HOW TO GET RID OF THE FEET PROBLEMS IN RUNNING?
Obviously we have to understand that our feet are the part of our body that is responsible for our contact with the ground. Therefore their strength, perception and skill determine the body's interaction with the ground.
Our feet do not have their own separate function, they are only providing service for the body's movement over support. The problems start when our feet's activity goes beyond their main "job".
This activity may be manifesting itself in many different ways, such as:
- landing with more tension then is necessary;
- landing (putting the body weight and keeping it long) on the part of the foot which is
not supposed to hold the body weight, for example, the outside front part of the foot -
fifth metatarsalas;
- landing with active supination (rotating in) or plantar flexion (pointing toes),
- pushing off from the ground.
All mentioned above lead to the same thing - overloading of supportive tissues, including bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
So, what is the solution to the problem?
- First of all, do not be active with your feet during support time. Land on the forefoot (ball of the foot), that is, put your body weight on it, but not on any other part of the foot.
- Second, keep your foot in neutral position.
- Third, do not push/toe off with your feet.
In order to get the proper feeling of landing on the ball of the foot, use barefoot running on the grass, sand, or carpet or wooden floor, do hopping with a rope on two or one leg.
To keep your feet in neutral position, do dorso-flexion strength exercise for the feet.
To avoid push off action, concentrate on the opposite - pull the foot from the ground and do hamstring exercises to develop their strength.
In general, you need to pay attention to your perception development, with focus on your feet feelings of pressure, muscle tension and efforts, time of support and lightness.
Dr. Romanov
Ann Christensen,
Your problem is coming from very simple error-rigid foot while you are staying on a ground. Basically you do not allow to yourself to fall forward and this tension from your upper body goes to your foot as well. I think that another adding factor could be that your 2-d toe is longer than a big toe as well, which creates a leverage. To avoid this problem you need to keep your foot out of unnecessary muscular tension and do not stay on support too long. After you'll heal your injury start use jumps with the rope barefoot on a carpet or wooden floor and learn run faster. Pose Method would very helpful for this matter.
Jack Moore,
It is difficult to say definitely about the nature of your pain, without visual analysis of your running technique, but it could be a long staying on the side of the foot. Perhaps you have excessive supination of this foot with the shoe tight as additional contributing factor.
Joanne Whitehouse,
you just running more then your skill level is allowing you. You have to think about development your running technique and then only run distances. It would be more useful for you.
Marcela,
You have either too tight shoe, or your feet get swollen and you get your feet nerves and blood vessels blocked.
: Rebleb,
You need to think how to learn to run properly, but not how long. This is typical mistake of people who went to endeavor to get some weight lost and accomplish a marathon. Your solution is a running skill development.
John,
Yes, I do advise you to run on a forefoot and it takes time to adapt this way of running, as anything new.
Dr.Romanov
Dear Dr. Romanov,
I started using the pose method of running last January under with the help of my physical therapist Ned Lenny. I had a major knee injury due to a fall water skiing and he helped me get back into condition with the pose method of running. I started running again last January (2006) and gradually built up to running 9 to 12 miles a week. I am a swimmer and have never been able to successfully run for any period of time before due to knee problems. By changing to the pose method of running I have been able to successfully run for most of the year. It has been great. Thanks to your pose method.
At the moment I am taking a break from running due to a stress fracture I developed in the second metatarsal of my left foot. I assume that this occured because I was spending too much time in the stance phase. I've had no problem with my right foot because that was the injured knee and I usually concentrate on lifting that foot as quickly as possible.
I'm hopeful that the fracture will be healed so that I can start running again in January. Could you provide any guidance on the potential causes of my injury and methods to avoid it in the future.
Thank you
Ann Christensen
I have been running for several years. I have ran a few half marathons and I run about 21 miles to 30 miles a week. I am feeling some pain around my pinky toe on my left foot. The pain is like a needle jabbing between my toe and the ball of my foot. What is this and could it be shoe related? Should I stop running? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank's,
Jack Moore
I have just started jogging but feel i can go no further for the tightness in my calves, i feel the need to stop and stretch out. how can i improve this as I'm not getting very far.
When I am running I feel as my feet are sleeping.
Somebody knows why it happens?
I am a beginner runner. I started as a way to lose weight (I weigh 260 at 5'7) and becuase I wanted to do a relay marathon.I started training last year and after 4 months of walking / light running I developed pain in the balls of both feet. I went to a foot doctor and he gave me injections on the tops of my feet right below my toes. This did not stop the pain. I also developed plantar flacios. I stopped running and have started up again and the pain is slowly coming back. it hurts to run unless I tape my feet which now causes blisters....HELP!
I am 57 and for my whole life I have landed on my heels when running. Should I now change this to a fore-foot landing? I can do it but it is very tiring.
John
mic,
check out our running shoes section to read Dr.Romanov's advice on running shoes and see our selection. In one word - flats :) !
what sort of shoes do you recommend, flats or heal raised
What do I do with a neuroma? I've tried a cortozone shot, orthodics, active & passive rest. It kills me to just walk on it, foget about running.
I'm getting pretty crouchy, not being able to run.
Help!
Dear Mr. Lerinckx, your way of landing may not be harmful under one condition, if you do not hold your foot at this position and allow your body weight shift to the ball of the foot under the sesamoid joint. Otherwise the body weight starts loading your metatarsalas area and you develop the injury you are dealing with now.
Shoes are not the factor of increasing or reducing load on your feet - it is a biomechanical factor, your technique, that is important. You have to learn to release your foot on landing and allow your body weight shift quickly to the ball of the foot. My best wishes to you to get back to normal ASAP and start enjoying your running.
Dr.Romanov
dear D. Romanoff,
I am in the waiting-room for a bone-scan examination to check on a possible strass fracture in the metatharsal area.
I started Pose back in October 2003 and I was running about 35 miles a week with a 10 miles "long run" training for Ironman France in June and aiming to increase lileage when I started having trouble. It increased and eventually stopped me from running in the middle of a training.
From the possible causes you name in your article I recognise the fact I am touching down on the outside of my meta's which I can see from pictures and the wear of my soles, especially right where the problem is situated.
To me this way of landing my feet seems natural and relates to my anatomy. Is there something I can do to avoid straining my feet, i already tried to save the day & switched back from my ultralight shoes to a more classical heavy running shoe. It didn't help.
Thank you & kind regards,
Thierry Lerinckx
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