Orthotics are inserts you put in your shoes and they’re designed to support your foot. They can change the way your foot performs, specifically looking at the degree of pronation. There are a variety of orthotics on the market ranging from custom made to the generic off the shelf type.
As a runner your hip flexors are one of the common muscle groups that becomes tighter and can cause a number of problems if left untreated.
Not sure what or where your hip flexors are?
They are the group of muscles that help to bend forwards at the hips and raise your leg you your waist.
They include these muscles in your body
Iliopsoas
rectus femoris
tensor fasciae latae
sartorius
Your hip flexors don't just get tight from running, if you have a desk based job or do a lot of driving this can also be a problem as your hip is in a flexed position and this can lead to the muscle getting shorter before you have exercised and put any tension through it.
Its a question I often get asked when I say I'm a Sports Massage Therapist and it can sometimes be a factor which puts people off from having them if they perceive they are going to experience an element of pain.