I have been suffering from a painful ankle for some time. Odd but it hurts more when I walk than when I run and it seems to be something to do with my Achilles.

Was in the Sweat Shop in Sheffield and the guy there suggested KT Tape as a help. He reckoned it was very good. It seemed difficult to believe but I invested £19 in it, despite feeling rather cynical, watched the video on how to apply it and put it on.

Amazingly it seems to make an incredible difference and although I still get a litt;e pain from time to time especially when walking I feel 100 per cent better and running is wonderful again. By the way the pain is worst after driving. I think it's something to do with holding your ankle in one position

Am I just a victim of autosuggestion or can this plastic stretchy tape really do something? Has anyone else used it.?

Dennis

Hi Dennis

I too have had nagging achilles problems over the last few years. A trip to a local runners clinic identified mortons foot as the underlying cause.  Basically the ball of the foot is a little behind the end of the second metatarsal leaving your foot/ankle unstable because your weight is supported across the heel and "middle toe" rather than little toe, big toe and heel.  a blade rather than a tripod if you like.  easy to check yourself,,, the symtom would be typically walking with toes splayed out or like a duck rather than your toes pointing foreward.

The achilles pain was/is caused by trigger points or knotted muscles, strained in the bodys natural attempt to overcome the structural imbalance and protect the weaker middle toe, or 2nd metatarsal.

I use KT tape to solve this problem but i apply a pad under the ball of the foot (only) to give me a proper little toe, big toe heel landing with feet/toes forward

id suggest having a good hard poke into your calves to see if you can find any sore spots...

KT tape is generally used to assist in micro circulation of lymph and assosiated waste from exercise in the flesh just below the skin and also to help in stabilising joints (in your case) however you may only be treating the sysmptom not the underlying cause.

I hope this post is of use to some. I for one never felt light on my feet and was always stiff. Now i run like a feather (:-)) 
Seriously i have given up my heavy support shoes and now run in merrell barefoot shoes, i am light efficient and becoming a better runner alround.

Other positive effects of  getting the gait right are all the muscles of the hips legs and feet are now relaxed and moving well rather than being locked into position 

Kind regards Robin

I feel the same way Lauren. I've been sing the tape for four days now and like it said in the video I chjanged it after two. Ran about 2.7 miles this morning up and down quite steep hills but without any problems.

I haven't tried running without it yet so don't really know if it makes any difference ofr if it is all in my mind.

Best wishes

Dennis

PS Don't know what "snarky" means but there was a Lewis Carroll poem called "The Hunting of the Snark"