If you’ve been reading this blog for some time you’ll know that I’ve been wearing custom made orthotics for pretty much the whole of the year. Last week I went to see a new podiatrist as I’ve still been getting a really bad blister on the arch of my left foot. This time I decided to see a podiatrist at a running track in Ashford, as I figured that I would get the best service and advice as a runner from someone based at a running track. This was a mistake!

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Having written many posts about why I needed running orthotics, and also about what I’ve gone through since getting them fitted, I thought I should post an article that actually shows you what they look like. The main reason being that when I first heard of orthotics, I didn’t have a clue what they were. So, hopefully these pictures may help you…

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You may have read in my last few posts that I’ve started to get pain in my shins which could be shin splints. Now this may be down to a few things…

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Just got back from the podiatrist. I can now truly see the worth in getting custom made running orthotics.

It turns out that the orthotics were too wide for my new New Balance trainers and the new work shoes I bought before Christmas.

So, they were getting squeezed at the back (about half way down the heel) - which obviously meant they weren’t lying correctly in the shoes. This just goes to show that one size really can’t fit all. My podiatrist simply peeled off the protective layer and sanded down the outside edge of each orthotic. They now fit snugly into both the New balance trainers and the work shoes.

She said to give it 3 weeks before calling her if there are still problems.

They just don’t feel right.

I’ve hardly run at all this week and my achilles tendons are tighter than ever, I’ve had a few pains where my stress fracture was, and I’m starting to get pains in my shins and calves.

Will go and see her tomorrow to see if the orthotics need changing.

This is really starting to annoy me now! It seems that every time my achilles pain gets better ti then gets worse again.

I woke up this morning and the pain was probably worse than it’s been for a couple of weeks. I made sure I did a few achilles tendon stretches before leaving for work and this certainly helped, but now I feel like I’ve got a minor shooting pain every now and again in each of the tendons.

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Although my achilles tendons have still been sore today, I’d say they’re no-way near as bad as they were yesterday.

It kind of feels like they’re stronger today - yet still sore. It’s a strange set of pains. On some occasions it’s like pins and needles, whilst on others it’s like a hot dagger into one of them. And then at other times they just feel hot and tight.

A couple of times I’ve had a pins and needle type feeling in the base of my heels - where the achilles tendon meets the bone under the foot I guess.

I’ve kept my orthotics in my shoes all day, as when I took them out for a minute it just felt so wrong. I could feel my feet collapsing and overpronating straight away.

I may wear a different pair of shoes tomorrow to see if that helps. I suppose it may just be different enough to affect a slightly different area of my achilles tendons.

Getting fitted for running orthotics

The process I went through when I had my running orthotics made for me was really very simple.

I first of all chatted to my podiatrist about what my problem was. In my case this was very easy… I had a stress fracture in my left fibula and my physiotherapist had told me that I was overpronating. It didn’t take my podiatrist long to reiterate this position. She said it was blatantly clear that I was overpronating and that custom made orthotics for running were really the only option.

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I went to see the physio earlier today about my stress fracture - and as I thought they said there was pretty much nothing they could do for me to aid the healing process. As the fracture is bone, it just needs time and rest in order to heal itself.
The best thing I could do for myself in the meantime though is to see a podiatrist in order to get fitted for some custom made orthotics. These would correct my overpronation and hopefully stop me from getting any stress fractures in the future.

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I’ve just got back from the physio and am absolutely gutted. It turns out I could well have a stress fracture of my fibula.

The fibula is the smallest of the two bones in the calf - and apparently it’s not as bad getting a stress fracture in this bone as it’s non-weight baring - as opposed to the tibia in the calf that supports pretty much all of your weight.

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