orthotics the answer???

mattym

I am seeing a physio at the moment and being treated for patella tendonitis. He is using ultrasound and a deep massage to treat it. I am seeing a slight inprovement i think but nowhere near running after 3 treatments. He thinks othotics might be the answer if this doesnt work after a few more treatments because i have dropped arches. I'm not keen on going that way but am very anxious to get back running. He says that it may take longer to sort out because i ran on the injury for quiet a while. Any suggestions are welcome, am desperate to get back running, missing it badly.
Thanks.

Pherekydes

Not to be facetious, but do you think we know better than your physio?

mattym

Not at all, but i dont think getting opinions off other people who may have been in the same situation will do any harm.

token56

I have not been in this position myself but i know quiet a few people who have been and I would say that orthotics is definitly the answer if you have fallen arches. The injuries will only get worse and more frequent. Running with fallen arches will also do long term damage to your hips and back. So if orthotics has been recommended for you, definitly go for it.

mattym

Thanks Token for the advise. I've been told that orthotics could cost 400 or 500 euro. Do you think it might be worth my while getting a pair off e-bay, just the universal type for dropped arches, to see if this is the problem before i spend big money on specially moulded ones?

Bull76

Hi,

I've orthotics, cost about 300euro. Mine aren't for fallen arches. Mine are to prevent my ankles from rolling inward. Had suffered with very bad pains in my knee and ankle. Stretching exercises helped a little but with the orthotics No pain. The orthotics were moulded to suit my feet. Took about a month to get used to them as the muscles in my legs were acting differently, just slightly though.

token56

mattym wrote: »

Thanks Token for the advise. I've been told that orthotics could cost 400 or 500 euro. Do you think it might be worth my while getting a pair off e-bay, just the universal type for dropped arches, to see if this is the problem before i spend big money on specially moulded ones?

I know they are rather expenisve but I would be sceptical about buying this sort of stuff of e-bay or the internet in general. Orthotics are suppost to be unique for each person, or more so their feet so I am not sure how helpful a universal type would be, it could end up doing more damage than good if it doesn't suit your feet. If I were you I would just spend the extra cash to get the problem sorted once and for all, but thats just my opinion.

mattym

Thanks for all the help. I think i'll just go and get the proper orthotics, i may spend the money to get back running... Was doing some work on a ladder yesterday evening and knee in a bad way today so dont think the ultrasound is doing much good. Its killing me not running with the weather as good as it is lately. I'll let ye know how it goes. Thanks again:D:D:D

Racing Flat

mattym wrote: »

Thanks for all the help. I think i'll just go and get the proper orthotics, i may spend the money to get back running... Was doing some work on a ladder yesterday evening and knee in a bad way today so dont think the ultrasound is doing much good. Its killing me not running with the weather as good as it is lately. I'll let ye know how it goes. Thanks again:D:D:D

If you were working on a ladder and your knee pain increased, maybe it has nothing to do with your arches? ie if you have a problem with arches which leads to pain further up your body it is because your arches are not absorbing shock properly, or they have altered your biomechanics in such a way that your knee is affected (weight bearing/impact activities). In either case your knee pain would get worse when the arches were being stressed e.g. walking or running, but probably not if you are just standing on a ladder (depends what you are doing on the ladder of course).

In relation to spending a few hundred on orthotics, rather than going to e-bay to get some, I would firstly just go to a chemist and get a pair of generic arch supports (medial longitudinal arch supports), should cost about 20 quid - if they do help, well then you can decide whether it's worth paying a few hundred for a more individual orthotic wghich migt be better again. If the generic one makes no difference I'd think long and hard before getting the custom made ones.

Racing Flat

mattym wrote: »

I am seeing a physio at the moment and being treated for patella tendonitis.

By the way, there is a lot of controversy about patella tendonitis / Achilles tendonitis / lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). the itis bit infers that it is an inflammatroy condition. If so anti-inflammatories (tablets / injection) should be effective in reducing the pain. However, usually they are not. This is because in the vast majority of cases when they take a sample of the injured tissue, there is no inflammation present - so these may not be inflammatory conditions but rather what is referred to as patealla tendinopathy / Achilles tendinopathy / extensor tendinopathy respectively. opathy refers to degeneration. So when they examine these tissue they find that the collagen in the tendon is poorly organised - higgled piggley rather than in neat bundles lined up along the lines of force. To put this right, eccentric exercises have been recommended and there is some evidence that eccentric exercises have been effective in the management of Achilles tendinopathy.
such exercises would include squatting and lunging. Google eccentric quadriceps exercises for more. Good luck.

mattym

You may have a point flat racer. As for the exercises you mentioned, i think with the current state of my knee they would be a no go. The physio has me stretching my calfs but putting full weight on my knee like going up a stairs is sore. Couldnt imagine doing anything like a lunge.