Worth a try...

[Physio Ian]

I just wanted to share the following with you as it has worked wonders (so far) for me..

For the past few years my running has been curtailed by a rather annoying and increasingly painful left hip, to the point where I haven't ran seriously for at least a year.

Having been assessed on a recent course, I was found to have a significant leg-length difference of approx. 1cm.

So I fitted my right shoe (the right leg being the shorty) with a 6mm heel raise and off I went....in the past 5 days I have run a 7 mile off-road (1hr'15) and a 10k on-road (58:45) with no problems other than those expected for not having run for a year....slow as a cart horse and completely knackered-itis! Now I know it's very early days to be confident that my painful niggle won't rear its head at some point, but previously my running was limited to 45 mins before the pain took over.

Now, leg-length is a sticky issue in terms of accurately measuring it, any physio will tell you that. However, if you have any running related injury/niggle, then it's worth seeing if you can identify a leg-length difference. In standing, with your feet together and knees back, run your fingers up the middle of your thigh until you come upon a bony sticky-out bit (add appropriate comment as deemed fit), this is the front of your pelvis (ASIS). Using one finger per side, hook your finger under the bony bit and pull up to make sure you're in the right spot, you should feel the 'hardness' of the bone under your fingertip. Now look ahead into a mirror, are your fingers level, or is one higher than the other?

If you find one side is noticably higher than the other, then you MAY, have a leg-length difference (many variables can account for what appears to be a shorter leg length) which could be the cause of any niggles you have due to altered biomechanics as you're weight-bearing. The highest side would be the longer leg.

If you can't get hold of a heel raise then try using semi-compressed felt available from a cobblers, mark it around your heel, cut out and pop in your shorter side.

It's worth a try as its not going to kill you if you've put in a heel-raise in-appropriately (you'll soon know if its helping or not), but if it is indicated then you may just find it works a treat.

Obviously the ideal solution would be to see a Physio or other relevant professional.

[Vitamin K]

Had a similar problem since just before Rivington Pike and at times my hip has been really, really sore; so much so that even walking was painful.

Had it diagnosed as a hip flexor problem, but treatment hasn't even touched the problem. Frustratingly it is only running that seems to cause the problem and for this reason I'm glad that I joined a gym - this has maintained my sanity (remember that thread where the gist was what a complete waste of time they were?)

It may be that this is, as you say, worth a try.

Failing that, I'll be wending my way over to Denise Park after reading the latest issue of Fellrunner.

[Max]

I just wanted to share the following with you as it has worked wonders (so far) for me..
Having been assessed on a recent course, I was found to have a significant leg-length difference of approx. 1cm.
If you find one side is noticably higher than the other, then you MAY, have a leg-length difference (many variables can account for what appears to be a shorter leg length) which could be the cause of any niggles you have due to altered biomechanics as you're weight-bearing. The highest side would be the longer leg.
Obviously the ideal solution would be to see a Physio or other relevant professional.

In fact this is a very common condition.
It's the same with feet, no pair of feet is exactly the same size.
Why don't they sell shoes as singles instead of in pairs?

Regards,


Max.

[Physio Ian]

In fact this is a very common condition.
It's the same with feet, no pair of feet is exactly the same size.
Why don't they sell shoes as singles instead of in pairs?

Regards,


Max.

Cheers Max, glad you agree, I see several patients a week who ultimately benefit from a heel raise. On this occasion however because i've had to start using one persoanlly, and the fact that it's worked in allowing me to run pain-free for the first time in months, well I guess i'm still feeling quite euphoric and want to spread the word to everyone!!

I had a patient yesterday who could certainly have benefitted from individually sized shoes. He's a former professional footballer (was playing in Australia) who had an ankle fracture-dislocation as a teenager, and now the affected foot is about 1 inch shorter than the other, still, hasn't stopped him playing to a pro standard!

[Vitamin K]

Just a thought - do you wear the heel raise in your normal shoes as well, i.e. all the time?

Got a pair of Boots gel inserts and these felt a lot more comfortable than the sorbothane ones that I've tried in the past - had a bit of a blast on a treadmill last night and it felt OKish, still a niggle but better than previously. I'll persevere.