Orthotics success stories - Health + Injury

Wantefc

25/02/2009 at 09:48

Is there anyone who has had custom made orthotics and its actually really improved their previous injury problems? Im just curious s ive heard good and bad stories ,i know everyone is different but ive always suffered with shins splints which is partly (according to my podiatrist) because i have one leg longer than the other.....last night ive paid £200 in advance of my orthotics so im pinning my hopes on them.Also how long do they last..she told me at least 2 years but for that money i was hoping for longer.

Jeepers

25/02/2009 at 13:05

Yes - me.

Can't live without mine, have to wear them all the time, in all shoes, if I don't, I have chronic pain (crawling around the floor in agony-type). It's made a huge difference, but then I also make sure I take it slowly, stretch etc and if I feel any pain, then stop etc etc etc.

Very much down to skills of pod, I had a brilliant one to start, moved to another part of the country, was recommended to another one who was absolute rubbish and nearly caused me serious damage. I've now found another brilliant one who specialises in sports bio-mechanics, so I'm lucky - I trust her!

Mine are carbon-fibre, I've now got 2 pairs. The first pair are now 5 yrs old and were refurbished 2 months ago - I used to wear them all the time, but have now "relegated" them to ordinary shoes and have a new pair which stay permanently in my runners. My pod has recommended that I see her 1 x yr to have orthotics checked out, but she says no reason why I shouldn't get good few years out of them, as I have already.

Good luck, hope yours are as successful..........

Little M.iss Happy

25/02/2009 at 13:53

Me too! I had orthotics for leg length discrepancy and severe over pronation on both feet. A long period of running rehab following yet another chronic hamstring injury cured the over pronation (I'm now neutral on one foot and supinate slightly on the other) but the orthotics sort the leg length, without them I had continual knee and hip problems when I started to build the mileage. One word of caution though - as CJBA alludes above - they're not a cure all, you still have to follow the 'rules' - building slowly, stretching etc, in my experience they just remove that added stressor. You do need a good pod though.

Wantefc

25/02/2009 at 18:15

Thanks........she told me if i buy a 2nd pair they would only be £110....so its summat to think about

Little M.iss Happy

25/02/2009 at 19:56

I have three running pairs (one in each pair of trainers) and an everyday pair - but I paid a lot once for the moulds etc (think it was about £110) but the spare pairs were relatively cheap - my pod makes them himself, don't know if that makes a difference.

Jeepers

25/02/2009 at 21:54

Wantefc, if you need them and it won't break the bank to get 2/3 pairs, then it's worth it. Thing is, each time you have to take them out of one pair of shoes and put them into another, it puts extra (even if miniscule) wear and tear on them and it also means that you have to jiggle them around a bit to make sure they're in the right place. Having enough pairs to leave in your runners makes it that much easier! I've also found that if they're not quite in the right place - even by a hair's breadth, I can feel it and I "react" to the change immediately afterwards (and not in a good way!)

Kosie Jelly

26/02/2009 at 16:58

Me - for achilles tendonitis - haven't looked back since I got them (though the ones in my running shoes aren't custom, just generic support orthotics, the ones I wear on a daily basis are).

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