Minimalist vs. Hokas vs. Orthodics...Give me your opinions!
So here I am...finally coming back feeling good about running after time off from injury. I start to feel tightness again- and it just has me thinking...A LOT...about what I can do to help. Yes- self care, glute,hip,hammy strength, ect...but I am thinking about my shoes.
I have custom orthodics that really have helped with my running. I overpronate which used to bother my kness. My chiro put me in orthodics to straighten out my bio-mechanics. They helped! So now as I have been researching more- I read that orthodics are not the best- and that miniamlist shoes work best because you strengthen you areas of weakness instead of having the orthodic mask the problem...and then there is information on hokas saying that the cushion allows you to run more and protect joints ect ect..... So instead of me continuing to drive myself crazy researching...I figured I'd ask the best athletes I know--- ENr's!!!! So what do you guys think? Ill take any and all info you've got!!!
Comments
Sounds like orthotics might be your best bet, especially if you are feeling some symptoms. Definitely would advise against trying to make the shift to minimalist when you are already having some tightness/pain/whatever. Orthotics can wear down over time, so make sure to replace them when needed (timelines vary). I've also learned as someone who really relies on the stabilizing nature of my shoes that I need to be really on top of replacing my shoes.
Also, if any gastroc/soleus tightness, I swear by this thing: http://www.amazon.com/Medi-Dyne-ProStretch-Unilateral-Stretching-System/dp/B000GAAXGK
I can tell you my experience and my thoughts as a doc and athlete.
I pronate a lot and have been wearing orthotics since 7th grade for bunions. I got one bunion fixed many years ago, but left the nonpainful one alone. I wore orthotics all day and in my running shoes. Five years ago, I decided to go minimal. I have always been barefoot when not at work, so maybe I had strong feet already. I started very slow- run 2 min in my water shoes and then finishe the run in my regular shoes. Yes! water shoes- I went WAY minimal. This was when Vibrams were all the rage, but I hate toe socks, so I knew I would hate Vibrams. I was deployed at the time and running on the dirt sides of the road. Slowly worked my way up from 2 minutes to a half marathon with no pain, except the week I added too fast, got sore, and backed down. The key was, I also changed my stride from heel strike to mid-foot stride. Once I changed, I went from rolling my ankle monthly to never. In 5 years, I have not rolled my ankle. I came home and started running on asphalt and discovered I had a dropped metatarsal and needed more cushioning. So I eventually found that I needed a mid-cushion, 0-5mm heel-toe drop shoe. And when I went minimal, I stopped wearing my orthotics. I still wear them in my work boots.
I got video taped at a shoe store and she was amazed that I pronate when walking, but not running. I told her, but she didn;t believe me until the video.
Last year, I started using max cushioned shoes for runs over 8 miles. I got Sketchers Go Run and love them. I have some Hokas waiting in the wings, but haven't tried them.
So- my strategy is a medium cushion, 0-5mm drop shoe for shorter runs, a max cushion shoe for long runs, and have continued the mid-foot strike, even with the max cushion. I have had no running injuries at all in the last 5 years (well, other than tripping and falling- which happens less than when I was heel striking!)
So, take it for what it's worth, but if you start low and go slow, you may be able to adapt. And I feel strongly that 2 shoe types (at least two different types of shoes) helps decrease injury.
You are currently in the out season plan? Perhaps doing the hard bike intervals and putting stress and load on the muscles in the legs you might be better off backing off the intensity on some of the running sessions to allow your system to absorb the work from these hard bike efforts. Does that make sense?
Run (no pun intended) that suggestion past Coach Patrick.
I've also found that any time I try to increase my volume too much at once, I end up with problems. With very little support in the shoe, your small "support" muscles need to be ready and strong. If you over pound them then they hurt, and then start to fail to support the larger muscles, and you go down hill fast.
I like the zero drop shoes because they make it easier to keep my heel from hitting the ground first. I haven't tried Hokas, because they seem too narrow for my foot. I like the Altra Torin because of the big toe box. The down side to the Torin is that you look like you have duck shoes on. But I gave up going for "good looking" a long time ago, so it doesnt bother me.
My Experience is similar. I have had some running injuries and decided to do the minimalist thing. I feel that much of the minimalist change is the alteration of footstrilke and increase in cadence as opposed to the longer stride and hard heelstrike that can come with a very padded heel. I found that running in my Vibram 5 fingers really works my calves and so even after a year, I just use them for 1 or 2 runs a week. I do find that they have helped me modify my running form in a positive way and I have had no subsequent running injuries. I tend to race in Sauconys just because I can get them on much faster than the vibrams. I haveused some Hokas and don't dislike them but the toe box is a bit tight for me.
I also am pretty anal about Yoga and hamstring stretching and I run a lot of hills so that may help too.
I began running seriously 4-5 years ago. I knew nothing about running mechanics, the difference between shoes, what "zero-drop" meant, or anything about neutral vs pronation vs supination. My first year I was riddled with Achilles tendonitis, PF, and lots of ITB pain near my knees. I figured I was out of shape and all this stemmed from all my time on the couch vs being active.
The Podiatrist wanted to shoot me with cortisone and put me in orthotics - I declined. I found a good chiro/ART guy who explained a lot to me. What resonated most was something that you have mentioned and others have echoed - it is very important to strengthen weak areas....especially hips/glutes! So much stems from weakness in this area and although I haven't strength trained as much as I probably should, I am pretty good about stretching these areas. I especially take note when I feel tightness. You have mentioned that this is what you are feeling now, and I think that after all the time we spend training, most of us have become proficient in knowing the early warning signs!
I definitely have some pronation, but rather than running in motion controlled shoes, I've chosen to run in neutral shoes. I believe that my pronation has become less apparent because of this over time. If I look at the wear on the soles of my shoes 4 years ago vs now, there is much more wear on my midfoot and less on the outsole over time. I have gone from 11mm drop (brooks) to 8mm drop (saucony) in the last year. I just started running in zero drop (Altras) over the last few weeks too. I tried Hokas a couple of years ago and didn't like feel of the shoe, although others swear by them. My plan is to do shorter/speedier runs in the Altras and longer runs in Saucony, eventually scaling back to a 4-6mm drop shoe for my long runs. I definitely feel a little tenderness in the Achilles area from the Altra runs, but this is a work in progress.
Any changes you make, take it super slow and ease into it so you can monitor results and hopefully catch a potential injury before its too late. Good luck!
My 2¢:
Oh yeah : that comment about Patrick being a "big Guy" made me chuckle. You may be pretty tall but you are built for speed, man.