Hello from Santa Clarita, CA!

[Barefoot RPS]

Hello everyone!

I just turned 50 in January and recently finished a few books on Barefoot running, starting with a fellow named Csaba Lucas who wrote 'Barefoot Sole', 'Born to Run,' and Barefoot Ken Bob's book 'Barefoot Running Step by Step.' I have a long history of running, but have been out of the game for two years because the bottom of my right foot was hurting. Reading these books... everything makes sense now. The fallen arches, a torn meniscus about 7 years ago, and then right foot pain. I had been wearing shoes with major arch support.. not helpful. At any rate, I was delighted to discover this website after visiting Ken Bob's site and finding a link leading to this one.

I started going barefoot and doing some hiking trails in the neighborhood and have been enjoying it a great deal up until recently. I suspect I might be another BRES victim and may have gone too much too fast, so I am having to cool my jets to let me knee recover. I am hoping to get back on track soon, Lord willing, and perhaps even get to join the Los Angeles chapter for a run when I am able. Glad to connect with you all!

Paul

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Welcome! Glad to have you here!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Hello everyone!

I just turned 50 in January and recently finished a few books on Barefoot running, starting with a fellow named Csaba Lucas who wrote 'Barefoot Sole', 'Born to Run,' and Barefoot Ken Bob's book 'Barefoot Running Step by Step.' I have a long history of running, but have been out of the game for two years because the bottom of my right foot was hurting. Reading these books... everything makes sense now. The fallen arches, a torn meniscus about 7 years ago, and then right foot pain. I had been wearing shoes with major arch support.. not helpful. At any rate, I was delighted to discover this website after visiting Ken Bob's site and finding a link leading to this one.

I started going barefoot and doing some hiking trails in the neighborhood and have been enjoying it a great deal up until recently. I suspect I might be another BRES victim and may have gone too much too fast, so I am having to cool my jets to let me knee recover. I am hoping to get back on track soon, Lord willing, and perhaps even get to join the Los Angeles chapter for a run when I am able. Glad to connect with you all!

Paul

Barefoot Ken Bob has a run planned for International Barefoot Running Day on Sunday, May 5. If you’re healthier by then, maybe you could join them. Be sure to join the Los Angeles Chapter if you haven’t already, and check out the details to his IBRD event: https://www.thebarefootrunners.org/threads/ibrd-huntington-beach-california.24069/

 

[IraR]

Take it easy as you start; stay slow and pay attention to all aspects of running and hiking form, gait, and foot position (like how much your feet are parallel or pigeon-toed) especially since your arches have been weak in the past. Have fun, but develop an awareness of the peculiarities of your movement. I highly recommend training in tai chi, karate, and martial arts for their attention to the details of movement, alongside running. Remember the emphasis upon smoothness of movement in Born to Run.

 

[Barefoot RPS]

Barefoot Ken Bob has a run planned for International Barefoot Running Day on Sunday, May 5. If you’re healthier by then, maybe you could join them. Be sure to join the Los Angeles Chapter if you haven’t already, and check out the details to his IBRD event: https://www.thebarefootrunners.org/threads/ibrd-huntington-beach-california.24069/

Thanks so much Barefoot TJ, I would love to come out for this. However, my right knee is still swollen with fluid and I have another doctor appointment this week where they will do an ultrasound on it since the x ray they already did yielded no issues. I will probably have to lay low for a bit yet.

 

[Barefoot RPS]

Take it easy as you start; stay slow and pay attention to all aspects of running and hiking form, gait, and foot position (like how much your feet are parallel or pigeon-toed) especially since your arches have been weak in the past. Have fun, but develop an awareness of the peculiarities of your movement. I highly recommend training in tai chi, karate, and martial arts for their attention to the details of movement, alongside running. Remember the emphasis upon smoothness of movement in Born to Run.

Thank you so much Ira, it is much appreciated. I tried to start slow, at least I thought I did, but clearly not slow enough. I look forward to trying again once the knee issues settle down.

 

[DreamBliss]

Fellow almost-50 year old here, also with some of the same issues you described in your thread for the Barefoot Doc, which I am watching. I have never heard anyone describe the fluid thing before but I have experienced that. My knees also make strange noises going up and down stairs. Unlike you, at least from what I can tell in your pic, I am probably about 100 pounds overweight and that is likely contributing to my own issues.

Still I think you and I are on the same page with the Egoscue Method - first person outside a Tony Robbins virtual event I have seen mention this! I do a series of stretches recommended by my chiropractor... Sitting on the edge of a chair, bringing one leg up and resting it on the other in a half cross-legged position, leaning forward slightly and holding for 30 seconds - both legs. Then placing a hand flat on the chair under one butt cheek and gently holding my head down, to each side while looking ahead then looking towards my armpit - 30 seconds each position. Then a standing exercise that has one leg back, another forward, in a sort of lunge position - again 30 seconds each side.

The biggest help for you though will be yoga - for sure. Get yourself into a yoga class ASAP and this will give you some flexibility, some range of motion, and help you loosen up. Bikram yoga (AKA hot yoga) if you can, because the heat will get the fluids moving. I am not a doctor, but I do not recommend knee surgery, corticoid injections or whatever they do, or knee surgery/replacement. As you are taught in the Egoscue method (and there may be an Egoscue training center in your area) the pain comes from moving something wrong, using it wrong, and until you learn to move it correctly the issues will just keep occurring. You have to fix whatever it is you are doing wrong that is leading to these issues.

If it is really bad look into placental stem cell injections. Tony Robbins talks about these in one of his books. But be aware that you will likely have to do this outside the US as the practice has not been accepted here yet.

What helps me with my knees is that I am trying to learn how it feels when I am in the correct running position. Looking ahead, not down, legs under me but not really falling forward - back and everything else straight and centered. When I get into what I assume is the right position, I have little if any breathing issues and my knees flex on their own. It actually feels good! It limbers them up and I can walk better! Whenever I have tried to bend them on my own, or focus on bending them in any way, trying to follow the example Barefoot Kenbob sets in his book - that hurts! But letting my knees flex on their own by getting into the right form helps. I focus on keeping everything loose and relaxed, and curling my toes up. Then everything, knees included, seems to fall into place once I am in the right position. I wish I had a more experienced barefooter to teach mem because I could still be doing things wrong, but I figure if I feel better after running I probably did it right.

I think the solution, knee swollen or not, is to do some level ground, even surface, sidewalk or road surface barefoot running. Remember the foot is like a pump, and you need to suck that fluid out, right? Do you have any flat or mostly flat sidewalks or roads you can run on around where you live? Stretch before starting - all your normal running stretches, except barefoot, walk a little, then run. Just a little, maybe a block or two. More of a jog at first - take your time and get your "feetback." Get into proper position, looking straight ahead, back erect but loose, shoulders loose, feet and legs under you and run. Take your time, see how you feel, wait a day or a week and do some more.

That's what I'm doing and it's helping me. I don't have swollen knees or running injuries from running in shoes but everything else you are experiencing I am going through. Hoping you make a complete and quick recovery! Welcome to the community!

 

[Barefoot RPS]

Fellow almost-50 year old here, also with some of the same issues you described in your thread for the Barefoot Doc, which I am watching. I have never heard anyone describe the fluid thing before but I have experienced that. My knees also make strange noises going up and down stairs. Unlike you, at least from what I can tell in your pic, I am probably about 100 pounds overweight and that is likely contributing to my own issues.

Still I think you and I are on the same page with the Egoscue Method - first person outside a Tony Robbins virtual event I have seen mention this! I do a series of stretches recommended by my chiropractor... Sitting on the edge of a chair, bringing one leg up and resting it on the other in a half cross-legged position, leaning forward slightly and holding for 30 seconds - both legs. Then placing a hand flat on the chair under one butt cheek and gently holding my head down, to each side while looking ahead then looking towards my armpit - 30 seconds each position. Then a standing exercise that has one leg back, another forward, in a sort of lunge position - again 30 seconds each side.

The biggest help for you though will be yoga - for sure. Get yourself into a yoga class ASAP and this will give you some flexibility, some range of motion, and help you loosen up. Bikram yoga (AKA hot yoga) if you can, because the heat will get the fluids moving. I am not a doctor, but I do not recommend knee surgery, corticoid injections or whatever they do, or knee surgery/replacement. As you are taught in the Egoscue method (and there may be an Egoscue training center in your area) the pain comes from moving something wrong, using it wrong, and until you learn to move it correctly the issues will just keep occurring. You have to fix whatever it is you are doing wrong that is leading to these issues.

If it is really bad look into placental stem cell injections. Tony Robbins talks about these in one of his books. But be aware that you will likely have to do this outside the US as the practice has not been accepted here yet.

What helps me with my knees is that I am trying to learn how it feels when I am in the correct running position. Looking ahead, not down, legs under me but not really falling forward - back and everything else straight and centered. When I get into what I assume is the right position, I have little if any breathing issues and my knees flex on their own. It actually feels good! It limbers them up and I can walk better! Whenever I have tried to bend them on my own, or focus on bending them in any way, trying to follow the example Barefoot Kenbob sets in his book - that hurts! But letting my knees flex on their own by getting into the right form helps. I focus on keeping everything loose and relaxed, and curling my toes up. Then everything, knees included, seems to fall into place once I am in the right position. I wish I had a more experienced barefooter to teach mem because I could still be doing things wrong, but I figure if I feel better after running I probably did it right.

I think the solution, knee swollen or not, is to do some level ground, even surface, sidewalk or road surface barefoot running. Remember the foot is like a pump, and you need to suck that fluid out, right? Do you have any flat or mostly flat sidewalks or roads you can run on around where you live? Stretch before starting - all your normal running stretches, except barefoot, walk a little, then run. Just a little, maybe a block or two. More of a jog at first - take your time and get your "feetback." Get into proper position, looking straight ahead, back erect but loose, shoulders loose, feet and legs under you and run. Take your time, see how you feel, wait a day or a week and do some more.

That's what I'm doing and it's helping me. I don't have swollen knees or running injuries from running in shoes but everything else you are experiencing I am going through. Hoping you make a complete and quick recovery! Welcome to the community!

I really appreciate you sharing your experience! I have an ultrasound scheduled for Tuesday this week and am interested to see what is said. I am hoping there is no recommendation for surgery. In doing a little poking around, I found this article: Common knee injury may heal without surgery, new research finds (nbcnews.com) which gives me some hope that healing can happen without such things. I will keep you posted!