Will a zero drop shoe help me?

glassyo
glassyo Posts: 7,734 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm just putting out there that going to a running shoe store instead of posting on here would probably be a better option but I'm trying to avoid that for now so here's my question. :)

Right now I'm wearing Saucony Guide 8s (I didn't like the 9s so didn't want to move on) but I think my ebay sources are drying up so I figured I'd look into different shoes and a zero drop shoe came up somewhere and got me thinking...

I walk a lot for exercise. My two concerns are 1) I have flat feet with pttd in one foot and 2) when I walk I lean forward a lot. I know I have bad posture but I'm kind of wondering if the offset of the Sauconys is contributing to that when I'm out walking (especially when I'm walking to a fast song....it's like the top half of my body is way faster than my feet. :))

Soooooo anyone with any advice?

Replies

  • DiannaOnMaui
    DiannaOnMaui Posts: 27 Member
    The short answer - no. And a running store may not guide you in the proper direction unless they are trained and skilled to deal with customers with structural issues.

    A slight forward lean is not inherently a bad thing - check out Chi Running/Walking - but it depends how far forward. It seems that a zero-drop shoe would exacerbate your PTTD.

    All I got when I transitioned to a zero-drop shoe is a case of tendonitis that lasted for over a year. If your current shoes are working for you, stick with them as long as possible or find a similarly-structured shoe. I looked up the Saucony Guide 8's on Road Runner Sports - a lightweight shoe with moderate support.

    It's bummer when they change the next model. If you really need to change, go to the store (or call Road Runner) and tell them you want something similar.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    The answer is no one here can really tell you for certain. The PTTD introduces a monkey wrench into things that should probably be discussed with a foot doctor. I doubt the 0 drop will help, can't really say for sure if it would make it worse. I think a supportive 0 drop shouldn't be a problem.
    As far as your forward lean goes, there's a huge difference in whether your are leaning from the hips, or if you are tall with an whole body lean like that in the Chi running/walking system.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,734 Member
    Thanks, guys. I'm pretty darned short (5'2") and have been told (jokingly, hopefully!) That I'm gonna get a hunchback if I don't watch it. :) it doesn't really seem like it's from the hips.

    Altra has a supportive shoe so was wondering if it would kill two birds with one stone.

    I was looking at the Altra Provisions for the zero drop and Saucony Redeemers because they were recommended for pttd.

    I'll look into the Chi walking tho.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    This is radical info below, but feel free to confirm it with your podiatrist. :+1:

    A raised heel creates a clunkier, unnatural gait when walking, and it increases pronation too when the arch is flat, which you don't want. There's never an advantage to walking in raised heel shoes (a relatively new trend), so i would go with the Altras rather than Sauconys. If support is needed, i'd first try to get that from an insole rather than a supportive shoe. A custom orthotic ($$$) is probably best given your unequal feet, but you can certainly try an insole like Superfeet or Powerstep ($). Keep in mind that both insoles and supportive footwear weakens the arch and the posterior tibial tendon/muscle, so make sure to do foot strengthening exercises daily to counteract that.

  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    It wouldn't matter if you had feet without issues or not. No one online could definitively tell you yes or no.

    I can tell you that minimal/zero drop shoes are all I can use for running. Anything higher and I immediately start with symptoms of Jumper's Knee. 3mm drop is iffy, but some have worked for me. Anything lower than that and I'm good, at least for knee issues.

    I can also tell you that there's all kinds of different support in minimal/zero drop shoes. I would guess that it is the support that will determine whether or not the shoes will work for you and not the drop.

    If you do end up switching, be prepared to need to work into them slowly. I did not have this problem, but I understand that many people used to more drop have calf and achilles tightness issues when they switch.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    My husband recently transitioned to the Altras and so far, he's loved them on the treadmill and the road. His foot is flatter and he had pretty pronounced pronation in his former shoes. He says he feels more support in the Altras and I have noticed less pronation in his feet (we gait check one another's runs from time to time). I would suggest a running store...they will fit you and most I've bought from have a great return policy if you wear the shoes for 15-30 days and they aren't what you needed. Be sure and check the return policy before you buy.

    As a person with notoriously bad posture and scoliosis since childhood, I found that seeing a Physical Therapist for specialized posture exercises helped in my younger days and weight training continues to help...I focus my accessory exercises on back, chest, and core. A backless chair at work also makes me more aware of my posture. When you're walking, focus on pulling your shoulders back and tilting your pelvis back.
  • keelsmarks
    keelsmarks Posts: 7 Member
    As someone who works in a running store and is a long time runner( 20+ years), I'd check in with a running specialty store near you. The Saucony Guide is a light stability shoe, so going to a Hoka Arahi might be a good transition shoe as it's low drop( 4mm), but offers a little stability. Going to a Zero Drop shoe takes time and could cause injuries, so you might look at a low drop shoe first. The drop on the Guide is only 8mm, so you should be able to make the transition more easily than a higher drop shoe.

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