Can we talk aches and pains and shoes?

Soxgirl97

When I started my weight loss and fitness journey in February I went to The Walking Company and got shoes. I am prone to shin splits and also have plantar fasciitis. At the time I never thought I'd attempt running. I needed shoes that fit well for walking. The shoes are the brand Abeo and they are great for walking. Very comfortable!

Now that I've started C25K I wonder if I should go get fitted at an actual running store. I stretch before and after I run but my ankles and shins are still very uncomfortable the entire time. I am still trying to adjust my form. I have high arches but I feel like I land very heavy...not graceful at all. I know I should be trying to land on the middle of my feet and not flat footed.

I have a friend who runs marathons and she thinks I'm silly to spend money on another pair of shoes so soon. She said shoes only made a difference for her once she started running longer distances. But she was also not 50 lbs overweight and totally out of shape when she started. Am I crazy to think shoes can help with my discomfort even if I'm still at the beginning of C25K?

amberpic

I guess it depends if you're on a budget or not. If money's not an issue, I'd get fitted for running shoes as you'll be putting in more and more distance throughout the program. It doesn't hurt to have more than one pair of good shoes!

I am getting back into running after a long, medically-induced hiatus. I used to run 2 hours a day, 6 days a week. I'd get shin splints about once a year. This is what I'd do for them:

1) Stick to soft surfaces - track, grass, dirt. AVOID CONCRETE AT ALL COSTS! Treadmill is ok, but I always thought the vibration made them hurt worse.
2) After you run, ice your shins 20 minutes on/20 minutes off x 3 (if possible...if not, just 20 minutes on is better than nothing). When I was young and didn't have responsibilities (ie. children), I would sit and watch TV for 2 hours while I iced. Since that isn't possible now, I'll put the ice pack in place, then hold it on with an Ace bandage. That way I can do stuff like make dinner while icing.
3) Stretch - point and flex, point and flex - and massage - run your thumb up and down the shin
4) If they hurt really bad, you can tape or wrap your shins while you run...it takes some of the pressure off.
5) Likewise, you can also wrap them during the day if you do a lot of walking around or if they still hurt.

They'd go away for me after about two weeks of this. Never had plantar fascitis, but my husband has and his doctor gave him some exercises for that.

likitisplit

Walking shoes tend to be more built up in the heel than running shoes because you heel strike much more when walking. I'd get fitted and see what the difference feels like. You don't need to buy that day if you don't feel like it's not that much of an improvement.