Orthotics

[Me]

I have posted the bulk of this message over at runnersworld, on the injuries board, but I was hoping
I might hear from somebody that has had some success with orthotics. I have spent most of this past
summer battling shin splint's in my left leg and knee problems in both legs resulting from trying
different things to relieve the shin splints. Have done the Julstro, Ozzies Gutter rolling, and so
on. After having a bone scan done the last Orthopedic Doctor said I had a grade 2 stress fracture in
my left leg, and a grade 1 in my right leg (I had never had any pain in my right leg except for some
knee stuff that came as a result of trying to get rid of the shin splints in my left leg.) He has
had me laying low since Sept. 14. and he wants me down till November 12. He also wanted me to get
some orthotics, which really put a strain on our budget. Anyway the orthotics are really making me
nervous, since I started wearing them I have had knee pain in my left knee, and a weird shin splint
like pain (but higher up and right near the bone) in my right leg. I had not had any pain in my left
leg for the week or so preceding getting them, and my right leg had always been pretty much OK, so I
am very afraid that I made a mistake getting the orthotics. While I am wearing the orthotics
everything feels pretty much ok, the pains I just described really only happen awhile after I take
them out. Has anybody out there had similar experiences with their orthotics?

Thanks Gerry

[Beach]

I have three sets of orthodics, made by different philosophies.

Hard orthodics made by podiatrists.

But the best was made by a chiropractor in NYC, they are soft, and allow me to use all the muscles
in my feet, while correcting the 11% angle on my feet. They feel great.

If anyone is in NYC, write me and I'll give you his name.

rcomarow@cfl.rr.com-NOSPM

me wrote:

> I have posted the bulk of this message over at runnersworld, on the injuries board, but I was
> hoping I might hear from somebody that has had some success with orthotics. I have spent most of
> this past summer battling shin splint's in my left leg and knee problems in both legs resulting
> from trying different things to relieve the shin splints. Have done the Julstro, Ozzies Gutter
> rolling, and so on. After having a bone scan done the last Orthopedic Doctor said I had a grade 2
> stress fracture in my left leg, and a grade 1 in my right leg (I had never had any pain in my
> right leg except for some knee stuff that came as a result of trying to get rid of the shin
> splints in my left leg.) He has had me laying low since Sept. 14. and he wants me down till
> November 12. He also wanted me to get some orthotics, which really put a strain on our budget.
> Anyway the orthotics are really making me nervous, since I started wearing them I have had knee
> pain in my left knee, and a weird shin splint like pain (but higher up and right near the bone) in
> my right leg. I had not had any pain in my left leg for the week or so preceding getting them, and
> my right leg had always been pretty much OK, so I am very afraid that I made a mistake getting the
> orthotics. While I am wearing the orthotics everything feels pretty much ok, the pains I just
> described really only happen awhile after I take them out. Has anybody out there had similar
> experiences with their orthotics?
>
> Thanks Gerry

[Jim Haselmaier]

My podiatrist told me the density of your bones varies through the bone, based on your mechanics and
the weight the bones must support. When you start using orthotics you change the mechanics/alignment
slightly in your legs and the bones need to adjust. He told me to be careful when I first started
running with orthotics because he has seen people GET stress fractures because their legs haven't
adjusted to the new structure and built up density in places it needs.

If the above is true, since you're moving to orthotics when you already have a stress fracture, the
different stress on your bones may be causing greater pain compared to when you weren't wearing
orthotics because you're stressing the fractures themselves in different ways. Hit the pool and see
how it feels in November.

My $.02. I'm not a doctor.

Jim

"me" <1@aol.com> wrote in message news:Gt%ib.128790$xx4.22161531@twister.neo.rr.com...
> I have posted the bulk of this message over at runnersworld, on the
injuries
> board, but I was hoping I might hear from somebody that has had some
success
> with orthotics. I have spent most of this past summer battling shin
splint's
> in my left leg and knee problems in both legs resulting from trying different things to relieve
> the shin splints. Have done the Julstro,
Ozzies
> Gutter rolling, and so on. After having a bone scan done the last
Orthopedic
> Doctor said I had a grade 2 stress fracture in my left leg, and a grade 1
in
> my right leg (I had never had any pain in my right leg except for some
knee
> stuff that came as a result of trying to get rid of the shin splints in my left leg.) He has had
> me laying low since Sept. 14. and he wants me down till November 12. He also wanted me to get some
> orthotics, which really
put
> a strain on our budget. Anyway the orthotics are really making me nervous, since I started wearing
> them I have had knee pain in my left knee, and a weird shin splint like pain (but higher up and
> right near the bone) in my right leg. I had not had any pain in my left leg for the week or so
> preceding getting them, and my right leg had always been pretty much OK,
so
> I am very afraid that I made a mistake getting the orthotics. While I am wearing the orthotics
> everything feels pretty much ok, the pains I just described really only happen awhile after I take
> them out. Has anybody out there had similar experiences with their orthotics?
>
> Thanks Gerry

[Scott Williams]

I use orthotics, soft/prescription. They also correct for a minor leg-length discrepancy. They work
great for me.

I wear mine ALL the time: one set for running with and another for my daily activities (structural
imbalances are not part time).

I did gradually introduce them into my routine.

Scott

Gerry wrote:

> I have posted the bulk of this message over at runnersworld, on the injuries board, but I was
> hoping I might hear from somebody that has had some success with orthotics. I have spent most of
> this past summer battling shin splint's in my left leg and knee problems in both legs resulting
> from trying different things to relieve the shin splints. Have done the Julstro, Ozzies Gutter
> rolling, and so on. After having a bone scan done the last Orthopedic Doctor said I had a grade 2
> stress fracture in my left leg, and a grade 1 in my right leg (I had never had any pain in my
> right leg except for some knee stuff that came as a result of trying to get rid of the shin
> splints in my left leg.) He has had me laying low since Sept. 14. and he wants me down till
> November 12. He also wanted me to get some orthotics, which really put a strain on our budget.
> Anyway the orthotics are really making me nervous, since I started wearing them I have had knee
> pain in my left knee, and a weird shin splint like pain (but higher up and right near the bone) in
> my right leg. I had not had any pain in my left leg for the week or so preceding getting them, and
> my right leg had always been pretty much OK, so I am very afraid that I made a mistake getting the
> orthotics. While I am wearing the orthotics everything feels pretty much ok, the pains I just
> described really only happen awhile after I take them out. Has anybody out there had similar
> experiences with their orthotics?
>
> Thanks Gerry
>