Deano's Blog : 2008 : October

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A New Start

Posted by Deano528 Oct 30, 2008

Well I met with the orthopedic therapist and I discovered some interesting things.!IMG_0865.JPG!

First, as the doctor mentioned, I don’t have a neuroma. There’s no numbness or tingling going on down there to suggest my problem is nerve related. The only pain I’ve ever experienced is a burning sensation between my second and third toes after about eight miles. Seems as though neuroma symptoms are constant.

I also found out the arch on my right foot, which is the one that usually hurts the most, has fallen a little bit.

Not completely, just enough to make me pronate a little more than usual.!IMG_0863.JPG!

Also, and the most interesting, is I’ve been running in the wrong type of shoes.

I’ve been running in Brooks Beasts for about the last 8 years. I figured, I’m a heavy… um, BIG BONED guy I need a shoe that can support me and give me comfort as well.!IMG_0868.JPG!

I knew the Beasts were a motion control platform, so I figured even better, keep me running straight. No pronation no supination, just nice straight running.

Well, the shoe was doing just that. Keeping me on the balls of my feet and not allowing my feet to perform the natural pronation that is required when running. I never let my other metatarsals have any fun. It was always the ones in the middle doing all the work.

So much, that I developed calluses on the balls of my feet.

Well Surprise! Surprise! Who’d a thunk it! I was totally blown away. I thought I was doing myself a favor by choosing a motion control / stability shoe, turns out I was wrong.

I went through with the casting, waited for them to come in like a kid waiting for Christmas and went to Fleet Feet here in Brentwood, Tn., By Dr. orders, to be fitted with new shoes. I hadn’t done that before, I just went and bought by feel.!IMG_0874.JPG!

I must say having someone analyze your gait and the way your knees track, etc., etc., makes you feel so special. These folks were serious. And it wasn’t a hurry up commissioned sales person rushing me through a couple pairs of shoes to make a sale and move on to the next person in line. It was a concerned associate who would have sat there with me all day until I was completely satisfied. I was thoroughly pleased!

So now with new orthotic insoles, new shoes, I should be ready to have a new out look on running. I’m so ready for it too.

A couple of days ago I ran with Jeff and Tom, a team member from Florida, and it was killing me to hear all the talk about New York. I so bad wanted to tell them…

SHUT UP AND RUN,

But I can relate to their excitement. I’ll feel it again!

Run strong my friends and always have an experienced opinion when purchasing new shoes, it will make a world of difference.

Bite that Big Apple

And bring a piece home.

Love ya,

Deano

P.S A special Thanks to Heather Stacey at Orthotic Therapy for getting me back on track.

Hope they didn't smell too bad... I washed them extra good.

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What I thought was… wasn’t

Posted by Deano528 Oct 18, 2008

Well I went and saw an orthopedic surgeon.

I was ready to take the steps towards pain free running.

I was hopeful in that I wasn’t going to need any kind of surgery but something in the back of my head kept asking me, “are you ready for this? Are you really willing to have your feet cut on?” And then there was the recuperation period I had to consider. I wasn’t quite sure, but I imagined that an operation like that would require some time off your feet. Now, I’m a father of four boys, the only time I have a chance to be off my feet is when I’m asleep. The individual that coined the phrase “No rest for the weary” must have had four boys.

My appointment was at 9:30 a.m. I walked in the Bone and Joint clinic and was greeted by a waiting room full of men and women over 65 … a sea of blue… hair.

Now please don’t get me wrong, I totally respect that generation. But there was just something uncomfortable about being the only one in there without a cane or walker.

I immediately felt old. I kept reminding myself I was an athlete, athletes get injured, your not old. Okay your old but not THAT old!

The nurse finally called my name at 11:50 and I was in. A couple of x-rays, and was in the doctors office waiting again.

Dr. Thomas didn’t make me wait quite as long and I was grateful, it was cold in there and my little digits were exposed. He came in, reviewed the x-rays, and I explained the pain I was experiencing He squeezed, he poked, and he bent. Something weird about someone handling your feet. I knew they weren’t smelly but still.

Anyway, his diagnosis wasn’t Morton’s Neuroma it was Metatarsialgia. Basically my foot is not hitting the way it should and the metatarsals are becoming irritated and inflamed. His recommendation was being fit with some custom orthodic insoles. He told me he was going to make an appointment with an orthopedic therapist and I was to check back with him in a few months to follow up.

I think I spent a total of ten minutes with him. Two and a half hours of waiting for ten minutes of expert advise. Hmmm.

All in all I’m relieved at the diagnosis. I hope it makes my problem a thing of the past I love running too much to give it up. So I meet with the orthopedic therapist next week and we’ll go from there.

Baby steps.

I’ve kept you long enough so it’s time to…

SHUT UP AND RUN

Deano

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