Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with orthotics

Running "through" orthotic adjustment... or not?

LyzzyBee — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:26:16 -0800

Hi everyone Would welcome some advice / shared experiences please. Feb/March got an 8mm orthotic in my left shoe to finally deal with uneven leg length Orthopedic Hosp orthotic chap said I "may find it a little tiring, maybe a little discomfort", well I was in pain for a bit, mainly left calf and right knee. Started back running and all fine but as I train for my half-marathon and step up the pace/intensity/length (don't worry - not all at the same time, am doing sensible training plan) I'm getting some twinging in my left calf. I went and got my gait videoed for getting new trainers and noted that Pre-orthotic - ran on outside of left foot and inside of right foot With-orthotic - run a lot straighter on both My right calf muscle was larger than my left, esp looking at me from the front and they are now evening up. The pain (I prefer to call it a twinge, it's not the same as when you trip and hurt yourself or the arch pain I used to get pre-orthotic or when wearing flip flops etc) is located just above my ankle, on the inside of the leg, fading as it goes up towards where the calf bulges out sideways. Not connected to the shin as far as I can tell. It's a bit like the pain you get after a long hard workout but just in that one place. Eg I'm a litle achy after a fast run yesterday, it hurts a bit more than the rest of the calf/other side. So - has anyone experienced training after orthotics, do you reckon this is just the pain of the muscle having to work harder/different to catch up with the other one? I did ask about adjusting to orthotics in an earlier question and appreciate the responses here, this is specifically about my running.

And yup, I know you're not my doctor/orthotics chap but really if you go to them with "it only happens when I run" they'll just say "don't run". I can't afford private chappies unless I really have to.

Just wondering if anyone has any experiences they can share (either good outcome or bad!)

Cheers!

Help me find the best sandals for orthotics!

raintea — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:10:07 -0800

I just received my first pair of full-length custom orthotics to help correct an SI injury I've been receiving physical therapy for. Problem is, I have no shoes that fit both my feet and the new orthotics except my sneakers. I desperately need a pair of sandals since, you know, it's summer and all. What are the best sandals for orthotics? Relevant details: My feet are size 10.5-11 women's, 9.5 men's, 42.5-43 euro. I am a late 20-something work-at-home mom of a toddler and I mostly dress like a tomboy. I am not opposed to a stylin' pair of men's sandals. Previously I wore Merrells, Birkenstocks, and Crocs.

Besides my obvious lack of fashion sense, is there any hope for me?

Good Mary-Jane style sneaker with arch support?

ninotchka — Sun, 24 May 2009 07:20:10 -0800

What's a good Mary-Jane style sneaker (for walking) with solid arch support? I'll be moving to Europe soon and plan on spending many of my weekends out and about, walking. I have pretty flat feet, though, and could use solid arch support as I go. I'd prefer a slip-on, Mary-Jane style (a style something along these lines), something with a low profile - but I'd also like a shoe that's going to be as comfortable as possible for long walks. Any suggestions?

Different length legs - how to get used to the orthotic?

LyzzyBee — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 03:18:56 -0800

I have different length legs. Three weeks ago I was given an orthotic at the hospital. It is a heep raise only and 8mm high. I was told try it in all your shoes, if you get tired, take it out and have a rest. I am used to the feel of it now but am finding it hard to exercise as much as I used to. At best it is uncomfortable, at worst painful - both in the shorter and the longer leg. I am getting fed up and frustrated. I have an appointment in 7 weeks time, I know you are not my doctor, but I'd be interested in peoples' actual experience of getting used to thse things. More inside... I always knew I had leg length disparity. I had little pain if I was sensible, ie didn't wear slip on / mule / flip flop shoes, mainly. Started exercising a couple of years ago (slow running, walking, cross-trainer / rower/ static recumbent bike). Got 28lbs shed and managed a slow half-marathon (ran all the way though). BUT - getting my gait analysed for my trainers, noticed my right (longer) leg bent inwards at the anke. As my calf muscles developed, noticed the right one started to bulge higher up my leg and bulged out more than the left so saw the doc and got referred to the orthopedic hospital.

I have been feeling a change in how I walk and stand, no longer walking on the outside of the left foot and inside of the right one and the muscles on the calves seem more even now. Have been doing some walking (eg this week one day 20 and 40 mins, one day 55 mins, in trainers, going pretty fast) but I find I can't do as much without getting pain in the calf, knee of the short leg and the calf of the long leg.

I'm sure it's all adjustment and I can still fit into my UK size 10 clothes, but having gone on the elliptical and managed 5 mins before my knee hurt, I am upset and worried about how long it will take me to adjust. I also feel a bit pathetic already (only 8mm)

Other info might be useful - female, 37yo, 140 lbs.

I wasn't given any exercises by the orthopedic surgeon/ orthotics man. This is a question as much about emotionally adjusting and setting expectations as it is about physical stuff, but info on both very much appreciated. Thank you!

I need recommendations for shoes for plantar fasciitis

IndigoRain — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:21:11 -0800

I need some shoe recommendations to help with my plantar fasciitis. Issue: a lot of sneakers/tennis shoes make my feet too hot. I have flat feet. I had orthotics briefly in high school due to foot pain - I hated them. For a short distance, they felt great, but by the time I walked across the school in them, they hurt so bad I cried. I stopped wearing them.

Cut to 10 years (of no foot pain) later... I've just been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in my right foot. The pain is actually more in my arch than my heel, and my arch has a small swollen area. The podiatrist gave me a foot brace and told me not to go barefoot, and to wear sturdier shoes. (I've been wearing canvas shoes from walmart, which he said are too flimsy.)

I have a pair of New Balance shoes that I wore when I worked on my feet all the time - the problem is, they make my feet way too hot. What kind of shoes should I look for that will be supportive enough, yet cooler? If I must wear socks in the summertime with the shoes, I'd like to wear the really thin kind... will this be a problem?

Also, previous questions mention not going without shoes even around the house, to the point of wearing them in the shower. Any recommendations for shower shoes made for this purpose? What about a good around-the-house, only-worn-inside shoe?

Orthotics and Tennis

charlesv — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:41:11 -0800

Orthotics and tennis shoes? I am a novice tennis player. I have sesamoiditis due in part to high arches. To help with this, I wear orthotics .

My problem is that they do not want to stay put in my tennis shoe. They are stable laterally, so they do not slide side-to-side, but they slide forward. My orthotics are only partly rigid plastic, so the front part, which is a softer material, smushes against the front of the shoe and the orthotic slides forward. I had a pair of Asics that had this problem, so I switched to Reeboks. When I tried them on in the store, no problem. It was not until after I spent an hour or so running around on the court that I noticed they did not want to stay put.

I would especially appreciate recommendations from other folks out there that have foot problems and wear their orthotics while playing tennis.

How do I make them stay in place during play? Is there a way to make them stay put, like some kind of double-sided tape? Or are there shoes I can buy that will work better with orthotics? Or should I just give up wearing them during games and practice?

Sneaky sneaker savers?

cholly — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:11:48 -0800

Has anybody got any idea/strategies/proven methods to stop my orthotics tearing up the inside of my new shoes? Ok, so I've just retired a pair of Converse One Stars only 6 months after I bought them. My previous pair of DC shoes lasted 8 months and the DC's before that 7 months. My shoes have followed a similar pattern before this as well.

The problem is that my custom orthotics first tear up the bit of the shoe behind the heel, and then break the plastic support bit inside it (which I normally then stick some gaffa tape over and it will get me through for a bit longer). But then the hard plastic of the orthotic starts cutting into the walls and base of the shoe, and then they go from being mega comfortable to downright annoying.

Part of the problem is that my foot is rather wide and so my orthotic is always just wider than the original insert that come in most shoes, which is what causes wear on the walls of them.

I just bought a very pretty (and pricey) pair of Nike Dunk sneakers and I'd very much like them to last a little longer than my last few pairs of sneakers have. I really hate having to spend upwards of $120 on sneakers every 6 months.

So I know that some of you will just tell me that I need to buy cheaper shoes. But we all know that's not going to happen (and anyway, cheaper shoes fall apart even sooner than these).

As an aside: the Australian dollar is doing brilliantly against the US dollar at the moment. If anyone knows of any good shoe websites that will ship to Australia, I'd be very interested in hearing from them. =)

Hot Foot! Owie Owie Owie!

plinth — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:51:45 -0800

Need shoes that really breathe. After seeing several doctors for agonizing joint pain, I was told that the key to the pain was pronation in my feet, to be corrected with orthotics. I don't know if I fully buy every line from the doc that made the orthotics, but he is highly experienced. So let's assume that "don't wear the orthotics" is not an answer.

The down side is that I have worn sandals/Birks for more than a decade - not because I like them especially, but they solve another problem I have: my feet get roaring hot in "normal" shoes. My feet end up being bathed in sweat, I get zit-like sores on my insteps and then the flesh starts to rot away, unaffected by over-the-counter fungal treatments. Pleasant, huh? It doesn't help that I need to wear compression stockings (and socks to extend the life of the stocking which are bloody expensive).

The orthotic doc told me that sandals (which made the heat problem vanish) are "out of the question". I need shoes that will properly hold the orthotic AND they must breathe, breathe, breathe AND they must have a firm midsole.

Are IT band straps just snake oil?

middleclasstool — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:05:11 -0800

Are those IT band straps for running worth a damn? So, following bad knee pain after finishing my first marathon last month, I went to a physical medicine and rehab specialist, and the doc informs me that I have two guitar strings running down the outside of each leg. My IT bands, are, in her words, "the worst I've seen in a long time."

So I'm off the street and in the pool + aggressive physical therapy for a month or so. My question is this: I want to get back on the road when this is over doing everything I can to prevent this from flaring up again. I've read other AskMe threads on stretching and maintenance you can do to be good to your IT bands (good info, thanks), but I'm wondering about those straps some runners wear on their legs to keep IT band problems at bay.

Does anyone know/have any evidence that the effectiveness of these things is beyond placebo? Or is this just the runner's version of copper bracelets and magnetic necklaces? How comfortable are they at distance?

How can I maximize the comfort of my pirate boots?

Faint of Butt — Thu, 03 May 2007 12:41:19 -0800

I have problems with my feet. Help me wear my new pirate boots comfortably. I have extremely flat feet, am fairly sedentary and rarely have a need for new and interesting shoes. For nearly twenty years now, I've relied on Reebok Classics as my exclusive everyday footwear. I take out the padded insole, put in my hard half-length prescription orthotics, and away I go. But I have a new job now, and will be working part-time as a professional pirate. I will be spending a lot of my time on my feet, both at sea and on land. I have purchased these boots based on multiple recommendations from other pirates, and unfortunately I don't think they can easily accommodate my orthotics. What should I do to make these boots as comfortable as possible while I loot and pillage? Are there inserts you recommend? Extra-thick socks? What are your tips for swashbuckling in comfort?

sports podiatrist in Boston area?

Postroad — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 04:29:05 -0800

name of good sports podiatrist in Boston area My son attends college in the Boston area. He is on a track team. He is not an outstanding runner but he is good and loves it and runs some ten miles per day. When he has had feet problems, we took him to a great podiatrist in Connecticut who modified his orthotics every so ofen. But now in the Boston area I hope he can find an outstanding sports podiatrist so he won't have to cut classes (here, his doctor does not keep weekend hours). Names, please

Suggestions for over-the-counter orthotics?

bibbit — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 09:39:18 -0800

Non-custom orthotics: any suggestions? I overpronate on my right foot, and I'm looking for something to put in running shoes and daily walking shoes to help this. This is only a stop-gap measure. I WILL be making an appointment with a podiatrist (the one I want to go to doesn't take my insurance, but I'll probably be switching in six months and can go then). This is just to help until then.

I'm mostly concerned about running, since I notice the problem most then. I don't run much (about 9-10 miles a week) but I'll still want something comfortable. I've seen some stuff on the green about Superfeet, and there's always Dr. Scholl's - any suggestions on a good brand and type?

Thanks so much!

Running shoes for painful running

josh — Sat, 28 May 2005 06:28:42 -0800

For as long as I can remember, I haven't been able to run for more than a minute or two without pain in my shins. I just got orthotics, and they are helping a little. Are there any running shoes that could help me with this? Every time I run, I do fine for about two minutes--but then I have terrible pain in the very bottom of my shins. I'm not sure what it is, but I can recreate the effect by keeping my heel flat on the floor while rotating my foot upwards. After running for only a minute or two I can't do this any longer. This pain has kept me from running for exercise, something I'd love to do this summer.

Recently I went to a podiatrist who outfitted me with a pair of orthotics. They have really helped my walking, and have actually changed my gait somewhat from a kind of 'duck-walk' to something more elegant. But they haven't really helped with running, in part, I suspect, because I don't have proper running shoes--the only sneakers I own are very hard-soled and for hiking.

Has anyone else experienced this? Are there running shoes or stretching exercises I could do to help me out? I saw the other shin splints thread, but there aren't really any recommendations about what kinds of shoes I should be looking for. I'm really just looking for any advice in general, too.

Recommend basketball shoes for those with high arches.

callmejay — Thu, 18 Nov 2004 09:27:01 -0800

Which basketball shoes are good for people with high arches? Information's easy to come by for running shoes, but I can't find anything for bball. I'd like to be able to put orthotics in them as well. (Yeah, I'm getting old.)