years now and kind of wonder if I should consider giving them up. I've read that you can actually weaken your foot by having 'too much' support, it creates a situation where your foot is just not strong anymore, and in the end you are actually more open to injury.
Nike has this big push on 'bare foot running' in order to make your foot 'stronger'. My general question is has anyone given up on orthotics and been successful going back to just wearing regular running shoes?
Views: 120
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ken Rolston on -
Hi Mike,
I've worn orthotics for 20 years and have also reached the questioning faze. In Christopher McDougall's great book, Born To Run he touches on the subject of barefoot running which is espoused by among others Oregon head coach Vin Lananna. I'm reading more workout regimens that include grass running as part of the back to basics movement. McDougall believes that Bowerman's original design and subsequent "advances" by Nike have led to a profound increase in running injuries. More padding disguises natural foot motion,so the cure becomes the problem. The Nike Free is really a return to the old style Tiger Cortez type of shoe which I wore during my marathon days 6 oz, hardly any padding and no foot injuries. When I get over my latest injury I plan to try a simpler, lighter shoe.
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Permalink Reply by Michael on -
Ken if you get the nerve to finally give it a go without the orthotics let me know how it goes! I always wimp out when I seriously consider going for a run without them...they are my crutches in my mind or something, so scared to try running without them!
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Permalink Reply by g andrew on -
Orthotics vs. flip flops?
Hello Michael! In response to your question, I had what seemed to be a real need for orthotics back when I was 20 or so…my podiatrist accurately diagnosed “hammer toes” - like the hammers in a piano, my toes were curled back and as such the broad pads from the balls of my feet laterally to the baby toes took most of the impact as I went from heel to toe – the toes largely out of play…which killed me on my weekly 10K running regimen…
One surgery endured, a second? No way!
The prescription was to surgically “release” the tendons that held the toes in a curled position. A small incision was made on the top/at the base of each toe (save to big one), so four toes on each foot were cut. This worked and had I listened to the Doc and stayed off my feet (Keep ‘em elevated! Hello!) I likely would have had the second treatment which was to release the underside tendon as well…but young and foolish, I went to a U of M football game the very afternoon of the surgery (Dumb!)…and passed out in the car from severe blood pooling! Yikes! Ahhhh, cancel that second surgery thank you!
But the post-op casting for the orthotics went well and I wore them in all my shoes for the next 12+ years, massing many road miles without complaint.
Then I spent the next decade in Tokyo and Los Angeles where I spent most of my time indoors barefoot (a daily routine of old-school traditional Japanese martial arts)...wearing dress shoes on only rare occasions and running free of my earlier need for the pricey custom orthotics…
Although the Nike “Barefoot” campaign is new to me, I feel there just may be some merit in that I’ve spent a very active 18+ years in barefoot toil on Japanese mats, and running without my old trusty orthotics and had you not raised this question I probably would have never thought of them again…hmmmm, interesting! I’ll have to search out this Nike barefoot slant…BTW, the Podiatrists of America may not be too pleased with Nike ‘ya think?
In sum, I might only offer this: ask yourself “what was the original indication for the orthotics?” and “what is the nature of that complaint today?”…while I never would have thought to give up my “essential orthotics” had I not ended up in Japan, I am none the worse for not having used them these past many years…
Happy trails!
G!
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Permalink Reply by Michael on
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if you can believe it I just read your nice detailed reply on my forum post on orthotics.
looks like I keep hearing more and more that going barefoot / less orthotic type stuff is the key to getting 'stronger' and injury resistant rather than injury prone from all the 'support'
THanks for the story, sounds like I might give it a try running in those 5 toe slipper things and see how I feel. I read a story in runners world about a runner from s. africa (Decker) who ran a 14:48 5K (female) on the track - barefoot, to set a world record back in the 80's. no shoes, no weight on the foot - you go FAST!
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Permalink Reply by Sara Wenger on -
Yeah, can we just take a minute to talk about ITBS. I've had it for over a month now and after getting orthotics, using the foam roller, stretching, ultra sound and doing strengthening exercises I have still not been able to run. And it's been over a month. Does anyone have any advice because I am seriously an emotional wreck right now!
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Permalink Reply by Rachel M Kimber on -
keep foam rolling and add some strength training (squats/lunges). now is a good time to rest between seasons - take it easy and build up the leg muscles so the ITB doesn't have to work so hard.
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Rankin on -
Hi Mike,
Not sure if you have seen this article or not, but I thought you may be interested. It is about barefoot running. - Attachments:
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Barefoot Running.pdf, 393 KB
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Rankin on
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Hi Mike,
Random thought: There are tribes in Africa who are some of the best endurance runners. When hunting they tire out their prey through endurance running and they do this all barefoot.... They have been hunting like this for centuries.
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Permalink Reply by Arnold Gore on -
I don't know if you want to count heel lifts as orthotics, but I once used them. Many years ago I originally had a bad back, my chiropractor said it was because one leg was longer than the other( by now I forgot which one) throwing my back out of alignment. I wore heel lifts for a few months and the back felt OK again. Shortly thereafter I discarded the heel lifts and everything has been ok ever since.
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Permalink Reply by Mandi Susman on
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I just got custom prescription orthodics to help my recovery from plantar faciitis. I have been very happy with mine and wish that I had them a long time ago because maybe I could have prevented my PF. Don't give them up if you love running.... That's my humble opinion.
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