Tendonitis, barefoot running, and high rigid arches

yuval taylor

Barefooters
Jul 19, 2012
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According to my podiatrist, I have high, very rigid arches, and I don't pronate at all. I have been going barefoot/minimal for a year now, and most of the time have been plagued with tendonitis--first peroneal tendonitis, now extensor tendonitis. I recently stopped running for ten days and just hiked every day; my pain went away. When I tried running again for five minutes, my extensor tendonitis came back. I am considering abandoning running altogether or running only in stability shoes with soft inserts (which is what my podiatrist, a triathlete, says I should do). I would appreciate some advice. I currently spend all my time either barefoot or in Soft Star Runamocs, which are terrific for lounging, hiking, and walking. My extensor tendonitis makes it slightly painful for me to walk down stairs, though walking down slopes is no problem since I can heel strike.
 
One of the docs will be by soon to answer your question. Sorry for the delay. This one looks like it may have gotten hidden.
 
And, by the way, my extensor tendonitis got quite a bit worse since my last post, simply from taking a three-mile walk in barefoot shoes on sidewalks. It seems my foot is much better able to handle a three-mile hike over rocks than a three-mile walk on the street. Standing in the kitchen barefoot while cooking also hurts a lot.
 
Here's the Sock Doc Foot video: http://sock-doc.com/2012/05/foot-injuries/ and the one on tendonitis: http://sock-doc.com/2011/08/tendonitis_bursitis/
As a side note, I'd like to add (and nothing personal towards your doc), don't think that just because a doc of any type is a runner/cyclist/triathlete that that makes them any more "qualified" than a non-athlete doc to help you out. Typically it doesn't. Actually I'd say that these docs more often are making the same mistakes their patients are. Of course this is a generalization, but just something I noticed you said and a lot of people do.
 

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