good expensive runners or orthotics?

Cheeky_0102 · June 2013

I have REALLY bad feet. I mean BAD. I have no arches, I'm knock kneed, pigeon toed and my joints hyper extend, I'm super injury prone. I probably should have been put in braces as a child to fix this as i grew but my parents thought it would be cruel. I'm not handicapped, and I'm quite able, i just have thes little tweaks to be aware of.

Here is am training to run again - this is round 5 or so of getting to week 4 of the c25k. I'm also doing some bike rides with my sister (like a 200 km event so 50-100 km training rides weekly). I'm really feeling it this time! I have some races planned for the next year so i really want to get the running thing happening for me.

I'm also dirt poor right now. My husband has been laid off for three months. It's crappy, we can hardly afford food, so i can't just go spend money without really thinking about it. My runners are crap. I have two pairs, neither was good to begin with, but one pair does a great job of making my gait worse, the other has holes and the toes are about to split.

I have extended health that will cover orthotics, is there anything they can do for running? is that even a direction to go? I'm trying to pull some money out of my budget for the stuff i need, but at this point i desperately need a peaid of clip in bike shoes and padded shorts as well as running shoes. I'll also need registration fees for the swim club in september if i go that way. My benefits don't kick in until August 1, so i can't even go see the doctor to get an opinion until then, if it's even worth it.

Should i go to the running store and get fitted for good shoes and stop feeding my kids for a while to afford them? or can orthotics be used since they are paid for?

thanks!

sjp_511 · June 2013

First off, no shoes are more important than feeding your kids. Feeding you kids should take priority over your running, biking, and swimming. You should consider a hiatus from at least 2 of those activities if buying the proper gear is out of reach.

I don't know much about orthotics but I do know a few people who wear them for running. They are expensive but if you have good enough insurance to cover it then go for it. I do know that when you use orthotics you should only use a neutral shoe - don't have the store fit you and sell you something else.

Good luck with getting your finances on track, your foot problems, and your training!

Cheeky_0102 · June 2013

i think the question would have been better put as "are there orthotics for runners?"

Cheeky_0102 · June 2013

I guess it's hard to communicate the sarcasm when i say my kids won't eat. I'm obviously not going to starve my kids so i can swim, i was just trying to say in my tongue in cheek way that i will have to make major sacrifices.

I just mean i will have to budget carefully. I think the orthotics would be more or less completely covered by my extended health, but i would still need to get some new shoes to put them in to... but maybe they would be able to move from shoe to shoe, so i would get more use out of them.

BrianSharpe · June 2013

The short answer is yes, there are orthotics for runners, I have several friends who have had them custom made)

At this point I'd suggest that you focus on the biking (it will help keep your cardio fitness up) and, as soon as possible after your benefits kick in see a specialist to get fitted for orthotics, it sounds like your foot problems are probably beyond the realm of what on off-the-shelf shoe manufacturer can correct. (I got your sarcasm.....I think the same thing every time I have to buy new shoes! :laugh: )

uscooleys · June 2013

I buy the right shoes and also wear orthotics due to some foot issues -- my recommendation is to go to a reputable running store and get fitted for the right shoes first. They can watch you run and look at your gait etc and make recommendations. If they feel you would benefit from an orthotic -- get that before you buy the shoe. You will want to have the orthotic with you when you try shoes to make sure everything is comfortable. I had to switch to a different brand of shoes after I got my orthotics so that the fit was comfortable.

Bottom line -- if you have foot issues now - running with poor shoes is just going to make them worse.

aprileko71 · June 2013

I do know that when you use orthotics you should only use a neutral shoe - don't have the store fit you and sell you something else.

Really? Why? I just got fitted for them and wear a stability shoe. I can't say yet whether I think think the orthotics are doing any good or not. I do know I get really confused when trying to figure this out!

aprileko71 · June 2013

I do know that when you use orthotics you should only use a neutral shoe - don't have the store fit you and sell you something else.

Really? Why? I just got fitted for them and wear a stability shoe. I can't say yet whether I think think the orthotics are doing any good or not. I do know I get really confused when trying to figure this out!

Cheeky_0102 · June 2013

I'm not sure if i need to stop running until i can get shoes, i just don't want to ramp it up too much until i sort out the shoe problem. I'm doing job intervals on the c25k, taking it pretty slow since I'm still out of shape, never running more than 20 minutes with a 10 minute walk at this point. I think i will have to redo week 4 (my nemesis) because yesterday it was so hard i almost threw up. (maybe a slight exageration)
the furthest i will get before my benefits kick in is to 20 minute runs without stopping, I'll work on getting faster once i get to where i can just keep moving through without choking on my lungs.

thanks for the advice!

sjp_511 · June 2013

I guess it's hard to communicate the sarcasm when i say my kids won't eat. I'm obviously not going to starve my kids so i can swim, i was just trying to say in my tongue in cheek way that i will have to make major sacrifices.

I just mean i will have to budget carefully. I think the orthotics would be more or less completely covered by my extended health, but i would still need to get some new shoes to put them in to... but maybe they would be able to move from shoe to shoe, so i would get more use out of them.

I am dense when it comes across at picking up sarcasm, especially in writing and the fact that you described your financial hardship in a bit more detail than your tongue-in-cheek comment about feeding your kids. I wasn't trying to be rude and I hesitated about making my comments. I am sorry if I offended you, but I stand by my comments about evaluating the variety of activities you describe and the costs associated with them if money is tight. I wish you the best of luck with your situation.

I do know that when you use orthotics you should only use a neutral shoe - don't have the store fit you and sell you something else.

Really? Why? I just got fitted for them and wear a stability shoe. I can't say yet whether I think think the orthotics are doing any good or not. I do know I get really confused when trying to figure this out!

I am not an expert in orthodics. I just recall from a shoe seminar I went to as part of a training program that someone asked about orthotics. The speaker said that you wear a neutral shoe since the orthotic corrects for over/under pronation. A stability shoe is designed for overpronation, so paired with an orthotic that corrects for overpronation there could be an overcorrection. Again, I am not an expert so take whatever I saw with a grain of salt (or maybe a whole shaker full!) and talk to your podiatrist you got the orthodics from.

Cheeky_0102 · June 2013

I don't offend easily.

We are broke right now, but it's a temporary situation, there are families that live on less disposable income than i do, and they do it forever. I just hate that i end up needing things when we have the least money. I know i will buy my kids sandals and a bike before this stuff even hit my priority list (lame

) but that's what we do as parents. Do without so that they can have what they need

jenelizmin · June 2013

My husband manages a group of foot and ankle Dr's. He's not a DR and either am I, but here's the basic info as it was put to me when I started working on my fitness more.
1. shoes are designed to fit a range of feet. custom orthotics are designed for just your feet.
2. just because you get orthotics doesn't mean you automatically need neutral shoes. people have physical attributes that are the primary focus of orthotics but they may have certain styles/techniques/bad habits that the shoes may help compensate for.
3.all orthotics are not the same. for example I'm in the military and can get 3 different kinds. 1 for every day wear in boots, 1 for my dress shoes, and one for my running shoes.

My opinion would be get the orthotics first. After you are used to them (and have some extra money) then I would take them with you and going to a good running store. You don't want to buy running shoes without them because they might change what you need. I wouldn't go to a running store and see if they recommend the orthotics. They are experts on running gait/style etc but not foot structure. Talk to Doctors first and get athletic advice second.

Don't get me wrong. I'll never discount a good pair of running shoes but having something designed for you body is always ideal.

Doodlewhopper · June 2013

You dont need money to get there. I suggest you try lower body work outs. Squats, lunges, top lifts, toe rises, jumping jacks, burpees, jump rope, etc. and walk/jog barefooted in grassy areas. This will strengthen you legs, feet and arches. Throw in some yoga. .

8 weeks and you will be transformed. Strong legs and feet will probably solve a few of your problems

Narla444 · June 2013

My opinion would be get the orthotics first.

^ Agreed!

OP - I have many of the same problems as you. My foot specialist will often submit the cost of new running shoes with my orthotics, and so far insurance has approved it.

As far as being injury prone - I can't count the number of times I've sprained my ankles and knees, usually because my feet were not support properly and I was trying to compensate. My doctor's suggestion to me was re-training & strengthening the muscles supporting the joints. A wobble board for the ankle and IOTs for the knees. I've also found that some yoga poses really help with my feet, especially the squatting poses. I used to get terrible foot cramping if I spent a lot of time on my feet in poor shoes.

good expensive runners or orthotics?

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