THE LOW DOWN ON RUNNING SHOES
As an
experienced marathon runner, I read the article and replies with interest. I
think the runners who've run barefoot manage to do so because they've been
running that way all their lives. I don't think anyone would recommend a sudden
switch from a cushioned shoe to none at all. For older runners or runners with
bio-mechanical issues, even a switch from a cushioned shoe to a racing shoe can
cause problems as I found out only too well a couple of years ago when I
switched to an ASICS DS Racer for
a marathon and ended up off the road for eight months with rear ankle ligament
damage.
A sensible half-way house is maybe a
lighter shoe which has enough support for training but is light enough to race
in - the Mizuno Wave rider is a good example at 315g.
The usual
rule-of thumb for most runners is to find a pair of shoes that you're happy
with, and stick with them. Infuriatingly, the manufacturers keep changing the
designs so that for instance the Nike Air Max's of today aren't what they were a few years ago. So runners end up
chopping
and changing and
this too can lead to problems. Over time, most runners usually through injury
discover that their running action lends itself to overpronation, or
underpronating, or a neutral action, and they buy their shoes accordingly. George
Kennedy mentions the "Kituno" but he's either referring to the ASICS
Gel Kayano (a highly
respected support shoe), or the very expensive neutral Kinsei which got mixed reviews - many users
complained of over-cushioning and lack of support on heel strike, so George's
Achilles trouble is no
surprise. Most brand loyal ASICS
users tend to stick with the Nimbus for a neutral shoe, as it has been a consistently good performer.
It becomes more
complicated if a podiatrist recommends an orthotic support, for say,
overpronation. The problem here is that putting an orthotic in say a motion
control shoe which is already designed to deal with over-pronating
leads to over-compensation i.e. pushing your foot too far the other way. So a
decent podiatrist will always recommend putting an orthotic in a NEUTRAL
shoe so that your foot is in exactly the correct position. Tough luck if you've
recently bought a support shoe for around £100! There can be other problems
with orthotics. If the orthotics have heel counters,
this can lead to the foot resting too high up in the running shoe, even though
you've removed the original insole. Some manufacturers do produce a shoe
specifically designed for orthotic use but these are hard to find. Best thing
to do is visit a decent running shop and seek advice!
I could talk about running shoes 'til the
cows come home! As you may have gathered! My wife (non-runner) is absolutely err delighted when I regale her with my theories on
air-cushioning, toe-off, bunions, and asymmetric lacing etc.
Generally I'm not surprised that runners
are thinking of going back to basics with shoes because the choices out there
are bewildering and, like the article states, the numbers of injuries aren't
decreasing at all.
Here are some shoe experiences, which I'm
sure many other runners have shared over the years!
Back in my Bolton Marathon
days, I cannot recall what I ran in 1982,
but in 1984 I wore Hi-Tec Silver Shadows, a cheap shoe (£20!) with lots of cushioning but
little support. I beat 3:30 in those. I ditched them because they were dull and
grey and being 21 years old (where have those years gone??) I wanted something more trendy. So in 1985
I bought some "acid yellow" ultra-light AdiStar Racers. At 125g, they were little more than gym pumps with
little cushioning or support. But wow could you fly in those and indeed I
achieved a PB which still stands
twenty-five years later.
After that, I switched to Nike and the inevitable Air Pegasus's and Air Max's which I wore in various guises for many
years until I started getting repeated
problems with my Achilles tendon(s). I read a report which said that the air in
the bubble in Nike's shoe heels
dissipates with continued use so that you end up with poor cushioning and
almost zero support at heel strike leading to instability
- a classic
recipe for Achilles trouble. The
report stated that shoes with gel in the heels offered more consistent support
so I switched allegiances to ASICS
and bought the Gel Nimbus's. At this
point I didn't know that I was an "Overpronator" until a
couple of minor foot injuries led me to a physio who analysed my gait. He
recommended a support shoe (he didn't do orthotics) so I went for the ASICS Gel Kayanos, still for me, one of
the best support shoes around. I noticed that there are also "Motion
control" shoes for heavy overpronators, but these tend to be quite
clumsy and heavy too.
I continued to get injured, but to be
honest, getting into my forties age-wise, it kind of went with the territory -
if you're pushing more than forty-five miles a week on the road and still
running marathons, you're going to get problems. I continue to experiment with
various shoes/orthotics/heel counters with varied success. But I will continue
to wear shoes. Where I live, to run barefoot would result in a mixture of dog
shit and broken glass stuck to my tootsies!
Written by: Terry
Westhead, BW&FAC
Permission given:
15th ~February 2010
Submitted via the
Message Board 15th February 2010
Edited by: Brenda J
Earnshaw WRR Editor