Shoes, Bunions, Plantar fasciitis, and Other Foot Trouble
The
following advice on foot pain relates to injury occurring to athletes
and hikers, and not foot pain resulting from obesity or high heel
footwear.
If you have recently noticed foot trouble, such as:
The problem is your shoes.
It is not the running program you recently started, or any inherent genetic defect in your feet. It's your shoes.
I had this problem. After taking up running, and putting around 2,000 miles over 3 years on a pair of US made New Balances, I was advised the shoes had to be worn out and to change them. So I did, the New Balance cross trainers were replaced with a pair of serious Reebok running shoes. Within 5 miles, I had shin splints. I think I felt the shin splints at just three miles, but at five it was so bad I had to stop.
SHOE FIT AS IT RELATES TO FOOT DAMAGE
In my case, a number or remedies were recommended. I "pronate," I was told. "See the bottom of the shoe? That probably caused it. Wear these inserts." Those worked great in the new runner's shoe but had to be replaced every 20 miles or so. The plantar fasciitis pain was gone (inserts give great arch support) but the bunion was getting bigger since more pressure was on the big toe.
Finally I put the old shoes back on. Instant relief. I can run all day. The bunion has just about disappeared.
The takeaways are:
If you have recently noticed foot trouble, such as:
- Foot pain upon waking up
- Noticeable bump at the side of the big toe
- Sharp pains in the shins on running
The problem is your shoes.
It is not the running program you recently started, or any inherent genetic defect in your feet. It's your shoes.
I had this problem. After taking up running, and putting around 2,000 miles over 3 years on a pair of US made New Balances, I was advised the shoes had to be worn out and to change them. So I did, the New Balance cross trainers were replaced with a pair of serious Reebok running shoes. Within 5 miles, I had shin splints. I think I felt the shin splints at just three miles, but at five it was so bad I had to stop.
SHOE FIT AS IT RELATES TO FOOT DAMAGE
- The shoe might feel good on your foot, but shin splints, morning plantar fasciitis, or the formation of bunions are your foots way of telling you you're wrong
- Everyone's foot is different, and this advice may be contrary to specific advice provided at the store. For instance I should not have told them I was replacing shoes with 2,000 miles. That made it sound like I was a hardcore runner, which is what it would take to put up that mileage in a year. It actually took three years - (three years of no bunions, shin splints or plantar fasciitis). I should have been classified as a jogger.
- The first sign of trouble is likely plantar fasciitis. Your feet complain in no uncertain terms about walking especially the first steps out of bed in the morning. Plantar fasciitis is strain in the arch of your foot and if the damage keeps coming you could have collapsed arches. If you feel that morning foot pain, stop running for a couple of weeks, and change shoes.
In my case, a number or remedies were recommended. I "pronate," I was told. "See the bottom of the shoe? That probably caused it. Wear these inserts." Those worked great in the new runner's shoe but had to be replaced every 20 miles or so. The plantar fasciitis pain was gone (inserts give great arch support) but the bunion was getting bigger since more pressure was on the big toe.
Finally I put the old shoes back on. Instant relief. I can run all day. The bunion has just about disappeared.
The takeaways are:
- Fit is everything. Whether these shoes have molded to my feet over the miles, or fit perfectly to begin with, they are the exact fit.
- Foot damage is reversible if caught early enough.
- Shoes are not necessarily worn out at a specific mileage. A lot depends on the initial quality of the shoe and how you treated it. If the shoe is not giving your feet trouble, there is no need to replace it.
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