Question For Runners (or podiatrist :D)

[mbills2223]

I've recently began running again after a couple years of doing no running at all. I started out doing half miles and increased a little every few days. I've been running two miles every day or every other day for about a week and a half. This morning, I put my shoes on to go for a run, and the outside of my left foot is absolutely killing me. I cannot even put any wait on it. I take my shoes off...no pain. I did buy a new pair of running shoes that seemed to get decent review from most low mileage runners. Nike Dual Fusions, btw, if anyone cares. They feel very comfy and lightweight, so I went with them despite always having a soft spot for ASICS.

What gives?

 

[hondatech2k2]

I would say you stressed a muscle or tendon. Listen to your body, that cannot be stressed enough! If something does not feel right then by all means give yourself a rest period. Ease back in to it slowly, and work on your running form. There are a few scenarios that I can think of as to why your foot hurts.
1) you landed incorrectly on something -stressed a muscle, or tendon
2) Your running form is poor, ie. you are landing on the left side of your foot =bad
3) your muscles may need conditioning first before you try to run -stretch, dynamically

Hope this helps a little.

 

[saintnick81]

Possibly an overtraining issue. I would also suggest that you visit a running specific shoe store for a proper shoe fitting. Stores like Indiana Running Company in Bloomington will put you in different types of shoes and watch you run to make sure you are in the right shoe. You can also tape yourself running on a treadmill and upload it to runningwarehouse.com and they will do a gait analysis and recommend shoes for you. First time I bought running shoes I went to IRC and ever since I use running warehouse because they are always cheaper. Here is a link that shows how to upload a video Learning Center - Footwear

 

[mbills2223]

I would say you stressed a muscle or tendon. Listen to your body, that cannot be stressed enough! If something does not feel right then by all means give yourself a rest period. Ease back in to it slowly, and work on your running form. There are a few scenarios that I can think of as to why your foot hurts.
1) you landed incorrectly on something -stressed a muscle, or tendon
2) Your running form is poor, ie. you are landing on the left side of your foot =bad
3) your muscles may need conditioning first before you try to run -stretch, dynamically

Hope this helps a little.

I'm thinking it's a combination of 2 and 3. I had noticed even before the pain that I did, for whatever reason, run on the outside of my left foot ever so slightly. I've been working on number 3, though at the beginning I failed to pay much attention to it.

Thanks

Possibly an overtraining issue. I would also suggest that you visit a running specific shoe store for a proper shoe fitting. Stores like Indiana Running Company in Bloomington will put you in different types of shoes and watch you run to make sure you are in the right shoe. You can also tape yourself running on a treadmill and upload it to runningwarehouse.com and they will do a gait analysis and recommend shoes for you. First time I bought running shoes I went to IRC and ever since I use running warehouse because they are always cheaper. Here is a link that shows how to upload a video Learning Center - Footwear

Thanks for the link!!

 

[jdmack79]

I'm highly evolved. I drive a car.

 

[CitiusFortius]

Like others have said, take some time off and see if that fixes it. In the spring I stretched to 13 miles in a week (a lot for me since I dont run over the winter.) i started having substantial pain in my left knee, some in my right too. i took a week or two off of running, before slowly ramping it back up again. Im now averaging between 14-16 miles pain free.

Obviously our situations are different, but being as you said you've taken some time off, some rest might benefit you. Good luck!

 

[perry]

I've run six half marathons and am training for my seventh. I couldn't begin to tell you what's wrong. My advice is to educate yourself about foot pronation and the different types of shoes. Then make sure you are in shoes suitable for how your foot moves. And rest. If "this hurts" then "don't do that." I have learned that lesson the hard way!

Oh when you're running, if you aren't at a pace that would allow you to converse, then slow down. It takes a long time to gain the leg strength to run fast.

Running really is a simple activity.... Stand straight up, lean at the ankles, and when you're about to fall, throw a foot forward. Repeat. It is fun for me

 

[CitiusFortius]

My advice is to educate yourself about foot pronation and the different types of shoes. Then make sure you are in shoes suitable for how your foot moves.

Fascinating that this comes up today. Just this morning I read an article about a new study on foot pronation. Not what I'd expected....
Pronation, supination may be irrelevant to running injuries, study says | Running | Life | National Post

 

[Alpine]

What Perry said^^^... Did you buy motion control shoes and didn't need to? I made that mistake once, bought shoes designed for over-pronation, and caused some problems for me as I'm neutral as far as pronation.

Go to Roadrunner Sports webpage, they have a good way to describe pronation and what kind of running shoe you need.

 

[hoosierdoc]

I'm guessing a stress fracture. does it hurt if you stand without shoes on?

 

[sepe]

I'm guessing a stress fracture. does it hurt if you stand without shoes on?

Could be. One of my brothers had an injury from running and went to his primary. Guy was suppose to be a runner. He kept saying it was probably a strain and it would be okay to keep training but take it easier. Pain kept up for over a month before he saw someone else. Turned out to be a stress fracture in the fibula.

 

[Lucas156]

Maybe try those barefoot shoes or the Nike free? Some people swear by them. I think shoes make our feet weak and make us run incorrectly. Our bodies weren't built to run in shoes IMO. It's actually pretty controversial right now. Anyways, you shouldn't run every day nor work the same muscle groups every day. That may be what caused your pain.

 

[Chesh97]

I get stress fractures every time I decide I'm going to start up my workout again. Treadmill/eliptical machine for a few days, then I can barely walk. It sucks. Sounds like what you have.

 

[Lucas156]

Another note-cardio should be a supplement to a workout plan not the main part of it. Strength training (pushups, body squats, walking lunges, dumbbell rows, pullups, chinups etc.) burns more calories and fat and keeps the fat off. Running burns fat and muscle. Ever see long distance runners? Look how skinny they are.

 

[CitiusFortius]

Another note-cardio should be a supplement to a workout plan not the main part of it. Strength training (pushups, body squats, walking lunges, dumbbell rows, pullups, chinups etc.) burns more calories and fat and keeps the fat off. Running burns fat and muscle. Ever see long distance runners? Look how skinny they are.

Depends on what the goal is. Obviously, if the goal is to run a marathon, then I would think running would be the main part of the workout most days.

If you want ripped abs to impress at the beach, then strength training becomes more important.

 

[perry]

Fascinating that this comes up today. Just this morning I read an article about a new study on foot pronation. Not what I'd expected....
Pronation, supination may be irrelevant to running injuries, study says | Running | Life | National Post

I've read some of those articles too, and it does go against what we've been taught for a while.

Why the Term Overpronation Should be Banished: Great Article by Podiatrist Ian Griffiths | Runblogger
Neutral Running Shoes Need Not Be the Goal for All Runners: More on Pronation Control | Runblogger

I still think getting in "proper" running shoes is a good idea for someone new to the sport. I've recently purchased shoes that have less cushioning and a lower heel to toe drop than my normal shoes (Brooks Adrenaline to Brooks Pure Cadence) to try to learn a more natural running form and teach myself to strike more towards my mid foot than the heel. Through trial and error, I've found the Brooks shoes work for me, but I don't feel tied to the brand. The third pair of shoes I rotate in are Asics.

I'm not a real believer in barefoot running.... I think the body needs some protection from all the miles of pounding. Besides, asphalt is hot and there's all sorts of crap on the ground that will hurt your feet!

 

[Whitsettd8]

Sounds to me like an issue with your foot arch. I get a similar pain when I do box jumps or cycle a lot. It feels like a burning cramp on the outer edges of me feet. Guy at Pacers and Racers blamed it on arch support?

 

[mbills2223]

I'm guessing a stress fracture. does it hurt if you stand without shoes on?

It didn't, until I threw on some sandals to run a few errands. Then it started hurting to even walk barefoot. I've read that hopping on it can help indicate whether or not it's a stress fracture, but that sounds like a terrible way to determine a fracture. Is that a legitimate test?

 

[sepe]

Depends on what the goal is. Obviously, if the goal is to run a marathon, then I would think running would be the main part of the workout most days.

If you want ripped abs to impress at the beach, then strength training becomes more important.

Mix sprints in with that and you've got it, along with a clean/good diet and proper genetics.

 

[tetsujin79]

Maybe try those barefoot shoes or the Nike free?

Maybe try those barefoot shoes or the Nike free?

That's probably not going to fix it. If you've worn traditional athletic shoes your whole life, you've more or less changed your body. All that padding has changed the way you move, more then likely to a heel-strike instead of ball-of-foot strike. Do this experiment: watch a little kid run and you'll see them on the balls of their feet. Now really feel how you run in traditional shoes. Your feet land "flat".

Zero drop shoes won't fix your injury. As it was suggested, go to an actual running shoe store (skip Foot Locker, Dick's, & etc.), listen to the kool-aid speeches, get on the treadmill and let them diagnose it. If the store doesn't have a treadmill, skip it.


I made the switch last year. I went to a pair of Merrell zero drop running shoes. I read plenty before hand and re-started learning to run. I was doing 3 miles a day minimum, then went to a mile a day for six weeks.

You will need to change the way your feet land and there will be pain. The pain in my calves was unreal. Un-real. Feet? Throbbed after that mile. Knees were not happy. I had trouble walking up a half flight of stairs at work after running in the morning. When you make the switch, you start over.

Then at about 2 months, I could pile on mileage.

After I adjusted, I found myself sitting straighter then before and some mild back pain I would have after running disappeared.