Hi Guys,
Thank you for accepting me into your forum.
You maybe thinking that the title of forum topic is a bit weird but it was borne from a recent event.
My son of 7 had is his first confession prior to communion and as we talked about it he had to think of things to confess about. The usual came out such as being mean to his older brother, not listening his teachers etc. and then he asked me if I had anything to confess. Took me a back a bit as I haven't been to confession for some years and overall I have been what I believe to be a good person. It took me a few days of thought and then I realized that the biggest, baddest confession I had to make was to admit that I had in my previous vocation damaged people's health. In my previous profession I used to issue rigid orthotics, in fact I was so good at it that I was paid my normal wage plus a bonus.
I now run barefoot, preach barefoot walking and running and now also work for a company that has the same ethics that I have about the whole principle of being barefoot when it is possible and when it isn't to find the next available solution.
I am so looking forward to being part of this forum. And I hope you accept my confession without judging me too much.
BTW I watched my boys tear up the field in their bi-annual cross country 5K today both fitted out in ZEM Gear shoes fitted with Barefoot Science insoles. What an awesome combination.
TTYL FBS
hey fatboy, you are forgiven. As if I have that authority. Anyhow, a few years back I started running with my wife and was having some pain in my left ankle. It bruised badly and I was icing it everyday. Finally I decided to see a doctor. I got referred to a podiatrist who told me my running days were over and that I would not be able to wear sandals ever again. I was told to make an appointment for custom orthotics fitting and pick up some brochures for the custom (ridiculous) shoes I would now be wearing. I was also told that luckily my insurance would probably cover my $1000 shoe dilemma. I was a runner in high school, a long time ago, and never had any issues so I thought "this cant be right, I am all of 29". So I walked out the door without a goodbye or making my appointment for custom footwear. After healing, I took to the trails near my house and eventually into VFFs. I think the trails changed my form a bit, then VFFs completed that job. I have not had a real issue other than tightness and soreness and I try to listen to my body to avoid injury and overuse. I wear flip-flops almost everyday. I feel sorry for the people who get mis-diagnosed. Or maybe the doctors don't give much thought to anything other than orthotics. Just like the over zealous zoloft prescribers. Doctors sometimes don't even look at the other alternatives, like excercise, diet, relationships, etc. In fact, I have a friend who's doctor told him not to run because it may be hard on his body. I am sure there are people who need custom orthotics, just as I am sure there are people that need anti-depressants. Its just that those choices should be the last line of defense, not the first.
now that I've rambled your ear off...
cheers ben