Positive results with inserts!
Posted by Robbie on November 08, 1998 at 16:24:12:
In the middle of training for a marathon I was diagnosed with PF. My doctor recommended that I buy a heel cup to help support my heel. Instead of doing this I paid a visit to the local running shop and discovered that the owner seemed to be very knowledgable. He had been dealing with PF for several years. He highly recommended full length inserts for all of my shoes. He recommended that I buy just one pair and rotate them from shoe to shoe. He also recommended that I never walk around barefoot. He said that as soon as I got out of bed in the mornings to step right into a pair of shoes. He also highly recommended stretching the calf muscles, which I have always done! I took his advice and bought inserts/orthotics made by Powerstep. I put them in my shoes and decided to wait two weeks before getting back into training. The two weeks off and the inserts made a significant difference. I gradually started running again and after about 8 weeks of training with the inserts, I was able to complete my first 20 mile run. I also successfully completed my first marathon yesterday! The heel pain never totally went a way but it never seemed to get any worse. I trully believe that with a few more weeks of rest (and stretching) the heel pain will be even better! Just for clarification, I don't have flat feet but actually have fairly high arches. I have read about a lot of people who have flat feet and feel they need inserts/orthotics. The day I purchased the inserts, another customer was buying 5 pair of these inserts. He said that he had flat feet and the inserts had made such a significant difference that he wanted them in all of his shoes! Sounds like they may be effective for all types of feet.
Special thanks to Mark Lorenzoni of Ragged Moutain Running Shop in Charlottesville, VA! Without his advice, I may never have run a marathon.
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