|
Someone on the trailspace.com forum told me to seek out Zeke on marathonguide.com so here I am!
Hello, first a little history:
I'm not a marathon runner but I started hiking about a year ago with a local group. From the first hike, I had noticed that about 3 miles into the hike, I would begin to get this sensitive spot under my big toe, just above the joint, on both feet. The farther I go, the more sensitive it becomes. I wouldn't call it "pain" but it is annoying. But by the end of the hikes that vary from 3-8 miles, my feet are killing me and continue to hurt for about 2-3 days after the hike is over.
I hear other hikers say they're going to go on another hike the very next day and all I can think about is foot pain. I tried to figure out why my feet were hurting so much when others were not. I came to the conclusion that it was because I just don't go enough (weekends).
I discovered a couple of weekends ago while walking on loose material that my feet overpronate when stepping off. Noticed that other hikers were not doing this.
In addition to the pain I experience in my feet, I have poor posture which I blamed on sitting on the computer for many hours a day. I had also read on another website that over pronation can cause one shoulder to be higher than another when standing straight. I've witnessed this in photographs of myself many a time. I wake up every day with foot and body pains in general. Since I moved in 2003, I have been working at home (a lot) and pretty much never wear shoes. I'm wondering if not wearing shoes has contributed to his?
So I'm 27 years old, 6'2" 185 lbs. I just bought a pair of Montrail CTC Trail Runner shoes that everyone in my hiking group has been raving about. I don't believe a shoe can correct this problem because I have now experienced it in a pair of New Balance running shoes, Merrell hiking boots, and now these Montrail shoes. I should also mention that I bought the green colored superfeet insoles when I started hiking last year and apparently, they don't fix the problem.
And yesterday:
So I finally went to see the podiatrist yesterday. He did not take any X-rays but just looked at my feet. He said I have Equinus or Tight Heel Chord and Functional Hallux Limitus. He pointed out the bony growth on top of the base of my big toe, as well as the cracking/popping sounds.
He said custom orthotics ($220) would fix the problem so that I wouldn't experience any more pain and be able to go on longer hikes like everyone else.
On the way home, I decided to give some less expensive options a try first. So I purchased a pair of the heat moldable footbeds made by SOLE. The arch in them was ridiculously high and hurt my foot so they're out.
I then decided to give the posture control insoles a try from mortonsfoot.com. Started out with the 3.5mm and they didn't seem to be doing anything, so they just graduated me to the 6mm and after wearing them only for an hour or two yesterday my feet were killing me with NEW pain so I ceased wearing those 6mm ones immediately.
I've started stretching for the Equinus part of the diagnosis. I feel as though I'm out of options and will just have to risk a few hundred dollars on those prescription orthotics. The reason I say "risk" is because I've read many a forum post where people said the prescription orthotics did not help.
I just want to not be in pain anymore and be able to go on my hikes and enjoy having normal feet....
Post a reply on the Bulletin Board | Send email reply to Mike C
| 
