I got my Vibrams and was happily wearing them everywhere. I then started squatting in them and doing all my athletic activities. Simply awesome! Now, I have flat feet, so I have over-pronation issues, i.e., my feet roll to the inside in many activities. I thought that Vibrams + grass (=uneven terrain) would offset this. Nope and this is why I am posting.
The major symptom I started having, which I posted about, was that my hamstrings started popping (semitendinosus and semimembranous) and then started spasming hard seemingly at random. Near as I can figure, they were getting trained the whole time I was in Vibrams to compensate for my over-pronation, meaning they became terrifically over-active on everything. This was bad since it became clear that they were firing at the wrong time to stabilize, hence there was a real possibility that I was going to pull/tear them doing something, like a squat. It got to the point I was having trouble walking without having them seize up.
The fix? Ditch the Vibrams, go back to wearing orthotics. The issue has subsided for the most part. I now get a lot less of it and it is not nearly so bad. Moral of the story: If you have very flat feet and wear your Vibrams a lot, you can develop overactive inner hamstrings which will then become a serious issue.
I’m kinda sad, since I really like them. I just don’t have the feet for them. Anyone else experience issues with these?
I agree with you point that vibrams are not fit for everybody. But to use you as an example, from what you wrote, you took the typical “if a small amount is good, then a larger amount is better” and jumped right into wearing the vibrams “everywhere” and training in them excessively. That alone may have caused the over-activation of the medial hamstrings, etc. For somebody without a prior foot mechanics issue, progressing too fast would cause problems. The fact that you were wearing orthotics prior to the vibrams should have lead to a more gradual increase in usage of the vibrams. Maybe even starting with a Nike Free or other naturalist type shoe could have helped.
If you have a structural issue that is solely bone based and not due to muscular imbalance, then vibrams may not be right for you. From my experiences though, the bulk of people with “over-pronation” issues are muscularly based issues, whether it be lower extremity based (peroneal tightness/over-activation), hip based, or even from the thoracic spine musculature. Addressing those issues may help with the over-prontaion and flat footed position, making vibrams a good option at that point as well.
My point is that a more progressive approach with accompanied corrective exercises to address muscular imbalances would work for the bulk of people who initially have trouble when first trying vibrams and other naturalist type shoes.
Hey, I get the same hamstring symptoms if I walk around without shoes on… and I have flat feet. I wear orthodics and I am fine now, but can you not fit your orthodics into your vibrams?
Also, try this out - it helped me a lot.
Reconfigure your walking habits. You probably get a lot of wear and tear on the outer rim of your heel? Try to activate your tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus BEFORE your foot lands on the ground, and try land your heel on the INNER rim of your foot. It should balance out and you will start habitually landing your heel on the middle of the heel-rim, and your calves will feel a lot healthier now that your Extensor digitorum longusr is no longer weak compared to your soleus (and what ever smaller muscles are on the inside of your foot. This should stop you rolling your ankle, it certainly has helped me!