shin splint, mortons neuroma, achilles and orthotics...

[Oscarsno1]

It appears Im a right old crock! I have an old achilles tendon (tear) injury and a mortons neuroma (feels like a marble in the ball of your foot) and now a shin splint. I completed the week 4 runs and as luck would have it I got my specially made orthotics. However I did develop a shin splint in w4. Im just posting this as I would be interested to know if any of you have started wearing orthotics whilst on this programme and if you suffered from any issues??

I've-by choice- stopped the programme and am wearing the orthotics in slowly to get my feet accustomed to the change in support but Im so bloomin desperate to get back out there and start week 5.

Has anyone else started wearing orthotics whilst in the middle of the programme? All and any advice would be gratefully received. Thanks muchly

[didntrunthat Graduate]

I tried shop bought orthoic inserts last year on recommendation from my physio. They had no impact on my running, but also didn't help resolve the issue I was having which was being caused by my running shoes.

I have had two custom sets of orthotics previously and don't recall any specific advice not to do anything for an adjustment period, but that was a long while ago now.

When I first did the programme I didn't get shin splints the first few weeks, but come the longer timed runs I started getting them then so it could be a coincidence simply?

[Oscarsno1 in reply to didntrunthat]

Thanks Didntrunthat. Thats interesting about the shin splints. Its something I've never suffered from before and only came on during wk4. I guess I should give the orthotics a go to see if any or all of my troubles get worse or maybe they will miraculously get better and disappear (2 hopes...one's Bob!!!).

[didntrunthat Graduate in reply to Oscarsno1]

Some rest and you might be lucky! I was a bit naughty and ran through the pain (well running didn't hurt but walking did lol) and iced when I got in and it took a couple of months for them to clear up.

[guttuu]

I started running and biking about 2 1/2 years ago. I suffered from throbbing pain in my shin and it stopped me from doing my regular exercises for about two weeks. I believe it was shin splints and I found an interesting article in discussing about how you can train your body to move as a spring to resist the impacts as a spring mechanism. The reason why you have stress on your shin muscles and shin bone causing shin splints and stress fractures is because there is too much stress there. I actually found out that shin splints can be prevented by running barefoot. Yes that’s right –BAREFOOT! I started doing so for 5 months now and I haven’t suffered from shin splints since then. Shoes with cushions don’t absorb the stress to prevent shin splints, your natural spring does. You can understand more on this by reading this article:

teamdoctorsblog.com/2012/12...

The thing you must realize though is that you should not run barefoot right away.

First you must strengthen the feet and muscles attached and release your human spring.

[Welshshuffler]

I managed to get shin splints when I tried to run last year.. I genuinely thought I'd broken a bone. I couldn't weight bear (x-ray confirmed I hadn't) I very foolishly had shin pain for several weeks before but ran through the pain. Don't ever do that. I had to stop running for nearly 2 months. Now I always stretch my shins before and after, I get a bit of ache (on week 7) but nothing compared to previous.

Morton's Neuroma... I have experience here.. I had bilateral neuromas. The right one gives me little to no problems, the left one I ignored for a couple of years (I'm good with ignoring pain!!) Changed how I walked (walked on the side of my foot!) Anyway when my toe went totally numb I finally saw my GP. I ended up having it surgically removed -the neuroma- it was about the size of a grape. I had to learn how to walk right again after. Touch wood, running doesn't seem to aggravate either foot thankfully. My advice would be though seek some proper advice. I was given orthotics by podiatry for my foot and they helped a little but it was already too far gone to be honest.