Discussion: orthotics
in: Orienteering; Training & Technique
Mar 11, 2008 3:12 AM
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sorry if this is posted in the wrong topic....
What orthotics have people used successfully to treat PF?
What orthotics have people used successfully to treat PF?
Mar 11, 2008 4:39 AM
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I had tremendous success with the Superfeet OTC orthotic. Custom and other OTC orthotics did not help.
Other things that I think helped were the Strassburg Sock and ART. The SS made my leg numb, tho, so I stopped wearing it. ART is something I learned to treat myself with after a few sessions of observation (especially if insurance is less than generous in paying); the theory seems quite simple -- squeeze scar tissue/ossification out, squeeze blood/nutrients in, at least it seemed to help me; the new age music and other trappings seemed less medically useful. (Disclaimer -- not medical advice, consult your medical provider before treating yourself :-))
But definately try the Superfeet. I had quite a long and annoying battle with PF, and they just seemed to work, and pretty quickly. Now I wear them pretty much 24/7, with no relapse. Fits in O shoes and running shoes also. Note that PF cures are different for everyone, so YMMV.
Other things that I think helped were the Strassburg Sock and ART. The SS made my leg numb, tho, so I stopped wearing it. ART is something I learned to treat myself with after a few sessions of observation (especially if insurance is less than generous in paying); the theory seems quite simple -- squeeze scar tissue/ossification out, squeeze blood/nutrients in, at least it seemed to help me; the new age music and other trappings seemed less medically useful. (Disclaimer -- not medical advice, consult your medical provider before treating yourself :-))
But definately try the Superfeet. I had quite a long and annoying battle with PF, and they just seemed to work, and pretty quickly. Now I wear them pretty much 24/7, with no relapse. Fits in O shoes and running shoes also. Note that PF cures are different for everyone, so YMMV.
Mar 11, 2008 2:29 PM
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Anna:
I got some custom-made ones from my doctor, which seemed to make things worse, but my current pair I got from an orthotist. What seemed to help me was putting the orthotics in neutral rather than pronation-control shoes.
Mar 13, 2008 4:23 AM
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ART - covered by insurance so made an appointment... Heard of it before but never tried it. Thx for the suggestion!
Mar 13, 2008 4:06 PM
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BTW, ART treats the damage. You may still have an underlying biomechanical problem, for which orthotics or other biomechanical remedies may still be indicated. Good luck with it, and whatever you do, don't let it get out of hand.
Mar 13, 2008 11:59 PM
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First treatment was today. They're going to look at the biomech stuff too but I'm pretty sure it was a pair of shoes that did the damage....
Mar 14, 2008 3:26 AM
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That was my problem too -- O shoes that were too long and narrow and stretched my PF. Takes a long time to get back to "normal," but with care (and good arch support) it will come.
Mar 28, 2008 3:06 AM
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Update....
Doctor said I didn't need to stop training, so I haven't.
Fourth session of ART today along with second session of ultrasound and electronic muscle stimulation.
This combination of therapies seems to be working really well. I went through the entire day today without even thinking about the PF (i.e. no pain).
The orthotics that I got, similar to superfeet, seem to be helping as well. Lynco L400's.
As noted previously by randy, cures vary from person to person....
Doctor said I didn't need to stop training, so I haven't.
Fourth session of ART today along with second session of ultrasound and electronic muscle stimulation.
This combination of therapies seems to be working really well. I went through the entire day today without even thinking about the PF (i.e. no pain).
The orthotics that I got, similar to superfeet, seem to be helping as well. Lynco L400's.
As noted previously by randy, cures vary from person to person....
This discussion thread is closed.