Posted: 11/8/2009 4:43:19 AM EDT
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I have extremely flat feet and roll my foot in or walk on the outside of my foot when I walk. I am able to run short distances (300meters) without much pain in my shins but after that it feels like my leg is gonna snap. I have tired taking ibuprofen before running it doesn't help me much.
I currently have Nike running shoes, but they aren't helping everything below the knee hurts BAD during and after the run. There is not a specialty running store anywhere near me and I need some better shoes in a hurry. ( I have a PT test in a week or so) I was recommended Asics, but have not idea where to start. I know it would be best to see a running store, but that is not an option. I just have to bang out a 1.5 mile run without much pain. |
| Get on the internet and search for a "motion control" shoe for running. The brand if shoe makes no difference. You need something that will control your arches from dropping during and after foot plant. You also need to see a good PT or trainer because that kind of pain isnt normal. |
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I went to a local running shoe store; when I was still home in NM. They video taped my feet while I ran on a treadmill. Then I tried on different shoes and repeated the process until they got me in a show that corrected my problem.
I actually enjoy running now and will most likely buy another pair of shoes when I am home this week. So try a specialty running shop. |
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If you don't have access to a store, you can go on Runner's World and they have a tutorial, as do most of the shoe manufacturers.
Runner's World |
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Quoted:
Get on the internet and search for a "motion control" shoe for running. The brand if shoe makes no difference. You need something that will control your arches from dropping during and after foot plant. You also need to see a good PT or trainer because that kind of pain isnt normal. Pain is very normal. Its called shin splints, and with lack of support in a shoe is very easy to acquire. If you dont have access to a RS store, look at trying the Asics evolution or foundation, Saucony stabil, or Brooks beast or addiction. Those are all quality motion control shoes and should fit your specific foot shape as well as your gait. |
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Go to a reputable running store and have someone evaluate your gait. The amount of arch in your foot is only one element of that motion. It is perfectly natural for your foot to roll inward a certain amount. The "walking on the outside" statement makes me wonder if you under pronate - a motion control shoe will only make that condition worse.
When you go to the store, bring your current running shoes with you. |
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Talked to someone that looked a my foot while I walked, which will have to do because there is not a running store around here.
I watched videos on runnersworld.com and myself and fiancee agreed that I overpronate while running. I got some Asics Gel Evaluation 5 with some socks for running as well. Who knew that could be another factor? Anyway, I put them on in the store and holy shit they felt so much better than everything I have ever worn before. Running/Shoe expert said Nikes are not built for people with flat feet (me). Easily could have sold me Nikes for $190 bucks, but they didn't. If they don't feel good by the 3-4 run in them, they told me to bring them back and try something else. I am running with people from work tomorrow morning so we will see how much better they feel. Actually excited to run for the first time in my life. 
Wish me luck and thanks for the help! |
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So how did they work out? I love the cushioning in Asics, but they just don't fit me right. If possible, you might also want to get custom orthotics made. I have the same foot issues as you, and they really do help a lot (as do the motion control shoes). My feet feel like they are made of wood and cement right now, which they told is what the first couple times will be like. I suppose I ran 1 to 1.5 miles and walked another 3 or so miles in them on an indoor track today for over an hour and a half. My shins hurt but not like they used to hurt. We will see what happens on Wednesday, after my feet feel all better. I culd barely walk out of the building this morning my feet hurt so bad. |
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Quoted: At the risk of sounding like a nag...Quoted: So how did they work out? I love the cushioning in Asics, but they just don't fit me right. If possible, you might also want to get custom orthotics made. I have the same foot issues as you, and they really do help a lot (as do the motion control shoes). My feet feel like they are made of wood and cement right now, which they told is what the first couple times will be like. I suppose I ran 1 to 1.5 miles and walked another 3 or so miles in them on an indoor track today for over an hour and a half. My shins hurt but not like they used to hurt. We will see what happens on Wednesday, after my feet feel all better. I culd barely walk out of the building this morning my feet hurt so bad. Please cut back on your run and walks. You don't want to build up to fast and cause permant/long term injury Try running for 20 minutes and walking for 10 minutes. Take a rest day before running for 20 and walk for 10 and see how you feel The key is not to over do it and build slowly Monk |
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At the risk of sounding like a nag...
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So how did they work out? I love the cushioning in Asics, but they just don't fit me right. If possible, you might also want to get custom orthotics made. I have the same foot issues as you, and they really do help a lot (as do the motion control shoes). My feet feel like they are made of wood and cement right now, which they told is what the first couple times will be like. I suppose I ran 1 to 1.5 miles and walked another 3 or so miles in them on an indoor track today for over an hour and a half. My shins hurt but not like they used to hurt. We will see what happens on Wednesday, after my feet feel all better. I could barely walk out of the building this morning my feet hurt so bad. Please cut back on your run and walks. You don't want to build up to fast and cause permant/long term injury Try running for 20 minutes and walking for 10 minutes. Take a rest day before running for 20 and walk for 10 and see how you feel The key is not to over do it and build slowly Monk Thanks for being concerned. I was more focused on getting the shoes broken in. As for the walking, I don't do much of it daily, I sit in a chair. Luckily, my desk can go up and down (that's what you get for $25k a piece) so I have been standing more at work and I think I will hit the leg sled on my break with a reasonable amount of weight. Otherwise how long can I expect to have shin pain? I am running/walking Monday Wednesday and Friday with others being rest or non-weight bearing (the the legs) weight lifting. I am RICEing. (rest, ice, compression and elevation). |
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Thanks for being concerned. I was more focused on getting the shoes broken in. It's a pair of running shoes, not leather boots. There isn't anything to "break in". Running shoes are fully flexible and ready for action as soon as they come out of the box. |
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When you run does your heel strike the ground first?
I have extremely flat feet and I used to run heel to toe. I spent hundreds of dollars on shoes and orthotics trying to end my shin/foot pain. I began running on the balls of my feet, never striking the ground with my heels, and have not had any pain since. I can now run barefoot and pain free. Running on the fore foot is much more natural than striking heel first. Do some research on Pose running/ Chi running and you will see what I am talking about. Good luck |
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You're already doing some good things, so I thought I'd offer my $0.02, FWIW:
- Saucony makes a very good running shoe. - Frequent use of pain meds have a cumulatively negative effect on the kidneys over the course of time. If you're rely heavily on regular doses of ibuprofin, then you need to make some changes to stop this bad habit. - I've personally had good results using Dr. Scholl's running insole inserts in my running shoes for some additional cushioning. They're designed to be cut to size & are removable. Anything you can do to reduce joint shock will be worthwhile. Been running pretty regularly for yrs, & at 42, I've been able to avoid certain painful &/or debilitating outcomes that I've seen afflict runners through long-term mitigating practices like this. - A daily glucosamine chondroitin supplement may be a worthwhile investment. Been good for me thus far. |
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You're already doing some good things, so I thought I'd offer my $0.02, FWIW: - Saucony makes a very good running shoe. - Frequent use of pain meds have a cumulatively negative effect on the kidneys over the course of time. If you're rely heavily on regular doses of ibuprofin, then you need to make some changes to stop this bad habit. - I've personally had good results using Dr. Scholl's running insole inserts in my running shoes for some additional cushioning. They're designed to be cut to size & are removable. Anything you can do to reduce joint shock will be worthwhile. Been running pretty regularly for yrs, & at 42, I've been able to avoid certain painful &/or debilitating outcomes that I've seen afflict runners through long-term mitigating practices like this. - A daily glucosamine chondroitin supplement may be a worthwhile investment. Been good for me thus far. I don't use pain relievers daily and I have some inserts from Dr. Scholls. I will try and run on the forefoot tomorrow and see how that works out. |
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I wonder if walking that long
a) on an indoor track (meaning going around in circles in one direction) b) in running shoes might not be great. I don't know. I wonder if maybe it would make sense to walk in a different pair of shoes and/or somewhere where you don't have to make all those turns? |
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I will try and run on the forefoot tomorrow and see how that works out. I would recommend focusing less on which part of the foot you land and more on keeping a high running cadence - 165-180 footfalls per minute - which will keep your stride short and force you to make a footfall with the foot under your center of gravity and not in front of it. Everyone's biomechanics are a bit different. By focusing on not over striding the footfall will take care of itself. |
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Holy crap! Just got back from (attempting) running.
Still tight in my left calf and my feet started hurting to the point where I almost couldn't walk again. I think it is the Dr. Scholl's inserts, they have a hard plastic piece for support and I think that is causing the problem, I didn't have much pain from walking in my other shoes. I was able to bang out a half mile before I had to hang it up. Time for the support inserts to go back to Wal-Mart along with that stupid self adhesive ACE bandage (they don't work). I am just going to get some regular ACE bandages and I am going to hit the elliptical later for a workout. |
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Dr Scholls is crap, dont use them. Just the shoe by its self should be fine. I've had shin splints off and on. Just make sure you stretch your legs real well. They will go away eventually but you can get stress fractures in yer legs. Very common in the Army.
So just take it very slow. You got the rest of yer life to get up to speed. |
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i would get a stability shoe
look at some New Balance 993s i have flat feet too and i cant wear high tech asics or nike that have that plastic splinting between the heal and forefoort the 993s provide a very solid foundation also replace the insole with a sports insole for addl cushioning, about $10-15 for a pair, not dr scholls, but a running shoe insert nothing against pose running but is kind of a fad, heal striking is completely natural particularly at greater speeds - if you look at professional runners most are heal strikers - all you probably need is a better foundation to distribute the shock and build up slowly to establish an aerobic base and condition you legs |
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i would get a stability shoe look at some New Balance 993s i have flat feet too and i cant wear high tech asics or nike that have that plastic splinting between the heal and forefoort the 993s provide a very solid foundation also replace the insole with a sports insole for addl cushioning, about $10-15 for a pair, not dr scholls, but a running shoe insert nothing against pose running but is kind of a fad, heal striking is completely natural particularly at greater speeds - if you look at professional runners most are heal strikers - all you probably need is a better foundation to distribute the shock and build up slowly to establish an aerobic base and condition you legs His asics evolution is just as stable as the NB 993. He headed in the right direction, its just going to take him a bit for his body to adapt to the support of the shoes and possible insert. Give it 2-3 weeks and youll be fine |
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i would get a stability shoe look at some New Balance 993s i have flat feet too and i cant wear high tech asics or nike that have that plastic splinting between the heal and forefoort the 993s provide a very solid foundation also replace the insole with a sports insole for addl cushioning, about $10-15 for a pair, not dr scholls, but a running shoe insert nothing against pose running but is kind of a fad, heal striking is completely natural particularly at greater speeds - if you look at professional runners most are heal strikers - all you probably need is a better foundation to distribute the shock and build up slowly to establish an aerobic base and condition you legs His asics evolution is just as stable as the NB 993. He headed in the right direction, its just going to take him a bit for his body to adapt to the support of the shoes and possible insert. Give it 2-3 weeks and youll be fine Smith, Any recommendations on an insert if I choose to put one in? I am thinking Dr. Scholls (or something like it) plain old gel insert will help for a while, but I might want to eventually do away with them once I have my shins strengthened again. |
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i would get a stability shoe look at some New Balance 993s i have flat feet too and i cant wear high tech asics or nike that have that plastic splinting between the heal and forefoort the 993s provide a very solid foundation also replace the insole with a sports insole for addl cushioning, about $10-15 for a pair, not dr scholls, but a running shoe insert nothing against pose running but is kind of a fad, heal striking is completely natural particularly at greater speeds - if you look at professional runners most are heal strikers - all you probably need is a better foundation to distribute the shock and build up slowly to establish an aerobic base and condition you legs His asics evolution is just as stable as the NB 993. He headed in the right direction, its just going to take him a bit for his body to adapt to the support of the shoes and possible insert. Give it 2-3 weeks and youll be fine Smith, Any recommendations on an insert if I choose to put one in? I am thinking Dr. Scholls (or something like it) plain old gel insert will help for a while, but I might want to eventually do away with them once I have my shins strengthened again. Dr. Scholls like others have said arent the best of inserts. The reason youre running into issues with running isnt for lack of cushioning its because of over-pronation in your gait, and lack of support. I would honestly just go with what you had in the shoe for a few weeks. Let your body adjust to the support of the shoe as well as your training, and then if youre still having problems go with something like an orange superfeer, sofsole, or if youre feet are extremely flat something along the lines of a 3/4 insert made by a company called Avos. One reason you want to use just the shoe, besides getting used to it; is so that once your body does heal and adapt, you want to make sure its the right shoe for you. If you take some time to rest and use that shoe for a few weeks and youre still having shin issues, then add the insert. Still having issues a few weeks after that, maybe need to go with a more stable shoe. This is a process and may take you a month or so before you find the right combo, and always take your time adjusting to new added equipment, dont rush going full distance in anything new until your body has adjusted. If youre still having issues just IM me |
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JonGuy,
I too have flat feet, and it has kept me in pain for a long time. It sounds like you're on the right track with the shoes. Wear them as much as possible for 2-4 weeks to get your feet and legs used to them. Remember, they're compensating for your lack of natural arch support, so your body has to adjust to the difference in forces. I've had good luck with SOFSole Arch Support insoles. I get them at Academy for around $15. I have a pair in both sets of boots and my running shoes (Saucony, BTW––only brand I've had luck with). They have a little extra cushioning without being too bulky, and they last a long time. I went to a podiatrist and had custom orthotic insoles made one time, but they were so bulky and rigid that I had to buy all new shoes to get my foot in them. Therefore, I'd use them as a last resort. Next, as someone else said, build up slowly. Going too far too quickly can result in injuries that will ground you for weeks or months. Something else that helped me (especially through my police academy) was to do shin and calf stretches throughout the day. I got zen-like with them, and I credit that with me surviving the academy (along with 2400mg of Ibuprofen/day  ). I can't explain them worth a crap, so Google "shin stretches," "stretches for shin splints," and any other combination thereof. I used a towel for several of them. You gotta be religious with them for maximum effect. I'd also strengthen the calves by doing some calf raises at the gym, or on a ledge at home.
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