Help With My Bad Running Habit!?

CaelGomez
CaelGomez Posts: 24 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I did a light work out two days in a row (really light, like 10-15 minutes jogging in place). Yesterday and today my calves are KILLING me! A few days ago I realized my feet have an odd shape to them. That part of your foot right before your toes, it rounds up as it connects to my toes. I know that this is caused by my years of walking and running on my toes... it's just how I run and usually walk. I don't know why I do it. I looked something up online, though, and I read that you're supposed to land on the middle of your feet when walking and running. I'm scared that I've damaged myself without realizing. ); I'm in a lot of pain, just laying down and not putting pressure on my legs still hurts... I don't think I can run the correct way... what should I do? I don't think I need to go to the hospital or anything, but I can't keep doing this to myself... eventually I WILL have to go to the hospital! I'm 19 years old, and have been running AND walking with my heel not touching the ground for as long as I can remember...

Replies

  • squigglypuff
    squigglypuff Posts: 279 Member
    i would go see a podiatrist. i have a lot of pain in my big toe on my right foot and i'm too young to have gout or anything like that, so i went to see a foot doctor. after taking x-rays and looking at my feet, they said that i have very low arches (caused by wearing crappy ballet flats and flip flops) and that when i walk, i put too much strain on my toes and on the insides of my feet (towards the middle of my body as opposed to the side). they wanted me to get some crazy expensive orthotics ($500!!!!) and warned me that if i didn't do anything about it, it would probably get worse and lead to all sorts of leg and back problems.

    since i don't have $500 to spend on insoles, i went to CVS. dr scholl's makes orthotics for $50, and they have a special machine that you stand on and it analyzes your feet. now i just got them today so i have no idea how they feel, how they work, or how they compare to the $500 orthotics that the doctor wanted me to get, but i hope they make me feel better and i'll let you know.

    you can also go to a sporting equipment store or specialty running shoe store and the employees can help you to determine what sort of shoes you need for running. my mom always warned me against wearing crappy cheap shoes because they can cause all sorts of problems, and i never listened to her, and now my foot is all jacked up!!
  • CaelGomez
    CaelGomez Posts: 24 Member
    you can also go to a sporting equipment store or specialty running shoe store and the employees can help you to determine what sort of shoes you need for running. my mom always warned me against wearing crappy cheap shoes because they can cause all sorts of problems, and i never listened to her, and now my foot is all jacked up!!

    I wear mostly flats, yet have never had any problems with the arches in my feet. I walk/run on my toes in ALL shoes. Tennis shoes (I only ever buy nice expensive ones), flats, heels, etc. You're right, though. I should go to a podiatrist. Do you know how much it costs to see one? I don't have health insurance now, but I will through this job I should be getting. Since it's causing me pain and it's dangerous to me in many ways... the podiatrist appointment itself should be covered, right? I would just need to get a referral from a regular doctor?
  • squigglypuff
    squigglypuff Posts: 279 Member
    you can also go to a sporting equipment store or specialty running shoe store and the employees can help you to determine what sort of shoes you need for running. my mom always warned me against wearing crappy cheap shoes because they can cause all sorts of problems, and i never listened to her, and now my foot is all jacked up!!

    I wear mostly flats, yet have never had any problems with the arches in my feet. I walk/run on my toes in ALL shoes. Tennis shoes (I only ever buy nice expensive ones), flats, heels, etc. You're right, though. I should go to a podiatrist. Do you know how much it costs to see one? I don't have health insurance now, but I will through this job I should be getting. Since it's causing me pain and it's dangerous to me in many ways... the podiatrist appointment itself should be covered, right? I would just need to get a referral from a regular doctor?

    it's weird because my arches NEVER hurt, it's just the one toe! but yeah, the doctor said it was from wearing flats -- because flats themselves don't have a lot of structure or support, the foot just sort of moves how it wants to and the toes end up gripping more than they're supposed to. in my case, that means i walk more on the inside edge of my feet and on my toes rather than the balls & heels of my feet so i'm putting a lot of strain on my toes and the weight isn't distributed evenly by my feet ... which is super duper weird to me because my feet didn't seem to bother me when i was heavier and now i'm like wtf is going on with my toe!!

    i didn't need a referral from a regular doctor, so i'm not sure how much it will cost you. i have insurance and it cost me about $40 because they had to do an x-ray but i honestly have no idea how much that costs without insurance. you can see if they offer a sliding scale or payment plan. most of the time they don't advertise that sort of thing, but if you explain your situation they might work with you on the price.
  • CaelGomez
    CaelGomez Posts: 24 Member
    you can also go to a sporting equipment store or specialty running shoe store and the employees can help you to determine what sort of shoes you need for running. my mom always warned me against wearing crappy cheap shoes because they can cause all sorts of problems, and i never listened to her, and now my foot is all jacked up!!

    I wear mostly flats, yet have never had any problems with the arches in my feet. I walk/run on my toes in ALL shoes. Tennis shoes (I only ever buy nice expensive ones), flats, heels, etc. You're right, though. I should go to a podiatrist. Do you know how much it costs to see one? I don't have health insurance now, but I will through this job I should be getting. Since it's causing me pain and it's dangerous to me in many ways... the podiatrist appointment itself should be covered, right? I would just need to get a referral from a regular doctor?

    it's weird because my arches NEVER hurt, it's just the one toe! but yeah, the doctor said it was from wearing flats -- because flats themselves don't have a lot of structure or support, the foot just sort of moves how it wants to and the toes end up gripping more than they're supposed to. in my case, that means i walk more on the inside edge of my feet and on my toes rather than the balls & heels of my feet so i'm putting a lot of strain on my toes and the weight isn't distributed evenly by my feet ... which is super duper weird to me because my feet didn't seem to bother me when i was heavier and now i'm like wtf is going on with my toe!!

    i didn't need a referral from a regular doctor, so i'm not sure how much it will cost you. i have insurance and it cost me about $40 because they had to do an x-ray but i honestly have no idea how much that costs without insurance. you can see if they offer a sliding scale or payment plan. most of the time they don't advertise that sort of thing, but if you explain your situation they might work with you on the price.

    What I meant was, my arches are fine. I don't have flat feet or anything. I have mild scoliosis, so two or three years ago a doctor checked the arches of my feet to make sure my feet didn't have any issues that could be causing my scoliosis. He said I have good arches. (: I didn't think to tell him about HOW I walk, though. It never really came to mind back then. I'll just try to walk really slow, and maybe I can condition myself to walk normally. I started doing it today (I've been trying to stay off my feet most of the day, though, since the pain was pretty intense) and I already feel the difference! If my legs feel better, I'm going to try jogging tomorrow. Hopefully I can keep myself from solely using my toes! Lol.
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
    See a physician
  • squigglypuff
    squigglypuff Posts: 279 Member
    update: my orthotics are fine for walking, and i actually feel like the make me stand a little taller and re-align my spine, improve my posture, all that jazz ... but my toe still hurts. and these are DEFINITELY *NOT* for jogging. i'm getting blisters on my arches from running with the orthotic insoles and they're very irritated, but i guess it's because that part of my foot isn't used to rubbing against anything.
  • nickhuffman74
    nickhuffman74 Posts: 198 Member
    Not to sound like a broken record but that sounds like an injury and you should go see a Dr as soon as you can. until then you need to RICE.

    Rest
    Ice
    Compression
    Elevation.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories