Shoe fitting? Real or Hocus Pocus?

Options
13»

Replies

  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
    Options
    I just did this. Have plantar faciaitis. Went to try a regular shoe store and ended up leaving in more pain than when I got there. When to a running store that does the full foot strike analysis, I cannot run due to my knees, but they showed me how high my archers really were and recommend shoes and inserts for regular shoes. The shoes where pricey but my feet and knee are both happier now when I walk, pain free. It was worth it for me. Plus they showed my how I roll my foot when I walk and offered advice on how to adjust my walking to straighten this out.
  • samantha1242
    samantha1242 Posts: 816 Member
    Options
    I've had running shoes "fitted" because I have a bad knee from dance and it was starting to hurt from a boot camp I was going to in mediocre run of the mill shoes. They just watch you walk, ask to see your old running shoes to see how you wear them out (on the bottom) which helps them see how you step, I guess. She told me I needed arch support and grabbed a bunch of shoes for me to try with arch support. The moment I put on my saucony running shoes it felt like I stepped into heaven. Heaven in a shoe. No more knee pain!

    In my opinion, I'd go and get fitted and then see how they feel. Go home and buy them online. They boost the price a lot at the stores which I understand, but still. Expensive!
  • Doodlewhopper
    Doodlewhopper Posts: 1,018 Member
    Options
    I've had running shoes "fitted" because I have a bad knee from dance and it was starting to hurt from a boot camp I was going to in mediocre run of the mill shoes. They just watch you walk, ask to see your old running shoes to see how you wear them out (on the bottom) which helps them see how you step, I guess. She told me I needed arch support and grabbed a bunch of shoes for me to try with arch support. The moment I put on my saucony running shoes it felt like I stepped into heaven. Heaven in a shoe. No more knee pain!

    In my opinion, I'd go and get fitted and then see how they feel. Go home and buy them online. They boost the price a lot at the stores which I understand, but still. Expensive!

    I am in the petrochemical industry & in no way associated with anything related to sports retailing; but it's wrong to use the store's resources & not buy their merchandise. Right is right and wrong is wrong and there is no way to justify what you advocate.

    It takes time, money, and equipment to analyze a runner; plus just maybe the store lost a sale because they were busy helping you & couldnt get to a legitimate buyer who couldnt wait.

    Trade places for a moment and consider how it would feel to have to work for free an extra 45 minutes a day.

    Hope you reconsider & give our local merchants a fair shake, cuz one day we will miss the services of those who went out of business.
  • macdiver
    macdiver Posts: 145 Member
    Options

    I agree. For those of us with mechanical problems caused by supination issues running barefoot or in minimal shoes is not an option. The cartilage under my knee cap has been rubbed away and I now have osteoarthritis - all due to overpronation since I could first walk.

    Some days I struggled to get out of bed or get off the sofa due to chronic knee pain, not to mention daily doses of strong anti-arthritic drugs. Now, just a year after seeing a podiatrist and using orthotics in all my shoes and running shoes that are right for my feet, I am running up to 5k at a time. My feet are in the right place, so my kneecaps and joints are lined up correctly. And all it cost was £90 for the podiatrist (£60 for two visits and £30 for two sets of orthotics - she adjusted off-the-peg ones to save me money) and £80 for a pair of running shoes. A damn sight cheaper than the prescription drugs I was taking every day.

    A year ago I struggled to walk down the street some days, now I can run. Yes, I still get knee pain and I know that the arthritis will never go away, but I'm confident that the damage being caused has been halted or at least slowed down. The outcome from getting proper advice has been nothing short of a miracle for me.

    My experience is just the opposite. I had to quit running twenty years ago because my knees would swell after each run. I had the left knee "rebuilt" when I was 19. The right knee cracks and pops more than the left knee. At 30 I was told I would need new knees by the time I was 50. I am 47 now. I did two things that I think has really helped me. First the doctor who rebuilt my left knee told me to never quit moving, either run, bike, hike etc. After I quit running I started mountain biking. I also hike alot. This his kept the arthritis and pain in check. Second, I discovered barefoot running 3 - 4 years ago. I started running again since that is the cardio I love the most. I finished a marathon with no swelling or pain. I am sure that if I continued heel striking I would still have swollen knees. Running barefoot I get immediate feedback on my form but people do run with proper form with shoes. I will say this is all my opinion and not heavily backed by studies one way or the other.

    I also do not believe that we need shoes to correct our natural form. Some people supinate some people over-pronate. Both are mostly a heel strike issue Trying to fix the motion with shoes is the problem. Learn to land on the fore or mid foot and it is very difficult to supinate or over-pronate. Some pronation is natural. Again, just my opinion.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Options

    I agree. For those of us with mechanical problems caused by supination issues running barefoot or in minimal shoes is not an option. The cartilage under my knee cap has been rubbed away and I now have osteoarthritis - all due to overpronation since I could first walk.

    Some days I struggled to get out of bed or get off the sofa due to chronic knee pain, not to mention daily doses of strong anti-arthritic drugs. Now, just a year after seeing a podiatrist and using orthotics in all my shoes and running shoes that are right for my feet, I am running up to 5k at a time. My feet are in the right place, so my kneecaps and joints are lined up correctly. And all it cost was £90 for the podiatrist (£60 for two visits and £30 for two sets of orthotics - she adjusted off-the-peg ones to save me money) and £80 for a pair of running shoes. A damn sight cheaper than the prescription drugs I was taking every day.

    A year ago I struggled to walk down the street some days, now I can run. Yes, I still get knee pain and I know that the arthritis will never go away, but I'm confident that the damage being caused has been halted or at least slowed down. The outcome from getting proper advice has been nothing short of a miracle for me.

    My experience is just the opposite. I had to quit running twenty years ago because my knees would swell after each run. I had the left knee "rebuilt" when I was 19. The right knee cracks and pops more than the left knee. At 30 I was told I would need new knees by the time I was 50. I am 47 now. I did two things that I think has really helped me. First the doctor who rebuilt my left knee told me to never quit moving, either run, bike, hike etc. After I quit running I started mountain biking. I also hike alot. This his kept the arthritis and pain in check. Second, I discovered barefoot running 3 - 4 years ago. I started running again since that is the cardio I love the most. I finished a marathon with no swelling or pain. I am sure that if I continued heel striking I would still have swollen knees. Running barefoot I get immediate feedback on my form but people do run with proper form with shoes. I will say this is all my opinion and not heavily backed by studies one way or the other.

    I also do not believe that we need shoes to correct our natural form. Some people supinate some people over-pronate. Both are mostly a heel strike issue Trying to fix the motion with shoes is the problem. Learn to land on the fore or mid foot and it is very difficult to supinate or over-pronate. Some pronation is natural. Again, just my opinion.

    I have changed from mild heel strike to a mid foot land, I still have issues. Like I said, I agree with you mostly, however, I don't believe it is for every one. The majority, yes, everyone, no.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
    Options
    it's real. people can run in anything but there are tons of people who ran in the army and marines in combat boots and years later have all kinds of knee problems. so even though it might not seem important NOW wearing proper footwear can have effects years don the road.


    with that said, OP you are over 300 pounds. that's a lot of pressure on your joints so you definitely want to make sure that you get yourself the correct pair of shoes with lot of cushioning in the heel and lots of motion control if you're a heel striker. as you lose weight you may find that your run technique changes which means your shoe needs will change.

    i'm still large (over 200) but i've always been a fore front runner, sometimes mid foot, so i can get away with minimalist shoes. in addition to just feeling more natural, running on the fore foot means you can run faster and i love running fast :happy:
  • mapnerd2005
    mapnerd2005 Posts: 363
    Options
    Definitely REAL. I was a skeptic until my brother-in-law took me with him to get fitted (he's an elite marathoner). I had heel and shin pain prior to the fitting, and after running was actually enjoyable. While my muscles were still worked and I had occasional soreness from hard work, it was a world of difference with my properly fitted shoes.
  • SRH7
    SRH7 Posts: 2,037 Member
    Options
    My experience is just the opposite. I had to quit running twenty years ago because my knees would swell after each run. I had the left knee "rebuilt" when I was 19. The right knee cracks and pops more than the left knee. At 30 I was told I would need new knees by the time I was 50. I am 47 now. I did two things that I think has really helped me. First the doctor who rebuilt my left knee told me to never quit moving, either run, bike, hike etc. After I quit running I started mountain biking. I also hike alot. This his kept the arthritis and pain in check. Second, I discovered barefoot running 3 - 4 years ago. I started running again since that is the cardio I love the most. I finished a marathon with no swelling or pain. I am sure that if I continued heel striking I would still have swollen knees. Running barefoot I get immediate feedback on my form but people do run with proper form with shoes. I will say this is all my opinion and not heavily backed by studies one way or the other.

    I also do not believe that we need shoes to correct our natural form. Some people supinate some people over-pronate. Both are mostly a heel strike issue Trying to fix the motion with shoes is the problem. Learn to land on the fore or mid foot and it is very difficult to supinate or over-pronate. Some pronation is natural. Again, just my opinion.

    Completely agree about keeping moving! I've been hiking practically since I could walk and while my knees are a real issue when climbing mountains, I've no doubt they would be far, far worse if I didn't get out hiking every weekend. I do find running has helped my hiking technique too - letting my feet take the strain by using them correctly, and not heel striking, is vital to keeping my knees working. I just wish they taught us this when we were at school!
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Options
    Someone recently told me to get fitted for some running shoes because my out side shin muscles begin to tighten as I run and it limits my running. I am 300 lbs and trying desperately to increase my exercise in my short 30 minute time limit.

    Any way so my questions are:
    1. Has anyone done this before?
    2. Is it real or just a bunch of hocus pocus?
    3. IF it is real is it worth it?
    4. Speaking of worth it how much does it cost?
    5. Who does it?
    6. And finally after getting "fit" do I know what shoes to buy in the future when these wear out or do you have to get "fitted" every time.

    Thanks in advance to the wonderful MFP family.

    1. Has anyone done this before? yes
    2. Is it real or just a bunch of hocus pocus?real
    3. IF it is real is it worth it?yes
    4. Speaking of worth it how much does it cost?nothing
    5. Who does it?lots of people
    6. And finally after getting "fit" do I know what shoes to buy in the future when these wear out or do you have to get "fitted" every time? up to you
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    Options
    1. Has anyone done this before? YES!
    2. Is it real or just a bunch of hocus pocus? NO!
    3. IF it is real is it worth it? It's free at a good running store.
    4. Speaking of worth it how much does it cost? $0 around here.
    5. Who does it? A trained sales person who is a runner.
    6. And finally after getting "fit" do I know what shoes to buy in the future when these wear out or do you have to get "fitted" every time. If you are losing weight, or switching from walking to running, I would get fitted every time. When you stabilize your weight, you can buy the shoes they recommend online for a 20% savings.

    And I would like to add, I have had knee surgery, arthritis and all that crap. I ran 5ks in the service with a backpack at 16:58. I wrecked a motorcycle, had skiing accidents - it's bad. Your joints are what they are. I suggest you take care of them. If you have pain, get a doctor, a chiropractor or a podiatrist (I have all 3). Do your best to stretch, rest, drink lots of water, and work your way into walking running, or biking.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    Options

    I agree. For those of us with mechanical problems caused by supination issues running barefoot or in minimal shoes is not an option. The cartilage under my knee cap has been rubbed away and I now have osteoarthritis - all due to overpronation since I could first walk.

    Some days I struggled to get out of bed or get off the sofa due to chronic knee pain, not to mention daily doses of strong anti-arthritic drugs. Now, just a year after seeing a podiatrist and using orthotics in all my shoes and running shoes that are right for my feet, I am running up to 5k at a time. My feet are in the right place, so my kneecaps and joints are lined up correctly. And all it cost was £90 for the podiatrist (£60 for two visits and £30 for two sets of orthotics - she adjusted off-the-peg ones to save me money) and £80 for a pair of running shoes. A damn sight cheaper than the prescription drugs I was taking every day.

    A year ago I struggled to walk down the street some days, now I can run. Yes, I still get knee pain and I know that the arthritis will never go away, but I'm confident that the damage being caused has been halted or at least slowed down. The outcome from getting proper advice has been nothing short of a miracle for me.

    My experience is just the opposite. I had to quit running twenty years ago because my knees would swell after each run. I had the left knee "rebuilt" when I was 19. The right knee cracks and pops more than the left knee. At 30 I was told I would need new knees by the time I was 50. I am 47 now. I did two things that I think has really helped me. First the doctor who rebuilt my left knee told me to never quit moving, either run, bike, hike etc. After I quit running I started mountain biking. I also hike alot. This his kept the arthritis and pain in check. Second, I discovered barefoot running 3 - 4 years ago. I started running again since that is the cardio I love the most. I finished a marathon with no swelling or pain. I am sure that if I continued heel striking I would still have swollen knees. Running barefoot I get immediate feedback on my form but people do run with proper form with shoes. I will say this is all my opinion and not heavily backed by studies one way or the other.

    I also do not believe that we need shoes to correct our natural form. Some people supinate some people over-pronate. Both are mostly a heel strike issue Trying to fix the motion with shoes is the problem. Learn to land on the fore or mid foot and it is very difficult to supinate or over-pronate. Some pronation is natural. Again, just my opinion.

    I have changed from mild heel strike to a mid foot land, I still have issues. Like I said, I agree with you mostly, however, I don't believe it is for every one. The majority, yes, everyone, no.

    I would wager that most people that switch from heel striking to midfoot striking, without going through forefoot striking first, are still heel striking, and just fooling themselves.

    Midfoot striking in a variant of forefoot striking. IMHO you cannot midfoot strike if you cannot sustain forefoot striking. I used to think I was a midfoot striker after switching from heel striking, until I tried true forefoot striking. I now LOL at what I used to think was midfoot striking.

    It isn't about where the foot touches the ground, a heel striker has no concept of using the arch and calves as cushion. Putting your foot down a little differently does not fix that, you have to learn to run with flexed calves. Midfoot striking is forefoot striking with a slightly less flexed calf, so that you can better engage your posterior chain for propulsion (you let your heel kiss the ground instead of keeping it up).

Categories