Shoe question (Read 799 times)

Hi! I just joined here.  I've been running for about 6 years now.  I'm currently training for my first marathon...

Several years ago I went to a running store and had them do an evaluation to tell me what kind of shoes I should wear.  I'd been having some problems with knee/hip pain and since I'd never really thought about my shoes (just bought what was comfortable) I thought that would be a good thing to do.  So, to make a long story longer, they told me that I needed a stability shoe.  I picked out a Brooks pair that were comfortable and went on my merry way.  About a month later I noticed that I was having increasing problems with shin pain.  I took some time off but when I started up again, the shin pain came back.  I tried to just run through it and after another few months, the pain subsided some.

Fast forward a year or so...I again had someone evaluate my feet and they told me that I needed stability shoes so again, I bought a pair.  Again, the shin problems started up again.  This time, I stopped wearing the stability shoes and bought a pair of what I assume are neutral shoes.  The pain is gone and has been ever since (I've never gone back to the stability shoes).

So, here's the question (finally)...how could two different running stores recommend shoes that obviously were wrong for me?  I need another pair of shoes soon and I'm very skeptical to go to a running store to get fitted.  I'm certain they will tell me that I need a stability shoe that will just make my shins hurt.

Thanks if you got this far!  And thanks for any help!!

If I wear the shoes I'm :"suppose" to wear, I feel like I have a 2x4 slapped to the bottom of my foot.  A co-worker of mine should be in motion control shoes, but he runs quite well in stability shoes. 

When ever I switch shoes, I use them for about a week of runs on my Treadmill. Then, if in a week or so I have any new pains, I return them (and there's no wear/tear/dirt).

There are a lot of things to consider here.  I could be wrong about a lot, but I might also be right, so take or leave my limited input.

Your feet have probably been wearing shoes for a long time.  They probably weren't stability shoes often or at all.  So, you probably grew up accustomed to other types of shoes.  That may play a factor.

Your log says you run to/from work a lot.  Does that mean roads or sidewalks?  Those are far harder on your shins than grass.

Neutral shoes are also called "cushioning" shoes for a reason.  The idea is that neutral runners don't mitigate as much impact through rolling the foot, so they need more cushion in their landing.  If neutral shoes have been giving you decent cushion, then they might have been helping avoid shin splints.

Feet roll for a reason.  Wearing a shoe to lessen the roll is generally considered a gait improvement, but certainly begs the question of why exactly are we changing what our body naturally wants to do?  I'm not saying stability shoes are bad, but I am saying it's not surprising that a neutral cushioned shoe doesn't offend your shins as much.

So what does a "better" gait do for you?  It may prevent a number of other injuries.  It's a hard balance to strike, as different types of shoes will help or hinder different things.  Mileage can change the name of the game, too.  Low mileage and high mileage vary the demand on your legs by a lot.  An ideal gait generally helps reduce repetitive stress injuries.  That's why I ask about what surfaces you're running on, because gait may have very little to do with you getting shin splints.

I recommend running on more grass.

There are a lot of things to consider here.  I could be wrong about a lot, but I might also be right, so take or leave my limited input.

 

Your feet have probably been wearing shoes for a long time.  They probably weren't stability shoes often or at all.  So, you probably grew up accustomed to other types of shoes.  That may play a factor.

 

Your log says you run to/from work a lot.  Does that mean roads or sidewalks?  Those are far harder on your shins than grass.

 

Neutral shoes are also called "cushioning" shoes for a reason.  The idea is that neutral runners don't mitigate as much impact through rolling the foot, so they need more cushion in their landing.  If neutral shoes have been giving you decent cushion, then they might have been helping avoid shin splints.

 

Feet roll for a reason.  Wearing a shoe to lessen the roll is generally considered a gait improvement, but certainly begs the question of why exactly are we changing what our body naturally wants to do?  I'm not saying stability shoes are bad, but I am saying it's not surprising that a neutral cushioned shoe doesn't offend your shins as much.

 

So what does a "better" gait do for you?  It may prevent a number of other injuries.  It's a hard balance to strike, as different types of shoes will help or hinder different things.  Mileage can change the name of the game, too.  Low mileage and high mileage vary the demand on your legs by a lot.  An ideal gait generally helps reduce repetitive stress injuries.  That's why I ask about what surfaces you're running on, because gait may have very little to do with you getting shin splints.

 

I recommend running on more grass.

 Whew!  Let me see if I can get out all the info you are asking for...

Yes, currently I run home from work ALOT.  It's mostly sidewalks and asphalt.  Probably a 40/60 mix of concrete to asphalt.  My weekend long runs are all asphalt although I run on a trail so I can easily run the bulk of it in grass.  I'm nervous to do that though.  When I was a gymnast (100 years ago) I was told I had weak ankles so I get nervous anytime I'm in a situation where I might twist an ankle.  Do I need to worry?

The shin problems occured when I was running mainly on asphalt.  I wasn't running from work then so all of my runs were on an asphalt "running" trail near my house.

Would a better gait help with the knee/hip problem I experienced in the first place?  I started having trouble when I started this latest training plan but consiously made myself run with better posture and strides and that seemed to get rid of the knee/hip pain.  Is that what a better gait is?  Better posture and strides?

Sorry...I'm really new to all of this stuff so I feel like I'm asking a bunch of dumb questions.  You'd never know my husband was a marathoner and certified coach would you?  (Don't ask why I don't just talk to  him about this)

 

Is the knee/hip pain, that initially caused you to look at new shoes several years ago, gone now even though you went back to neutral shoes?

 Yes.  It started up a little a few weeks ago but I found that if I stopped shuffling my feet and ran, it wouldn't flare up.

Thanks!  I guess I was just worried that the sales people would try to argue with me when I said I wanted a neutral shoe.  I hate arguing with sales people.  I'm not good at it and I usually end up leaving without buying what I wanted in the first place.

 

So, next step in the question...I've been trying to figure out the next generation of the shoes I have.  I bought 2 pairs a few years ago since I liked them so much but now I need new ones.  They are New Balance 767.  Obvioulsy I can't find them anywhere.  Does anyone know what the newer version is?

 I'm pretty sure they recently came out with the 768 model.  Try online if it isn't in stores.

Hmm, the reviews on Runner's World for the 768 aren't very positive.  Read them and see what you can make of it, but supposedly the shoe has MORE "stability" than the previous 767 model and a couple of people even complained about it causing shin splints.  Take personal testimonies with a big grain of salt, though!

http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/shoefinder_detail/1,,s6-240-325-329-0-0-0-0-1343,00.html

 I'm pretty sure they recently came out with the 768 model.  Try online if it isn't in stores.

 

Hmm, the reviews on Runner's World for the 768 aren't very positive.  Read them and see what you can make of it, but supposedly the shoe has MORE "stability" than the previous 767 model and a couple of people even complained about it causing shin splints.  Take personal testimonies with a big grain of salt, though!

 

http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/shoefinder_detail/1,,s6-240-325-329-0-0-0-0-1343,00.html

Thanks!  I'll try them out and maybe switch back to Asics...

 

That's what I was thinking too.  I was just surprised that two different running stores recommended the same shoes that caused a new problem.

 

I'll stick with my more neutral shoes from now on I think.

 

Thanks again to all of you for your input!  

 Maybe they were trying to use their normal correction methods for the problem.  Did they watch you run outside or on the treadmill when they recommended the new shoes?