Dathan Ritzenhein NOW SPONSORED BY Hoka One One?!?!?

Nike Lunaracers helped get rid of my PF. Hoka's were too stiff and made it worse.

Of the thousands of people I've dealt with, the vast majority improved when I got them into shoes with more torsional stability (stiffer in the arch, not to be confused with stability shoes). In fact, almost 100% of the cases that were severe enough that I had to put into a cam walker for a few weeks had their symptoms reduce or resolve with that method, and then I worked them out of it with P.T., orthotics and shoes with good torsional stability. The plantar fascia, when injured, is typically aggravated by excessive tensile stress. Most people respond beautifully when the arch is properly supported. I've heard people chime in from time to time that their Vibrams got rid of their plantar fasciitis, so I guess there are exceptions, but I'd never in a million years advise a patient with plantar fasciitis to walk around more on hard floors barefoot or in Vibrams. Virtually every patient I've talked to with this injury tells me it is aggravated by barefoot or flimsier shoes, which makes 100% sense biomechanically.

In the race this morning he is sporting an Asics Kit with a team name on it? "Something" Gazelles, and then the Nike Streak 6.

Any knowledge on what team or club he is representing? I assume just a local Michigan thing.

Rigid wrote:

Would be awesome to see Ritz pull a Meb and start crushing it again after being dropped by Nike.

While beating nike golden boy Rupp

Track Fan 1979 wrote:

JB Has a lifetime contract with Nike. If I remember correctly she gets between 50K and 100K a year plus free gear. Not a bad pension if you ask me.

Let me see on the Nike campus she has a building named after her and a statue of herself. Joan like Carl Lewis , Alberto ,Michael Johnson are lifetime ambassadors to Nike.

Dathan was a great athlete and respected, but when the checks don't show up in mailbox he can wear what he wants. Given his foot injuries and other issues over the years Hoka's probably work well for his body.

Dathan is in his twilight years lets just hope he doesn't go out like the character in the movie The Wrestler about a faded wrestler looking for one more match as his weary skills glimmer at times but we all know that fateful destiny.

Can you name some shoes that are "torsional stability"?

Had some major PF some years back, got into the "5 minute PF cure" stretching, and believe it or not, the original sketcher go runs. Since then

have moved toward low stack, wide forefoot NB's and Sacony's, and sketcher's. Any guidance would be helpful.

Matt

He raced (and won) today's race wearing Nike shoes and Asics clothing:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUCQEOslbz0/

I suffered for over a year with the type of treatment you claimed to be the solution to PF. Switched to altras, strengthened my feet and have been pain free ever since. 'It saying you're wrong but PF is a case by case injury, no one blanket solution

I'm betting it's a team run by Gazelle Sports. Gazelle Sports is a running store franchise with multiple locations in Michigan including Grand Rapids. I believe that Dathan now lives near Grand Rapids. Happy that he won his hometown race.

Agreed, it is case by case, but general principles apply almost universally. Pulling on a partially torn structure creates more tearing. It's just a fact.

BTW, Altra makes some great shoes in my opinion. They allow the toes to spread which improves the stability of the foot and normalizes plantar fascia function (reduces excessive tensile loads, or "pulling"). Also, many of their models do have good torsional stability (resist twist in the arch region), such as the Instincts, and the Torins. Also, strengthening the feet is definitely helpful. So I'd say you actually were doing things in line with what I stated.

not jamin wrote:

Track Fan 1979 wrote:

Can sponsored athletes wear another brand as long as it's not in public?

If a tree falls in the woods with noone around, does it still make sound?

I guess you have to ask Noone.

Just wow... wrote:

Of the thousands of people I've dealt with, the vast majority improved when I got them into shoes with more torsional stability (stiffer in the arch, not to be confused with stability shoes)....

Yeah, stiffer shoes may help reduce the stress and strain to the PF short term, but they're like a bandaid and don't resolve the scar tissue and getting the fascia back to normal length. Longterm I had to get back to more flexible shoes/racing flats. That was the difference maker in getting normal functionality back. I've stuck with Nike Lunaracers longterm= happy feet.

You remember incorrectly. Maybe she was making that in her heyday, She makes $20k now and has to travel to many engagements. She has been frustrated, but is loyal to the brand.

Worth noting that with Nike's supposedly cut-throat contracts, having a more stable flow of income, especially with a family and towards the (possibly) tail end of a career, it's a safer/better bet to be with something where you know there will be a pay check coming in whether you're making a US team or not. See Meb, Kara, Symmonds, etc. Plus, potential to establish for a career as a major force within that company's running division post-retirement.

nike ftw. wrote:

Just wow... wrote:

Of the thousands of people I've dealt with, the vast majority improved when I got them into shoes with more torsional stability (stiffer in the arch, not to be confused with stability shoes)....

Yeah, stiffer shoes may help reduce the stress and strain to the PF short term, but they're like a bandaid and don't resolve the scar tissue and getting the fascia back to normal length. Longterm I had to get back to more flexible shoes/racing flats. That was the difference maker in getting normal functionality back. I've stuck with Nike Lunaracers longterm= happy feet.

I wore the Lunaracers for a long time myself, and loved them. I'll say that once you're healed and gotten things back in order, yes, get things moving properly again. Some people, for a variety of reasons, need more support than others, especially on hard surfaces or irregular/uneven surfaces, and need to steer clear of shoes that are more flexible in the arch.

Nike is like the Monday morning quarterbacks. They are out to make the quick buck and do not care about the athletes longer term

actually he specifically said the Hoka's help comfort his PF

does anyone know which model he is using, is it the clifton3 ?

I've got a friend with PF that is desperately trying to find a more comfortable shoe so if anyone knows which particular model, that might help

I have the clifton3 in rotation and I am not crazy about them, not a horrible shoe but not my favorite at all

That's if it's even "partially torn" which is likely a stretch (no pun intended) in most PF cases. It doesn't need to be that complicated, identify the training error leading to the issue, offload it or modify the load across that tissue, gradually re-load it and avoid repeating the same training errors. You can strengthen and work on gait mechanics or whatever you deem necessary while doing this.

He still has such name recognition that it would be would be worth it to Nike to pay Ritz a small stipend just to walk around in Nikes for the rest of his life.

Seeing him walk around in Hokas now says that he thinks they are a better shoe and he only wore Nike because they paid him.