My Forum

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 always assumed they were just running in their running bra's.....might be wrong though.

Ran past a couple having an argument the other day. She was walking (more like power walking) a good 5m ahead of him whilst he was randomly launching bits of grass and stuff at the back of her head....figure it was car trouble as it was along the footpath that runs next to the A12 ( literally next to, as in you could step off of it and be run over by a lorry) between two small towns (mine and an even smaller one nearby).

Kids, Husband, Dog, Sea Monkeys and my assortment of wooden boxes brought from various medieval fayre's which are filled with my odd little bits and bobs including my prized collection of sea glass retrieved from various points along the essex coastline

Most packages have 'suggested' serving sizes on them and fruit and veg is usually a hand full of smaller somethings or a medium sized whole something.

When I first switched to a healthier diet I obsessed over weighing everything into exact amounts. Since reaching a healthier weight last year I've relaxed and worked on measuring portions by eye alone (using a smaller plate can help too).

Breakfast I typically have 30-40g 'Alpen on added sugar' with about 2 tablespoons of fat free yogurt, a drizzle of honey plus 1 of my 5 a day in the form of fruit mixed in (usually a chopped banana)

Also good is porridge 30-40g with around 100-150ml skimmed milk (depending on what consistency you like), warmed in the microwave to which you can again add fruit (a hand full of blueberries is my favourite) and again a drizzle of honey or even a teaspoon of jam (tiptree's blueberry is really good)

Lunch usually consists of wholegrain something be it pasta (75g is norm according to most packs), rice (about 125g which is 1/2 a microwave pack if your feeling lazy), bread (couple slices), bagel (1), pita (1), jacket spud (1) or any other you can think of filled (or as a side too) a decent source of protein; salmon, tuna, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, beef....you get the idea! (A portion of about 100g is a good rough guide for most fish or meat) and of course you cant forget your 5 a day! 1-2 portions made up of veggies (any kind you like) baked beans, peppers, cucumber, lettuce, shredded raw carrots, etcetera.

Dinner has about the same make up as lunch normally but with more protein and slightly less carbs, also it's more likely for the whole thing to be cooked. Focus on the healthier cooking methods, steaming, grilling even stir fry's can be a healthier option done right (using lower fat oils and an actual wok for starters!) some good examples would be; a salmon fillet with new potatoes and broccoli, a chicken stir-fry with rice, steak with mash (home made so you control how much butter goes in) or jacket spud and salad.

If your craving a sweet dessert after dinner then go for fresh or even dried fruit.

Also if your feeling too hungry in between meals try snacking on nuts. Almonds are good but weigh out small portions (25g or so) into separate little tubs to avoid over eating things like nuts as they are still high in fat.