Forums >General Running>Running Shoes and Aches
Hi all,
I've been running for a few years but keep my milage low due to chronic issues with my left leg. I've had problems with my left knee for several years, and have turned to knee sleeves and support straps with some success. This past summer I started physical therapy and was told that I have significant balance issues on my left side, which I've been working on. I was also told that I had "runners knee" and tendonitis on the left. The therapist suggested switching to a stability shoe for these reasons. So I switched, from a neutral ASICS to a stability BROOKS. In turn, my knee issues improved but I started to get this pain on the inside arch and ankle of my left leg. I switched back and forth a bit: neutral ASICS meant knee pain but no foot pain; stability BROOKS meant no knee pain but foot pain.
Does anyone have an insight? I feel like if I'm tackling down one problem, another pops up. Thanks!
Look for a good specialty running shoe store, and bring both pairs of shoes. They should be able to help you, and the cost will be a pair of shoes, which you need anyway.
I had much better luck with a good shoe store than by seeing a podiatrist. The nearest good shoe store is over 120 miles from my house, and well worth the trip.
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To me, that sounds like neither shoe is right. The right shoe should not cause you pain anywhere. I agree with JR that it would be worth going to a proper running store to be assessed and have shoes recommended. I'm skeptical of anyone who says you should try a specific brand. Don't worry about the name on the shoe and try a few different ones. Good luck!
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I had similar issues and ended up finding success with support insoles and the right type of stability shoes, as not all are created equal. The heel on the Brooks Adrenaline 11 (I think) was too tall, and the Nike Lunarglide 4 lacked structure, causing inner ankle pain.
There was a time where I could run in certain shoes without support insoles and then was stricken with a severe case of plantar faciitis and that was the end of that. Now I don't run without them.
SMART Approach
It is always good to rotate shoes. However, your issues are likely related to some weakness and mobiliy issues up the chain. Are you doing hip and butt work and other core work in addition to flexibility work from hips on down? This will likely improve your symptoms. Address the cause. It is usually something unrelated to your shoes or simply an overuse condition where you need to look a your plan.
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Agree with the comments about going to a running store to get fitted. I went to the podiatrist when I was building my novice running base to ask about arch pain and was just sold a pair of $45 insoles while telling me my brand new pair of Brooks shoes didn't have good support. My feet naturally turn outward and the arch support insoles caused this even more which lead to shin splints.
Foot rolling before running helped me get rid of the arch pain. Do standing squats with just your body weight to strengthen your quads and glutes to support your knees.
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Beware any store that recommends orthotics, custom molded inserts, or expensive off the shelf inserts.
Unless you have a birth defect or tissue-removing injury, you do not need "extra support". However, some inserts/shoes are more comfortable for people. I have extremely high arches, my wet footprint just shows a heel and ball and toes, and I swap my old Brooks shoe inserts into my newer Hoka and othe shoes because they feel better with a little bit more padding in the arch. The inserts with a rigid plate for "extra support" actually hobble you, like those back supports for lifting did to so many people. They are great for injury recovery, I used some when I had PF until the inserts hurt more than the PF. But you want to get back to flexible inserts as soon as you can to maintain foot and leg strength.
A good foot strength exercise to alleviate some problems is to do a "barefoot" run every once in a while. Just a mile or two on a track or astroturf does wonders. I go back and forth on the astroturf infield at a local track.
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that's a great idea. Never thought of that and totally agree on the benefits.
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My foot pain was helped by getting inserts too. I've tried Asics, Brooks, Saucony, Nike, and Adidas. All of the shoes were solid on their own, but I still needed my insert in them to keep my foot problems at bay.
I've heard about throwing in the occasional barefoot run could help too. Seems like it could be fun and worth a shot if it does help alleviate the pain somehow.