peroneus longus

that's the tendon causing me pain.

that's what the smart, young, cute, female podiatrist told me today. and while i gave her big ups for being a young female doctor, chick had some ugly ass shoes. but she's a podiatrist, what can you expect? i thought she might have some insider info on the comfortable but cute shoes, but it looks like i'm not going to get any sympathy from her on that.

so this lovely tendon runs along the outside of your calf, down to your ankle, along the outside of your foot, then makes a sharp turn at your metatarsals and ends at your big toe joint. this tendon is responsible for pronating your foot. and since i am an OVERpronater, i've used the hell out of this tendon and now it screams with pain. that's why the bottom of my foot hurts.

i knew i had a pronation problem that had started a very mild case of bunions (she kept saying bunion deformity! i was like ack! quit with the word deformity!) i thought i could correct it with an insert and new shoes. but it looks like my biomechanics need more help. as the pain is not longer just at my big toe joint but has now involved this tendon as i've increased the miles.

so my pretty feet (really, i do have pretty feet. deformity, my ass) were cast in a mold for some fancy orthotics. special running orthotics, not just sport orthotics. ooooooooooooh. and normal shoe orthotics. my fabulous health insurance pays for one pair and i had to pay for the second ($480!!!!) but she said they last about 8-10 years. the health insurance would have paid for one every six months, but i'm moving and changing jobs in 2, so i figured i'd reap the benefits now while i could.

it's finally good to be back on track, even if i'm still sidelined. by the time my new orthotics come in, i'll hopefully be healed up and i can start to break those puppies in and FINALLY be on the path to better running!

in the meantime, i'm gonna look into those dorking running belts you wear in the pool to run. and get a pedicure :)