Off kilter Leg

THE QUESTION:

Is it better to see a physio in order to get an insole fitted to correct one off kilter leg or wait and see if said leg will heal on it's own?

Put another way;

Would running with one insole cause that offending leg to then heal in that off kilter position so that that insole is then always needed?

THE BACKGROUND:

I injured my right knee in january (cant remember an exact moment just knew it hurt later that evening).

Carried on running but only easy runs and with a knee support on the offending side and it seemed to be improving right up till weekend before last when on my Saturday morning run I was again running without the knee support as it felt 'normal'.

The very next day on a family bike ride we stopped at our local town park and I went a little mad running round after the kids and felt something give and the pain return.

I spent a very depressed Monday berating myself and generally being grumpy then on Tuesday before I was stubbornly about to run my right knee clicked (whilst I was splayed trying to retrieve a lost toy from under my daughters bunk beds) and it actually felt remarkably better, not as good as it had that Saturday but like it could heal again as it had done once already.

Next weekend (one just gone) and I've had a gait analysis done (my first) it was a bit spur of the moment so was sans my normal knee support and in the shops (Go Outdoors) running shoes and trousers. The result was that my left and uninjured leg is straight as a pin whilst running, perfect. My right leg however leans outwards by about 6 degrees (anything over 4 degrees is over pro-nation) and is in all likely hood a result of the recent injury.

I'd get to see either a physio or perhaps your GP and get a correct assessment of the problem first rather than going down the orthotics route for what may be no good reason

what's the guarantee that the lean outwards is a result of the recent problem?  very little I suspect and it's something that you've probably had for a long time without recognising it.  it's very unusual than any of us are the same biltaterally - just look as someone's face to see that the don't match on each side.  the same will be the same as you travel down the body.

personnaly I think it sounds like a cartilage problem - especially as it felt better after it clicked.  my missus used to have a cartilage that would do that - if it got a bit "stuck" and uncomfy, she'd kneel down and it would click back into position and she'd be fine.  she had it operated on eventually as it got progressively worse.

get yourself to a specialist