Training Update:
Since the end of July:
I have run 82 times, 107 hours, burned 58,546 calories and gone 455 miles! Nice to know I could run to my mom's house in California for a visit should I ever need to! It would take 4 months, but I could get there!
Orthotic Update:
After my first horrible experience with the Foot Surgeon's Orthotics, I was very scared about trying them again. I had gone to the Chiropractor as I was harboring this weird pain in the top of my right hip. Long story short - I have been favoring my left foot enough that it transferred to my right hip. He suggested orthotics to cushion and support my fused toes (#4 & #5 on each foot). I was born with toes that curved under and had a fusion to straighten them out. Only problem is now they don't bend and take a lot of force each time they hit the ground. My #4 Left toe is actually fused incorrectly, pointing slightly downward so it takes a further beating than the rest.
I have had a purple #4 Right toe since I started running. Of course I must favor it somehow in my stride.
Well, we talked extensively about my first experience and he showed me the kind of orthotics he prescribes. They were significantly better built. Completely flexible. And the interesting thing is they laser scan your feet while you are standing on an image collector. I found this fascinating because the Foot Surgeon just made a plaster cast of my feet while I was laying on a table, feet dangling in air. The Chiro's scan of my feet showed the pressures of my feet on the ground and in turn, creates an orthotic to assist with the way your foot actually connects with the ground. So... I went for it and had them made. When I got them and started wearing them, it was clear they were of much different quality than the other pair. I then had to go get fit for a new pair of neutral running shoes as the orthotics take care of all the correction I need. They put me in a 1/2 size larger Nike Zoom Vomero 3. It was like walking on a gel cushion! I wore them everyday for 3 weeks while working and finally tried a little two mile run in them. I was terrified after my first experience with orthotics ripping holes in the bottom of my feet - however! At the end of my 2 mile run, there was no pain in Left #4. There were no holes or blisters forming anywhere on my feet. I wore them again around town the following week as I was resting up for the Memphis trip. So no additional runs in them.
On race day I had to make a decision. Do I run in my old shoes or do I chance it and try 13.1 in the new shoes with the Orthotics? I had a pit in my stomach, knowing such a decision could leave me on the side of the road at about mile 5 with bleeding feet and needing a lift back to the finish line!
Well - I threw the dice. I ran in the Nikes and Orthotics and folks, let me tell you something right here and now - I WILL NEVER RUN AGAIN WITHOUT MY ORTHOTICS!!!!! I never felt any of my typical pain. Three times during the run my mind drifted to my feet and I was amazed to realize I was feeling no pain in my toe. It occurred to me that maybe they were just frozen and I would have a different experience when they thawed out! But no... there was none of the typical ache that I have grown accustomed to!!!
After the race, I examined my feet - no hotspots - no blisters - AND MY TOE WAS NO LONGER PURPLE!
www.footlevelers.com
If you have any foot issues, I strongly recommend you look into a doc or chiro that can help you get a pair of these things made.
My life has changed. I know I can now run long distances without toe pain. Maybe even all the way to Mom's house! : )
Showing posts with label Orthotics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Orthotics. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Blister Cures & Blister Makers
I started to write this blog with a little pointer that I learned the HARD way. I downloaded the following pictures taken just hours after I finished my first marathon last year. You can see from the picture that I had wrapped my toes to keep them from blistering. It might have done the trick, had I not done something else that was INCREDIBLY STUPID.
I went to the Running Store and bought a new pair of socks the day before the big run. There was some smooth talking kid in there who steered me into the store's own brand of fancy colored and high tech looking socks. I remember telling him that I only run in dual layer socks and he assuring me the pair he sold me were dual layer.
Well, I had butterflies in my stomach and could barely sleep, but knew I would do good with my new socks!
And there you see the result of changing something up the day before your marathon. So fitting, I remember about mile 18 hearing the Annie Lennox song, "Walking on Broken Glass" come on my iPod. My feet felt like they were on fire, but I had no idea they were actually bleeding into the dermal layer. Oh and by the way, I lost 7 toenails by the time I finished that marathon last year.
LESSON: Never change anything that is working for you before a big run! NEVER!
The pics above show the damage. And upon further inspection, the socks the 19 year old sold me were not dual layer socks. They were pretty, but they were not the dual layers that I had become used to and that kept my blistering to a minimum.
So the original reason I wanted to write this blog was to reach out to you if you are experiencing repeated blisters on your toes. I have a little added problem that the #4 and #5 toes on each foot have been surgically fused. I was born with them curved under and it was a mess to run on curved under toes. I had a horribly painful surgery at 30 that straightened them out - only problem is they don't bend anymore. So they are prone to blister.
So after last year's experience, I decided to experiment this year with Silicone Toe Caps. You just place them over the complaining toes and they are actually protecting my toes from blisters! So far, 273 miles and not a single toe blister! Here's what they look like:
I will never go on a run again without my toe caps. No blisters, no damaged toenails!
Here is a little picture of my foot from today- no damaged toenails, no blisters!
So that was what this blog was going to be all about. Silicone toe caps and how they can prevent blisters. But events of the week went from good to BAD to WORSE to well, ok I guess, and so the blister chapter had to be expanded.
Back to the fused toes. All is ok except for toe #4 on the left foot. It was actually fused incorrectly, pointing down instead of straight out. So every time my left foot strikes the ground, the #4 toe actually hits first and because it does not bend, it takes a lot of force. It is always somewhat swollen and tender, but I have just lived with it. This year I decided to go see a Podiatrist to see if there were any options to ease the pain in #4 Left.
I saw a guy who immediately prescribed orthotics to lift the balls of my feet and get that toe out of the way when that foot hit the ground. I was freaking out due to my previous experience with just changing the socks in my running shoes. He assured me I would be so much happier and comfortable with custom orthotics. The thought sounded so good... a 16 mile run coming up and reduced pain...?! Who wouldn't have signed up? But I was serious with him that changing something so drastic could only result in sure disaster. He reassured me and off to the orthotic lab I went.
They plastered my feet and 3 weeks later I had my custom orthotics. Eager, I put them in my shoes and walked around for one hour the first day. Awesome! No toe pain! It had been 18 years of constant pain. Day two, 2 hours of walking around... my heart was soaring. Day three, I could not help myself. I took them for a little easy 4 mile run - 44 minutes.
Mile One - I was singing out loud! My heart was full of joy and I was running with NO PAIN! I was as happy as I have been in a long time! I could hardly wait for Saturday and my 16 mile run! Why did I wait so long to consider orthotics????!!!
Mile 1.5 - The left foot was still feeling great, but something funny was starting on the right foot (the one that didn't hurt). A little hot spot on my arch and I figured I had a wrinkle in my sock or something. I pulled on my sock and figured I straightened it all out.
Mile 2 - At my turn around spot, I stopped and took my shoe off for an inspection. There it was, a big blister had already formed on my arch, right at a corner of the damn orthotic!
Mile 3 - Hobbling and increasing pain.
Mile 4 - Intermittent walking and crying right out loud.
I was hysterical by the time I got home. I was SO DAMN MAD at myself for thinking something like this would not happen. Here I was on an easy 4 mile run. Now I have a hole in the bottom of my foot. There is NO WAY IN HELL I was going to make my 16 mile run on Saturday. I figured it would take 2 weeks for the blister to heal and then I would be completely out of shape and back to my 10 or 12 mile distance. All in all I just knew this little orthotic experience put me back at least a full month in my training!
So back to the above Lesson: Changes can cause you great pain and havoc. Be careful when you make changes. Even in the care and direction of a foot doctor - intuitively I knew the orthotics would hurt me. But, I ran in them anyway.
Friday I did not run. Saturday, I could not stand it, I got up and wrapped the hell out of my foot with bandages and put on the running shoes. I set out for my 16 mile run and made it to 15. Just so happened the Loving Husband drove by at 15.01 and I saw him and threw in the towel. Jumped in the truck with a throbbing foot and headed home for ice.
So, I am not set back as much as I figured on Thursday, but I am still upset about the orthotic experience. The foot doc and I are going to have a big talk about this sometime soon, but for now...until I heal, I will be running in bandages.
I went to the Running Store and bought a new pair of socks the day before the big run. There was some smooth talking kid in there who steered me into the store's own brand of fancy colored and high tech looking socks. I remember telling him that I only run in dual layer socks and he assuring me the pair he sold me were dual layer.
Well, I had butterflies in my stomach and could barely sleep, but knew I would do good with my new socks!
And there you see the result of changing something up the day before your marathon. So fitting, I remember about mile 18 hearing the Annie Lennox song, "Walking on Broken Glass" come on my iPod. My feet felt like they were on fire, but I had no idea they were actually bleeding into the dermal layer. Oh and by the way, I lost 7 toenails by the time I finished that marathon last year.
LESSON: Never change anything that is working for you before a big run! NEVER!
The pics above show the damage. And upon further inspection, the socks the 19 year old sold me were not dual layer socks. They were pretty, but they were not the dual layers that I had become used to and that kept my blistering to a minimum.
So the original reason I wanted to write this blog was to reach out to you if you are experiencing repeated blisters on your toes. I have a little added problem that the #4 and #5 toes on each foot have been surgically fused. I was born with them curved under and it was a mess to run on curved under toes. I had a horribly painful surgery at 30 that straightened them out - only problem is they don't bend anymore. So they are prone to blister.
So after last year's experience, I decided to experiment this year with Silicone Toe Caps. You just place them over the complaining toes and they are actually protecting my toes from blisters! So far, 273 miles and not a single toe blister! Here's what they look like:
I will never go on a run again without my toe caps. No blisters, no damaged toenails!
Here is a little picture of my foot from today- no damaged toenails, no blisters!
So that was what this blog was going to be all about. Silicone toe caps and how they can prevent blisters. But events of the week went from good to BAD to WORSE to well, ok I guess, and so the blister chapter had to be expanded.
Back to the fused toes. All is ok except for toe #4 on the left foot. It was actually fused incorrectly, pointing down instead of straight out. So every time my left foot strikes the ground, the #4 toe actually hits first and because it does not bend, it takes a lot of force. It is always somewhat swollen and tender, but I have just lived with it. This year I decided to go see a Podiatrist to see if there were any options to ease the pain in #4 Left.
I saw a guy who immediately prescribed orthotics to lift the balls of my feet and get that toe out of the way when that foot hit the ground. I was freaking out due to my previous experience with just changing the socks in my running shoes. He assured me I would be so much happier and comfortable with custom orthotics. The thought sounded so good... a 16 mile run coming up and reduced pain...?! Who wouldn't have signed up? But I was serious with him that changing something so drastic could only result in sure disaster. He reassured me and off to the orthotic lab I went.
They plastered my feet and 3 weeks later I had my custom orthotics. Eager, I put them in my shoes and walked around for one hour the first day. Awesome! No toe pain! It had been 18 years of constant pain. Day two, 2 hours of walking around... my heart was soaring. Day three, I could not help myself. I took them for a little easy 4 mile run - 44 minutes.
Mile One - I was singing out loud! My heart was full of joy and I was running with NO PAIN! I was as happy as I have been in a long time! I could hardly wait for Saturday and my 16 mile run! Why did I wait so long to consider orthotics????!!!
Mile 1.5 - The left foot was still feeling great, but something funny was starting on the right foot (the one that didn't hurt). A little hot spot on my arch and I figured I had a wrinkle in my sock or something. I pulled on my sock and figured I straightened it all out.
Mile 2 - At my turn around spot, I stopped and took my shoe off for an inspection. There it was, a big blister had already formed on my arch, right at a corner of the damn orthotic!
Mile 3 - Hobbling and increasing pain.
Mile 4 - Intermittent walking and crying right out loud.
I was hysterical by the time I got home. I was SO DAMN MAD at myself for thinking something like this would not happen. Here I was on an easy 4 mile run. Now I have a hole in the bottom of my foot. There is NO WAY IN HELL I was going to make my 16 mile run on Saturday. I figured it would take 2 weeks for the blister to heal and then I would be completely out of shape and back to my 10 or 12 mile distance. All in all I just knew this little orthotic experience put me back at least a full month in my training!
So back to the above Lesson: Changes can cause you great pain and havoc. Be careful when you make changes. Even in the care and direction of a foot doctor - intuitively I knew the orthotics would hurt me. But, I ran in them anyway.
Friday I did not run. Saturday, I could not stand it, I got up and wrapped the hell out of my foot with bandages and put on the running shoes. I set out for my 16 mile run and made it to 15. Just so happened the Loving Husband drove by at 15.01 and I saw him and threw in the towel. Jumped in the truck with a throbbing foot and headed home for ice.
So, I am not set back as much as I figured on Thursday, but I am still upset about the orthotic experience. The foot doc and I are going to have a big talk about this sometime soon, but for now...until I heal, I will be running in bandages.
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