Will running shoes make my feet stop hurting?

They might. That said, you might also have some sort of biomechanical/medical issue.

Make the investment in a good pair of running shoes. It won't be cheap but your feet will thank you.

Definitely get properly fitted for running shoes at a running specialty store.

Also, take a form clinic. Good form is very important! Most running stores offer them, or you can find some good info here: www.goodformrunning.com.

I'm 6'5" and 220 pounds. I was stuck at 3 miles until I went to a running store and had some folks check me out. They discovered I was using the wrong shoes and actually inhibiting my running. They determined I was a neutral runner with a high arch. I got the right shoes and I went from 3 miles to 9 in a few weeks.

I am now up to 14-16 miles on my long runs with no issues.

Shoes make all the difference!!!

Btw, your profile says you are at Full Sail. There is a Track Shack close to you on MIlls. Go there. Ask them.

yep,, its important to have a good pair,worth the money!

Be logical - you're pounding your feet in crappy shoes. Are you actually surprised your feet hurt? LOL. Go to a running store and invest the money in a really great pair of shoes and don't settle for shoes that aren't comfortable immediately. They are the most important thing you will buy in terms of equipment. I wore used Asics when I first started running because I wanted to make sure I was serious before I made the investment. They were OK and got me through the C25K program. My first pair new shoes were Nikes and they were NEVER that comfortable and wore out very quickly so they were a really bad investment. Then I switched to Brooks Glycerin and I can run absolutely pain free for miles and miles. No foot pain after either. They literally changed my life and my attitude about running. Now I actually look forward to my runs now that my feet no longer hurt. They are worth EVERY penny. I'm going to get new ones soon because I've worn these out even thought they're STILL remarkably comfortable. Get insoles too if recommended - they'll extend the life of your feet and your shoes. FYI - Glycerins are made for heavier runners (I'm not heavy anymore but still run in them), with a neutral gait, and somewhat high arches (LOTS of padding and cushioning).

I wouldn't waste any more money on $30 pair of shoes. I was doing that. I went through 4 pairs of runners doing this. I'm also jogging and I was literally killing my feet. I ended up going to a proper shoe store, getting fitted and walked out with a new pair of shoes. The new shoes have made a big difference. Go get fitted and grab a proper pair of shoes for you. The price might seem a little steep but considering how many pairs of runners you'll go through and not to mention the pain you are suffering, do it! Worth it!

I spent the best $115 of my life on a pair of Saucony running sneakers. No more knee pain - no more hip pain -- no foot pain. It's awesome.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go to a specialty running store and have a gait analysis. They will watch you walk, stand, and walk fast (or even have a machine that will analyze it) then have you try on different pairs of shoes based on your needs. Then you can decide which pair feels best. As a runner for 25 years I CANNOT stress the importance of good shoes and the RIGHT fitting shoes!! Your body depends on it. Do not waste the money on $30 shoes, a good pair is going to cost you around $100. Let me ask this, would you ask the doctor to give you a cheaper medication if it only covered a fraction of your symptoms or could make it worse, or would you rather the doctor give you the correct medication to help you? It's the same logic with running shoes and your body!!!

I have flat feet as well. My feet used to always get sore from too much walking...until I got running shoes/a shoe with decent support. I went out to Payless and got $30 running shoes and it definitely made a difference - even in my back.

You could always go somewhere where they have those machines - i think its dr scholls. You stand on it and it tells you what your arch is. I think ive seen one at walmart before.

Dont do this. As others have stated, you need to go to a specialty store that specializes in running and have them analyze/fit you for a decent pair of running shoes based upon your needs/running style. I am overweight, not a serious runner and I'm currently doing the C25K program. I was running in a pair of Nike's (not designed for running) and had pain in my legs/feet everytime! I went to a running store, they had me run on the treadmill and they videotaped my running style. I was able to watch the monitor to see that I over-pronate (I believe thats what they called it) where my feet kind of goes in towards each other while running. They had me try on different shoes that would (1) correct the pronation, (2) provide cushion so that my feet no longer hurt and (3) provide enough room to allow for swelling of my toes. You wont get the needed pair of shoes to correct your issues at Payless.

I spent about $130 but its worth it to NOT have anymore feet/leg pains.

Personally I think finding the right shoe is a very personal thing and more money will not always mean better shoe. thou every fitness magazine trainer and alike out there will say otherwise. they will all insist you by the most expensive, the newest, top of the line, ect ect ect.. Well guess what? I did and I got horrible planters fasciitis ( think very painful heal splints ). So I read Born To Run & got inspired to try minimalist shoes. I found a cheap pair that were very very flexible and had very thin sole and wallah no more planters for me! YAY!!! I now have an even more flexible and actually designed to be minimalist shoe that I adore!! I bought them for 40$ at TJ Max not sure how much they retail for. but hay just because minimalists works for me does not mean its for everyone. I think you should try a few styles and find the one you like best, though I know how expensive that can be. just remember outlets are your friends.

Good Luck! I hope you find a good style and fit for you soon, running is far to enjoyable to be hampered by sore feet!

( oh and btw I also have flat feet, I run manly on the balls of my feet with a very short stride. I don't run for speed I run for distance, though I'm told I'm quite fast. and when outdoors I only trail run, I hate pavement! )

The foot has 32 joints, 26 bones & 19 muscles. If an out of shape couch potato rearranges the living room furniture their body is going to ache the next day; so why do we feel something is wrong when we subject our flaccid and out of shape feet to pounding on hard asphalt & they ache?

Just like any other part of your body, your feet will ache until they get into shape. If youre not careful and over work them you risk overuse injuries, muscle strains, torn ligaments, tendonitis & stress fractures. The question should be asked, why use a shoe that will further weaken and hamper the development of strong and healthy foot?

Ive been a runner for a number of years. I ran in properly fitted & expensive shoes, and I was always nursing injuries and chronic shin splints. I read the inspiring book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall and went and bought my first pair of minimalist shoes. Other than aching feet, I havent had any injury or pain. My feet have literally transformed before my eyes, they are smaller, sleeker and stronger. My feet are now works of lean body mass and I have better balance....btw I weigh 225 lbs.

Read the following article linked below a couple of times to get the full impact.

"Dr Daniel Lieberman, professor of biological anthropology at Harvard University, has been studying the growing injury crisis in the developed world for some time and has come to a startling conclusion: 'A lot of foot and knee injuries currently plaguing us are caused by people running with shoes that actually make our feet weak, cause us to over-pronate (ankle rotation) and give us knee problems.

'Until 1972, when the modern athletic shoe was invented, people ran in very thin-soled shoes, had strong feet and had a much lower incidence of knee injuries.' "

"FEET LIKE A GOOD BEATING

Despite pillowy-sounding names such as 'MegaBounce', all that cushioning does nothing to reduce impact. Logically, that should be obvious - the impact on your legs from running can be up to 12 times your weight, so it's preposterous to believe a half-inch of rubber is going to make a difference.

When it comes to sensing the softest caress or tiniest grain of sand, your toes are as finely wired as your lips and fingertips. It's these nerve endings that tell your foot how to react to the changing ground beneath, not a strip of rubber.

To help prove this point, Dr Steven Robbins and Dr Edward Waked of McGill University, Montreal, performed a series of lengthy tests on gymnasts. They found that the thicker the landing mat, the harder the gymnasts landed. Instinctively, the gymnasts were searching for stability. When they sensed a soft surface underfoot, they slapped down hard to ensure balance. Runners do the same thing. When you run in cushioned shoes, your feet are pushing through the soles in search of a hard, stable platform.

'Currently available sports shoes are too soft and thick, and should be redesigned if they are to protect humans performing sports,' the researchers concluded.

To add weight to their argument, the acute-injury rehabilitation specialist David Smyntek carried out an experiment of his own. He had grown wary that the people telling him to trade in his favourite shoes every 300-500 miles were the same people who sold them to him.

But how was it, he wondered, that Arthur Newton, for instance, one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time, who broke the record for the 100-mile Bath-London run at the age of 51, never replaced his thin-soled canvaspumps until he'd put at least 4,000 miles on them?

So Smyntek changed tack. Whenever his shoes got thin, he kept on running. When the outside edge started to go, he swapped the right for the left and kept running. Five miles a day, every day.

Once he realised he could run comfortably in broken-down, even wrong-footed shoes, he had his answer. If he wasn't using them the way they were designed, maybe that design wasn't such a big deal after all.

He now only buys cheap trainers. "

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1170253/The-painful-truth-trainers-Are-expensive-running-shoes-waste-money.html

A really good pair of running shoes can be expensive, but worth it if you're experiencing pain.

Personally, I used to get a sharp shooting, stabbing pain in the ball of my left foot when I first started working out. I went to Run-On on the suggestion of my husband. They watch you walk and choose shoes that have the correct support for your personal posture and step. Yes, my shoes cost $120 but without them I wouldn't be able to work out.

After I made my shoe purchase, I came home feeling really bad about spending so much on one pair of shoes. Hubby reminded me that the medical costs of being obese would total way more than $120, so I actually saved our family money by buying shoes that let me continue to work out.