Custom fitting and shoes?
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RayInMotion
Posts: 89 Member
Do you go to a shoe place and get your feet and gait measured? Does it make a big difference? I run in Nike Dual Fusion and I do not suffer any foot/ankle/knee pain, so I'm wondering how advantageous it is to go with the big money shoes.
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The first piece of advice I give all of my friends and family who want to start running is to get measured at a running store for proper fitting shoes. It's possible you lucked into your perfect shoe- but you won't know for sure until you let a professional measure your feet and watch you run. It is DEFINITELY worth it. I have always had terrible knees (foot goes out at a 45 degree angle, knee sits crooked), but once I got fitted for proper shoes I have been running for 2 years now and completed a full marathon with no injuries. You only have to go once, then you can hunt online for deals. It is, however, customary and good manners to buy your first pair at the store that fits you for shoes.
It's one of those things you don't think you need until you try it, and realize it's actually magical to be running in a properly fitted pair of shoes.0 -
I have always gotten fitted at the store. It is probably a little more expensive, but the pair I end up with is usually between $100-$150 (and usually the same pair online is only $10-$20 cheaper). Even if you don't have pain now, the right shoe can prevent injuries and pain from even starting. It is worth it to me to spend a little more.0
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Theres very few studies into gait analysis... Why? Because the people who would sponsor them (the running companies) have no interest in proving that gait analysis isnt really effective Theres a interesting BBC documentary called the truth about sports products that references a massive US Army study (a neutral study) into gait analysis.. and also some neutrally funded gait research being paid for by the U.S Government. Study one finds that in a when soldiers are randomly assigned either neutral, or fitted shoes, there is no correlation of injury based on whether a shoe is fitted or not. Study two shows that actually minimalist shoes are best for injury prevention although you do have to learn a new style of running. If you can find the programme, i really recommend watching it.Two studies recently published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine and the British Journal of Sports Medicine found absolutely no correlation between shoe types and injury reduction/avoidance. The study published in the American Journal of Sport Medicine (ajs.sagepub.com; Injury Reduction Effectiveness of Assigning Running Shoes Based on Plantar Shape in Marine Corps Basic Training) involved thousands of military recruits who were divided into various groups. Some were fitted with the "proper shoe type", while others were given shoes at random without any assessment of foot strike or gait pattern. At the end of the study period the reported results indicated that there was no relation between fit and injury prevention.
In the British Journal of Sports Medicine (bjsm.bmj.com; The Effect of Three Different Levels of Footwear Stability on Pain Outcomes in Women Runners) a similar study was done involving 80 female runners who completed a 13-week running trial. Interestingly, in this study the majority of those who reported missing days due to injuries or pain were those who were fitted to their shoes.
The final recommendations based upon these studies were that shoe fitting has no bearing on injury prevention as it relates to running. It seems to boil down to the basic rule that any athlete should follow: If it hurts, it's not right for you.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18863293
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01l1yxk
http://www.active.com/running/articles/gait-analysis-and-shoe-fit-do-they-prevent-injury0 -
When I started running I was getting crazy shin splints. I went to New Balance and had my feet measured. Pricey for the shoes and inserts, but totally worth it. I no longer have any problems. I also just bought a new pair of Nikes, and just threw my inserts in there. Works great!
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When I started out running, in some Asics that I picked up dirt cheap one year long before I ran (or exercised at all). I didn't experience any pain in the common areas during or after my runs. I also hadn't done anything over about 10K.
When I wanted to get a bit more serious about my running, with plans of doing some actual races, I thought I would go and check out the running store for "real runners". I couldn't believe how AWESOME those shoes felt when I put them on my feet. I was pain free before, and still am, but the difference of feeling was unreal. I had purchased tiny little clouds for my feet!0 -
When I started running, I picked out my own shoes based on feel and appearance. Getting professionally fitted at Fleet Feet changed my running just as much as getting a Garmin.0
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So I did it, just got fitted and ended up buying Brooks Transcend shoes. http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/transcend/1101571D908.070.html0
