New to Running, Need advice on Shoes?

Hello,

I am looking to start an exercise program. We have a treadmill in the garage and I would like to start using it. I have recently been told the importance of running shoes, I have always worn skate shoes that are loose, wide, and tied so I can slip them on. I have a feeling these are not ideal for running because the impact feels pretty rough when running.

Info that may help:
I have a low arches
I believe I have a neutral gait, possibly slight Overpronation
I will be running on a treadmill, with adjustable incline
I am overweight and out of shape

Any advice on shoes or even on getting started on running in general for an out of shape guy. I would appreciate the cost being as little as possible, keep it around $80 please(if it is more an REALLY worth the extra cost I will spring for them)

Answer
Definitely spring for good running shoes. Shoes are pretty much the only necessary equipment for a runner, so be sure to invest in them. Shoes make the difference between injury and injury free running. It's best to go to a running store and get fitted, but the shoes at specialty stores often cost a bit more. When you buy shoes there you are paying extra for the service (they often size your foot, examine your arches, do a gait analysis, etc). You can go to the running store and get all the service and then go online (roadrunnersports.com is a good website) and buy shoes cheaper there, though you might not want to admit that you have done that to some more hard core runners :). Remember that running shoes generally last from 300 to 500 miles. Even if they still look good after that, a lot of the padding has worn down and it's best to replace them.

As for getting started running, try a run/walk program to start (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml). Don't let your ego tell you to run 2 miles your first day out. Having a strong running base will be really beneficial as you increase mileage and speed. Also, check out http://www.runnersworld.com/channel/0,7119,s6-380-0-0-0,00.html.

What is overpronation?

Q.

Answer
When you walk your foot is usually flat to the floor. In some cases your foot will have a slightly turn outwards. You may notice that your shoes tends to "slide" to the outside. This its overpronation.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

solutions for sharp knee pain and bunions due to flat feet/overpronation?

best walking shoes overpronation image

brenda

I'm only 18 and I feel like these should be the worries of an elderly woman...
I don't walk very much throughout the day but I do tend to stand for long periods of time. I love to work out and do so regularly in my abeo's which are made specifically for shock absorption, arch support and body alignment. However, I must admit that I don't wear the best casual shoes throughout the day-- I assume this is the root of all the pain.
Both of my arches are almost nonexistent and my big toes seem to invert more and more every day. not only do they look bad but man, they HURT!
I have always had hyperextended knees which have messed with my posture and overall body alignment but I have never had any pain until very recently. I get really awful, sharp pains in the sides and back of my knees if i'm standing, walking or putting any pressure on my feet.

In conclusion, I'm absolutely desperate... I'm a college student with no insurance so a podiatrist is probably out of the question. I would love to get orthotics or some sort of insole(or really anything else) that might help I just have no idea how to go about finding the appropriate solution(s). Suggestions, remedies and any info on the subject would be very much appreciated!

Answer
Normally I don't answer one that has other answers, but today I'm making an exception for you.
It all comes down to your having a longer second toe. And as time goes along, you may well develop low back pain because of it. And you pronate to try to keep the big toe as the primary toe, despite the anatomy.
Follow the process. The problem is with you having a longer second toe, you have a two-point (heel and second toe) rather than a three-point base of support.
Think about it. If you were walking on ice, you would very carefully walk, in a rather stiff-legged fashion, to keep from falling. And that's what happens when women wear high heels. They are unsteady, they take shorter steps, they walk in a stiff-legged fashion.
So, if you have a longer second toe, you are likely to walk in a way that causes your hips to move a lot more than someone that simply lands on their heel and then pushes off with their big toe. That may eventually give you leg and hip pain.
I'm not able to see you, but the longer second toe is called the Greek Toe, since the man that was the model for Michelangelo's statue of David had it, along with the bunion process, etc. He certainly didn't wear sneakers or high heels.
Now, some people have the last joint of the second toe removed. But not many do it, because even if another toe is perfectly even with the big toe, the other one is longer because the big toe has more padding.
The first site I'm giving you is a collection of bunion pictures. Notice that second toe being longer.
Are there nonsurgical options? Yes, and one of them can cost only a couple of dollars. In Bonnie Prudden's book "Pain Erasure", she discusses the option of getting an old pair of tennis shoes, cutting a couple of circles out of the sole the size of a quarter, and glueing them to a pair of shoe inserts (like cheap Dr Scholl's) at exactly the spot below the ball of the foot. This causes the weight to be carried longer on the big toe where it should be, and the second toe isn't having to try to do all the work. Gorilla Glue is a good glue for such a project.
Easy enough to get the book at a library. Or Amazon has it, just to show I'm not making this up. So don't try for a particular brand of shoe. Put your foot on some thick cardboard, mark around your foot, cut it out, and use that as an initial estimate of the shoe box size you need. Your foot will be wider because your metatarsal arch will have fallen. So start out with wide shoes. And I do suggest that you make the supports I mentioned, for both feet. When you find a shoe that seems good, you can do a final fitting with the supports in place.
The third site I've given incorporates the previous details, and helps you to be sure about the diagnosis, because the issue isn't really the toe length, but the length of a different toe joint. You'll see what I mean. And you can read how an insert you use COULD make it worse.

Would appreciate it if you would give "best answer".

I got new running shoes and my feet hurt?

Sam

I think this is the first time I acutally had running shoes. They are stability shoes which is for overpronation. I took a online test so i can choose the right shoes and everything. So why does my feet hurt on the bottom. Is it becuase I havent broken into them or is it cuase its my first ever using running shoes etc.

Answer
It's because you don't need them. They're just hurting you even more. We're not born with shoes on our feet, so why do we need them? We don't. You have flat feet, I presume. Whatever age you are now, you're past the point at which your arches ossified, and they're flat. Cramming your foot into a mold of the proper foot shape will not help, and will only cause you more pain. Your bones are already set into place, and there's nothing you can do to change it. Besides, the more you wear the shoes, the more the arch support will flatten, and you'll just be buying more shoes in an endless cycle until you die.

However, if you walk barefoot as much as possible (not in public, just around your house, or inside), you will actually use the muscles in your legs and feet, and strengthen then. Combined with certain exercises, the muscles with strengthen, and the arches will raise slightly, You'll still have relatively flat feet, but the muscles in your feet and legs will be built up, and they will be able to better handle the impact of the disorder.

Conversely, if you keep wearing such ridiculous shoes, the muscles in your feet and lower legs will atrophy, they will severely weaken, the arches will lower even more, and your condition will be much worse. Lastly, wear a minimalist shoe such as Vibram Five-fingers, and stop running. Try to keep it at walking. Flat feet are a structural disorder, and the impact and shock of landing on them is distrubuted improperly, causing pain. Besides, we're not meant to run all of the time. Those with normal arches are just lucky. How do I know this? I also have flat feet.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What type of shoes do I need for walking?

best walking shoes overpronation image

dovernomor

So I've decided to get in shape and have started walking around a mile in the mornings. As my health and endurance improves I plan to walk further and incorporate jogging into my walks.

But for now I need some good walking shoes. But when I shop online I see several categories: Running, training, etc. So what kind of shoes would be best?

Thanks

Answer
There is no one best shoe for all walkers. The best shoe for you is the the one that fits you best, the one that gives you the proper support, flexibility, cushioning, and compensates for any stride problems you may have, such as overpronation. Each person's feet are different.

Essential Walking Shoe Qualities:

Flexible: You must be able to bend and twist the shoes. When you take a walking step, your foot will flex as you roll through a step from heel to toe. If the shoe is too stiff, your foot will fight it with each step.
Flat: Walking shoes should have a relatively flat heel.
Heel Not Flared: Since walkers strike with the heel first, you do not want a big flared heel. In fact, a slightly undercut heel is preferred.

Oh, and here are some WALKING SHOES you might wanna look at...
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A679303011

Is it time to trade in my running shoes?

Jessica B

I bought shoes for overpronation from a running store, its been about 6 months and I only run about twice-three times a week on average but my posterior shin splints are coming back. Does that mean my shoes are worn out or something else?

Answer
yes. the shoes specifically for running fit your foot and walking type. you are supposed to buy new ones every 6 months because the support wears off

Powered by Yahoo! Answers