Member Case Study: It seems I have hurt the ligaments on the outside soles of both feet.

author : AMSSM

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Thinking I was ready, I pushed myself on race day and finished in 2:09:24, which for me is a big hurrah.

Question by mbeckart

Here's a question related to shoes... I recently ran my first half marathon. I was running up to two hours slowly till the week before the race. Thinking I was ready, I pushed myself on race day and finished in 2:09:24, which for me is a big hurrah. However, it seems I have hurt the ligaments on the outside soles of both feet.

I went to a store this summer that watched me walk (but not with cameras or treadmills) and recommended my shoes. They were great before the race, but now I feel pressure on the injured area when I put them on. Do you think I could have the wrong shoes? How can I prevent this from happening again? I hate taking the time off running.

Answer

You should be examined by a sports medicine doctor to make a definitive diagnosis. You may simply have done too much during the race---if you bumped up your pace during the race, you probably strained tissues that were not adapted to the stresses of a faster pace. However, you may have a problem (such as a stress fracture) that requires more thorough evaluation.

If the doctor finds that the shoes are to blame, you can follow these tips:

Change your shoes every 300-500 miles, or consider keeping two pairs of shoes—a training shoe worn for most workouts and a “new” shoe worn once a week or every other week. When there is a noticeable difference in the support between the shoes, the “new” shoe becomes the training shoe and the training shoe becomes the painting shoe.

A real “new” pair of shoes can be broken in this way while at the same time being compared to the training shoe.

And remember, when you have a running related injury is the time to get on the bike or in the pool to continue training without pounding your feet!

William O Roberts MD
AMSSM Member
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
University of Minnesota Medical School

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date: October 30, 2005