Orthotics and fell shoes

[Twister]

I can see for myself that it is impossible for the pads at the outside and inside of my feet, just behind the toes, to contact the ground at the same time. This means my feet have to keep rocking and twisting, which upsets my knees, ankles, and sometimes contributes to spells of plantar fasciitis. I do massage and stretch my feet to try and keep them from getting any stiffer.

Fair enough. I guess I'm bringing too much of a natural running agenda to this, for some it maybe a useful aid, fair point.

You say though, that its impossible for the pads at the outside and inside of the feet to make contact at the same time... If you look at slow motion of a barefoot running gait, you will see that the foot never makes contact all at once and that it lands on the outside edge and rolls inward to the ball of the foot, the heel then kisses the ground. So there is a rolling motion of some sort.

I am extremely distrustful of private podiatrists, who do indeed seem invariably to prescribe costly orthotics whatever the problem. That doesn't mean orthotics are NEVER the solution. Mine enable the whole ball of my foot to support my weight, which is the arrangement nature intended. I am all for stretching and strengthening, but faced with months and years sidelined by injury, I'm glad to take the instant fix I've been offered. I am also grateful to my trekking poles, spectacles, sports bra and many other unnatural "crutches".

Another fair point, I have no experience with sports bras. I have used poles and am myopic. As for specs, I like to think that people with short sight "evolved" to progress humankind... Think about the advances made that require an eye capable of viewing things in the minute - clockwork for example.

At this point I will get off my high horse about orthotics and never mention them again. Besides, a greater evil are the gait analysis treadmills in sport shoe shops....