Forums >Gears and Wears>Has anybody used New Balance 501?
I'm looking for a running shoe to sooth plantar fasciitis. Originally I was set on buying Brooks Adrenalin. They're too expensive though and I can't find any good deals on them after doing exhaustive online search after online search. I did read a lot of good reviews on New Balance 501's though. But I still wonder if they'll offer enough support for 10 or more miles workouts, especially since I can purchase them for around half the price as Brooks Adrenaline's.
Feeling the growl again
Solving PF is about getting to the root of the problem for YOU, not about maximizing support. In my case, running shoes had nothing to do with it. Yes running in flats hurt with PF but most of my miles were in lightweight trainers and ditching the flats made no difference. Moving to more cushioned work shoes helped in the short term but over the months did not cure the problem. What cured it was going to very minimal, Vibrams-soled work shoes for everyday wear to strengthen my feet.
You wear running shoes an hour or two a day. What else do your feet experience for many more hours per day? Think big picture. If you have limited dollars to solve the issue, running shoes may not be the place to put it.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
You wear running shoes an hour or two a day. What else do your feet experience for many more hours per day?
Hmmm, since I got injured in 2011 I wear running shoes 99% of the time, but always barefoot at home. I'm known for wearing bright running shoes at work. I've got nothing to back it up but I feel it's been healthier on my feet than when I used to wear heavy random leather type shoes for 10-12 hours a day.
Those Cards are doing ok after the break. Are they gonna go the distance or become a train wreck like the Cubs?
Half Fanatic #846
I think the shoes you've run in and mention here all have a heel-to-toe drop of at least 12-14 mm - average to somewhat lower than average for running shoes. IMHO it's better to consider a lower heel drop shoe rather than one with more cushioning and support. With average or lots of cushioning, you're still likely to aggravate PF with heel striking. What worked for me was to change to lighter shoes (6-9 ounces or so) with lower H-T Drop of 4-6 mm and maybe eventually to zero drop, which helps with a mid-foot strike and heel-touching rather than heel-striking. And, there are plenty of this kind of minimal-style shoe out there for $80 - and deals for less.
And what Spaniel alluded to: I think we both consistently used more minimal footwear for work and casual daily use with success, although it wasn't a short-term fix. (I still do since my PF almost 5 years ago).
The other thing that helps me is to stretch my legs/feet briefly prior to every run, because if I don't stretch for 2-3 days, I can feel the PF starting to flare up ever so slightly, maybe because my achilles are very tight: (1) Face wall standing with forefoot pressing against wall and heel on the floor for 60 secs., then with the other foot, even tho the PF is only in one foot, and (2) Lie on your back on the floor, use a stretch band or towel under the forefoot of an uplifted leg for 60 secs., then on the other foot.
I did all this after exhausting the usual "remedies" for PF. These are some of the things that worked for me, but YMMV.
"I don't always roll a joint, but when I do, it's usually my ankle" - unk. "Frankly autocorrect, I'm getting a bit tired of your shirt". I ran half my last race on my left foot!
I wear NB minumus and they helped my PF. I have not tried the 501s.
Our local shoe store sells overstocked shoes for $30 at races. Great deal if you can find your size.
My daily shoes are usually just my bare feet or my old running shoes with a Pinnacle Power Step insoles inserted in them. Walking around isn't really much of if any problem. The real pain begins when I start running. Funny thing is many times the first mile is what hurts the most and then the pain alleviates but it can come back later in my run of 10 or more miles.
Of course it hurts when you run. But that doesn't mean that what you are wearing the other 22-23 hours a day is not more important in getting to the root of the issue.
True, which is why I pay just as much attention to my daily shoes too. I'm 100% sure though that running is my root cause. I did talk to one of my doctors today about plantar fasciitis and he's quite familiar with it and recommended Sorbothane with carbon insert, insoles to me. I'm looking around online and I can't find that particular insole though. I do wonder if they're really better than my Pinnacle Power Step's too? He's convinced I need more cushioning, while I believe more support is the way to go.
nvm
Today after 10 more miles of pain, I pulled the trigger and decided to go take a look at Murphy's Fit in Evanston. The guy I was working with there was very knowledgeable. I say that after I discussed my problems with him, one of the first shoes he grabbed was Asics Gel Nimbus. I use the Asics Gel Cumulus. I was familiar with the Nimbus though since its received lots of recommendations to heal plantar fasciitis. I tried them out and they felt better than my Cumulus. I still felt a little heel pain in them though. After that I tried on Mizuno Wave Rider 16, which I'm not at all familiar with. I was more impressed with them though and wound up buying them. The price was very good too since I got lucky and they were on closeout. This review is similar to how I felt about them. They did feel pretty light. And they did feel more comfortable too after I inserted my Pinnacle Power Step insoles in them. Unfortunately it's still a real guessing game as to how they're going to feel when I take them for 10 or more miles tomorrow. One other thing that was quite interesting about my buying experience was I asked the salesman if he was going to use anything to measure my feet with. His response is that won't really help since all shoes are constructed differentiy. He just might have a point since I wound up feeling comfortable in size 8 with regular width. That's quite different compared to the 7.5 extra wide width I usually buy.