Help my poor feet!

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Rachelito
Rachelito Posts: 119 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Help! I know I need to go to a specialty running store to see how my feet work but I just bought new shoes and im hoping there is some way I can make these work. They are my second pair, 2 different brands and when I walk more than a mile or run/jog my feet ache. On my left foot the very outside gets a sharp pain in the middle and goes up to my little toe but on my right foot my inside arch hurts. Any ideas on how to fix this or a last resort, a new kind of shoe? I just spent $80 on these and already wore them for 1.5 miles tonight, so I doubt I can return them.


I bought Reebok ZigLites if that makes any kind of difference.

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  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    this is why it's good to get your gait and stuff looked at.

    price doesn't mean much if it's not the right shoe for your foot. also you should be able to return the shoes.. depending on where you bought them from of course. i usually buy my athletic shoes from places like REI that have a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,077 Member
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    There are a few categories of shoes: stability, neutral, lightweight, etc. You need a specialty store to check your arches, if you probate, etc and tell you which category you need. These shops are also more likely to let you return shoes you used and did't like, provided you can talk through what went wrong and try something else.
  • khrys1
    khrys1 Posts: 444 Member
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    Inserts might help- you can try those Dr. Scholl's ones they have at various stores (where you actually step on a machine and it figures out what arch you need). I have inserts I got from an infomercial that I wear in every pair of shoes- they really help. Good luck!
  • amybg1
    amybg1 Posts: 631 Member
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    Get your gait analyzed at a specialty store, they'll also recommend the best shoe for you in terms of brand and what's best for how wide your feet are.

    Example: I have size 11 feet so shoes can be hard to find - went to a running store, they analyzed my feet and they have LOADS of shoes in my size so I typically buy from them but had never gotten my gait analyzed until I started running.

    I pronate just a bit and so a stability shoe is best for me. Tried many different brands but found Asics to be the brand my feet respond to the best. I use either the GT-1000 or 200's for walking and the Kayanos for running.

    All this I found out at a specialty running store. They provided me with the info I needed and from there I experimented with a few brands in the Stability category to see which ones worked best for me
  • Mamapengu
    Mamapengu Posts: 250
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    Help! I know I need to go to a specialty running store to see how my feet work but I just bought new shoes and im hoping there is some way I can make these work. They are my second pair, 2 different brands and when I walk more than a mile or run/jog my feet ache. On my left foot the very outside gets a sharp pain in the middle and goes up to my little toe but on my right foot my inside arch hurts. Any ideas on how to fix this or a last resort, a new kind of shoe? I just spent $80 on these and already wore them for 1.5 miles tonight, so I doubt I can return them.


    I bought Reebok ZigLites if that makes any kind of difference.

    Like you said- you need to go to a running store to check your gait and get in the right shoe. You can expect to pay 100+ for a good shoe that has not been sitting on the shelf for a year (they can degrade even in the box over time). A reputable store will give you a return policy- if you have any problems they will re-fit you and exchange the shoes for another pair if needed. But... I just delt with the pain you described and know how debilitating it can be. Check out Peroneal tendonitis on-line and see if it fits your situaion. There were some great rolling techniques literally stoped my pain over 2 days. In general slow movement of the outside of the leg over a ball or foam roller while pushing down with your hands on the other other side to provide pressure.

    Good luck!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    If you got to a specialty store they'll usually let you take the shoes home and wear them, if they don't work they'll exchange them for a different pair. It's well worth being fitted properly until you know what type of shoe you need and can look for them on sale.
  • postcall
    postcall Posts: 12 Member
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    If you have health insurance go see a podiatrist. Is the tenderness something you can palpate. It could be plantar faciitis if its in the arch. I use vibram 5 fingers when this happens for a few days and then it is gone. Calf stretches also work for some people. The numbness is a different issue it could be that your feet are wider requiring a wider shoe(New balance makes these)
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
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    I highly reccomend a specialty store the first time, after that you kind of know what to look for. The nice thing about the specialty stores is they told me to try it for a run or two and come back if I didn't like them for an exchange. Usually they let you run around inside or outside their store as well...but just in case that's not enough. Also, not only do you need a shoe that fits how YOU run but one that fits ... period....not everyone really knows what a shoe 'fitting' feels like. They also showed me different ways to tie them to help them feel more comfortable for me. I LOVE my running shoes....I wont wear them for anything else...since I started exercizing over a year ago my closet has gone from 'heals' and 'flats' to .... running shoes, zumba shoes, hiking trail runners, hiking shoes, get dirty exercize sneakers etc. :)
  • DesignGrrl
    DesignGrrl Posts: 147 Member
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    I finally went to a specialty store and had them analyze my feet and for the first time, my feet didn't hurt when I walked or stood or jogged! I'm a huge fan of that method of shoe shopping.

    However, a friend of mine went to a place and they recommended some good insoles for her New Balance shoes that she didn't want to replace yet, and she said the guy told her that the insoles would outlast her shoes. Maybe give that a try?
  • Rachelito
    Rachelito Posts: 119 Member
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    Updating here! I was able to return the other shoes and went straight to a specialty store. The owner spent 45 minutes helping me out and trying on shoes. I came home, ran and my feet killed me, worse than before. Im going back tomorrow and seeing if I can take them for a run there.

    Thanks for all the advice! I will be checking out that link. I do kind of think there is something wrong with my feet and its not all the shoes fault.
  • JesGilb
    JesGilb Posts: 30
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    One word. K-Tape. Helped me out tremendously. It was just the way I run, not the shoes.. and I started running, my feet, and my calves hurt soooo bad I almost gave up. Then I started using K-tape (kinesio tape). Try it.
  • Mamapengu
    Mamapengu Posts: 250
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    don't get discouraged. You may need to give your feet a few days/weeks to heal before starting slowly again. Also, as you get to be a better runner your stride will change so the shoe that works this time might not be right for you next year.

    If it does not get better within 2 weeks go see a doctor to make sure its not a stress fracture :(

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