Well, yesterday I finally picked up a Strassburg sock (http://www.thesock.com/) to help out with some Achilles pain that I’ve been having lately. I put it on before I went to bed last night. About an hour into the night, I had to take it off. It felt like it was putting too much pressure on the side of my big toe. Has anyone else had issues with getting used to sleeping with it on? If so, how quickly before you were used to it?
Thanks.
I’ve heard of people having problems with the sock because of how it pulls on the toes. I have succesfully used a rigid plastic boot-like thing I got from a PT. It’s L-shaped and goes behind the calf and under the foot. It’s held in place with strapes and is encased in a soft cover. I slept in it with no prob.
To be honest, while it helped my morning PF pain, it didn’t solve the overall problem. Muscle releasing techiniques, diligent calf stretching and improved run technique did.
I understand your points about other techniques to get healthy. I had 4 distinct running injuries last year and 3 of them were related to my left leg below the knee. I’m ramping up my running again and I need to do anything possible to get healthy considering that I’m running 12-14 miles a week now and I’m seeing issues with my left leg already.
I experienced similar discomfort when I I first started using it. I decided to start of wearing it using minimal pressure and gradually increased it as I became used to it and wasn’t experiencing the discomfort. It’s not the most comfortable device and takes some time to get used to but if you can put up with it and incorporate it into the other things you are doing it will help.
I slept with the sock on all night last night. It was much better since I put my foot at a 90 degree angle instead of about a 75 degree angle. It didn’t bother me nearly as much. I did notice that I tend to keep my food in a position that shortens my calf and the sock prevented me from sleeping in that position.
It toes put pressure on the toe, but it is something to which you be accustomed over time. Just don’t overdo it. I used one at night for the better part of a year and my problems went away. The last time I put it on it felt very tight, so it doesn’t matter if you have used one before, it still takes some time.
Chad
common issues. The Strassberg sock works a little better for plantar fascia issues since is also dorsiflexes the toes, thereby activating the Windlass mechanism. For achilles tendon, soleus/posterior muscle group issues, the behind the leg type braces work a lot better anyway and are usually better tolerated.
PM if you want any details about them.