I recently got the above photo from Ron. Ron is a 60+ guy who was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in one knee—after some 32 years of running.
What follows is his story about what the doc’s had to say about how he should handle the news, and as you might guess, some FiveFingers came into the picture:
Last year, at age 60, and after 32 years of running, I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in the left knee. It hurt to walk, let alone, run. My general practitioner doctor suggested minimalist footwear as part of a program that included stretching and strengthening. [Meanwhile, both the] knee specialist and the physical therapist said to back off and use orthotics.
I took my general practitioner’s advice.
Well, here I am a year later, relaxing at over 14,000 feet on the top of Mount Bierstadt in the Rocky Mountains. This was just one of several hikes I took during a 6-day vacation. I totalled nearly 35 miles of hiking and every step in my Vibram KSO Treks.
I proved to myself that I wasn’t too old to make such a big change after 32 years of walking and running in the most expensive and most cushioned shoes. Of course, I still have osteoarthritis in the knee, but I am back at it, thanks to the therapeutic value stretching, strengthening, and minimalist footwear.
(I go barefoot alot, too!)
Ron A.
Fantastic to hear, Ron! And kudos for following your intuition and having success despite adverse conditions.
Hope you have many more successful hikes!
3 replies on “Hiking Despite Osteoarthritis in Barefoot Shoes”
Hi Justin,
Is there a date for the Dressier Vibrams for women to appear?
Thanks,
Annie
Hi there, a friend of mine mentioned running barefoot as an option for running with hip osteoarthritis. I wondered if you had any information on this? I was a keen runner until diagnosed with hip osteo and now don’t run at all (but do other things like cycling and skating). Just wondering if there’s any research or information about whether running barefoot reduces hip joint impact from running (as well as knee)out there…..
I remember I read a blog about barefoot running. Was it your blog? Anyways, I also had OA 6 years ago and was treated through stem cell treatment with my orthopedic surgeon, Dr Purita. I also remember that I asked that blog owner what benefits can I get if I run without shoes. I was confused with his answer and I still don’t get the idea of running without any foot protection. I said I can do that but just inside the house or in treadmill (lol). What about you? Why barefoot shoes? Can it provide protection? I don’t feel pain anymore, never had problems with my joints after my treatment but I try to be more careful as much as I can.