Ultrarunning as a competitive sport has been around since the mid-19th century but was not “uniformly coordinated throughout the country” until the late 1950s. Unlike marathoners who might run 26 miles over several hours, ultrarunners are more likely to run up to 100 miles non-stop, over the course of 24 hours! Putting mental fortitude aside, ultrarunners have very specific requirements when it comes to their feet. Good shoes are a must to avoid common overuse injuries like shin splints, plantar fasciitis (heel pain) and knee pain. But even the best shoes aren’t enough for some runners, who rely on orthotics for their athletic survival.
Local ultrarunner Jeff Simpson is one such individual. Jeff was initially referred to Pedorthist Tania De Benedetti by his Physiotherapist at the McMaster Sports Injury Clinic in Hamilton, Ontario. Says Jeff, “I was running about 180 to 220 km a week and suffering from shin splints, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendon and knee pain. At 6’1 and 220 pounds, you can imagine the amount of impact my feet have to absorb. I train for at least 32 weeks prior to the event, so I need to be comfortable. As it turns out, the underlying problem was my flat arches. So, Tania recommended I try orthotics.” “You could see the difference immediately,” he says. The minute I slipped my foot into the orthotic, I could literally see things pop back into place - where they should have been in the first place.” Jeff’s orthotics made such a difference in his life, he ended up referring 42-year old friend and training partner Dennis Swan.
Says Dennis of his experience, “When I first went to see Tania, I knew that I had issues. I’ve been running for about 20 years and started using orthotics after the first four. I was experiencing tendonitis which was being caused by my flat arches. I wore the orthotics for arch support but that’s it.” From Tania’s perspective, fallen arches were just the beginning. “When Tania first looked at my feet,” laughs Jeff, “she couldn’t believe that I was walking, let alone running. My left foot was about ½” shorter than my right, my foot was slightly curved and I have Morton’s Toe Syndrome (a short first toe). I had previously been told that my feet were rolling outward because I constantly wore down the outside heel of my shoe. Because Tania looked at the alignment of my entire leg from the hip to the heel, she observed that it was my leg actually rolling outward, not my feet. My feet were rolling inward. Tania made me an orthotic and it made an enormous difference!”
The orthotics made for both Jeff and Dennis, made them more comfortable and to their surprise, more efficient at running. Pedorthist Tania De Benedetti explains why.
“A person’s foot type will affect their overall sports performance, whether walking or running long distances. A flat arch just can’t support body weight properly. In this situation, increased activity levels lead to painful conditions like shin splints and/or patellofemoral syndrome (pain and soreness around the kneecap). Those with flat arches tend to compensate in other ways which can eventually cause secondary back and hip pain. A pair of custom-made orthotics, in combination with the right running shoe, will enable that person’s feet to function free of pain, at an optimal level.”