orthotics

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sportskeeno's picture
sportskeeno

hey
i've just been diagnosed with bilateral pronation in my feet which affects my knees and so i get pain. i am getting orthotics in about a week to help stop this but i was wondering, i am a 15yr old sprinter and does wearing orthotics impair your performance in any way and do you wear them whilst sprinting in spikes????
if anyone can help it would be fab!
thank you

Orthotics do not impair your

katzenjammer's picture
katzenjammer

Orthotics do not impair your performance - and yes you can wear them in your spikes (but depending upon how bulky the orthotics are you might have to get a new pair.)

However, IMHO I don't think orthotics are a very good long term solution. I wore them for years for pronation - and first starting having problems when I was sprinting/soccer at your age. Then I found that the problem originated not in my body, but in the comfy/cushy training shoes I had been wearing more or less constantly, which had 1. atrophied all the tiny muscles in the feet and lower leg, and 2. encouraged poor running/walking habits and form (particularly over striding and "heel striking".)

This is why many athletes now do at least some training barefoot, both to stengthen their feet/lower legs (which improves your sprinting and prevent injuries/pronation) and to improve form. This is also the reasoning behind Vibram Five Fingers. Wearing these is like running barefoot, but with a sort of glove on. A very neat product, highly recommended, I use them everyday: www.vibramfivefingers.com

Of course, barefeet on grass works out well too. Some people now run barefoot on almost any surface.

You might want to check out:

www.runningbarefoot.org

www.posetech.com

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