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Dear All,

I have a patient who is a reasonably high standard sprinter and I need to manufacture orthoses for his sprinting spikes. Reading through a thread many months ago, I saw something that Dr Spooner had written in that he had used Ultra high density plastazoate as a material for runners as it is very lightweight (apologies Simon if I am misquoting you).

My question is this, does anyone know of any labs who manufacture such a device well? Also does anyone have any experience of using them inside such low profile shoes. I know that being shank dependent does not necessarily equate to increased bulk but inside such a fitted shoe, I have concerns.

Appreciate any feedback

Robin

 

I wouldn't necessarily go down this route with a sprinter as there is no rearfoot contact. You might be better off attempting to address the problem via simple wedging to the forefoot within the shoe.

Kevin wrote about high density plastazoate and ultra-light orthoses in his first book.

 

Thanks Simon.

I'll try and post some video footage of him doing 25kph which was the fastest treadmill I could find to get him to run on. He has a surprising amount of foot contact at this speed. Unfortunately, when he is going full tilt my eyesight isn't good enough to see how much less rearfoot contact but as he probably gets about 10kph faster than this, I would imagine it will reduce significantly. I just have to earn enough to get me a sprintex treadmill.


I don't have the first book as it hasn't been reprinted yet as far as I am aware. I'm too young to have gotten it first time around!..........I wish

Cheers

 

Sorry,

Can't attach the file to this post - not sure why. Can't seem to convert it into an acceptable file.

Apologies

Robin

 

You can't attach video here (at least i don't think so), stick it on you tube and link it from here.

 

Robin:

I have been using high density Plastazote orthoses for the past 20+ years for my runner (mostly distance runners) and other athletic patients. This is the orthosis that I run in. I helped develop the use of this material for Precision Intricast in Payson, Arizona, they have been making them for my patients for 20+ years and they do a great job with them. However, I would think that any lab that can make a good polypropylene device should be also be able to make a decent Plastazote orthosis after some trial and error. I topcover these orthoses full length with either EVA or Spenco.

I have probably dispensed about 1,500 pairs of these devices over the past 20+ years and use them for soccer, distance and track athletes and even for patients with plantar heel pain. As far as using them in a sprinter, they could be used in training flats, but wouldn't be appropriate generally in racing spikes for sprinters. I tend to use only forefoot extensions or possibly adhesive felt medial longitudinal arch pads inside sprinting spikes.

Hope this helps.

 

Kevin

It does thanks. I will replace his existing polyprop devices with the new HD Pz devices for his training flats and make a more simplified orthosis with forefoot control only as per suggestions.

Robin

 

Just looked in his notes and I only have permission to use his video footage/images for publications and correspondence with other health professionals so just as well I couldn't get the video uploaded

Thanks for the other info.

Robin