I was hoping to tap into the experts on ST. My son just finished up his cross-country season and is starting to begin is off season running. He tends to be a supinator and has had peritoneal pain this season. During the off-season I’m hoping to help him improve his gait, however, I need to get him a new pair of shoes. Can anyone recommend a good pair to help. I’ve seen the Brooks Ghost, Mizuno Wave Runner and ASICS Gel Venture online but never completely trust lists of “best” shoes. He currently wears the Brooks Adrenaline but they seem quite heavy and he experienced the pain while running with those shoes this season. Hope you all can help. Thanks
As a supinator with 6 decades of running on my chassis, my new favorite shoe is the Altra Duo. It’s a lighter version of my Hoka Bondi.
Supinators often need extra cushion, so look at highly cushioned shoes. Also look for shoes that have outsole on the lateral side of the toeoff area. Some shoes just assume runners will be rolling across the ball of the foot and over to the big toe.
I’m a big fan of the Nike Epic React. It’s a reasonably light, highly cushioned trainer. Softer and lighter than the Ghost for example. Well suited to both high mileage training and speedwork. I assume he’ll be racing in spikes.
Supinators often need extra cushion, so look at highly cushioned shoes. Also look for shoes that have outsole on the lateral side of the toeoff area. Some shoes just assume runners will be rolling across the ball of the foot and over to the big toe.
I’m a big fan of the Nike Epic React. It’s a reasonably light, highly cushioned trainer. Softer and lighter than the Ghost for example. Well suited to both high mileage training and speedwork. I assume he’ll be racing in spikes.
Thanks to the replies thus far. Yes he’ll race in spikes but I’ll have to figure that out as well. The ones I got him didn’t work too well. However I think it may have been because he had already tweaked his ankle.
The Brooks Adrenaline is a proper motion control shoe for over pronators isn’t it? Wouldn’t that be entirely the wrong type of shoe for him?
You don’t say how old your son is but I would tend towards a neutral shoe. Make a list of a few well reviewed ones then go to a store that has a tread mill or lets him try a few different ones outside. If he picks the neutral pair that is most comfortable to run in then he won’t be going far wrong. Once you prove that a particular pair works then get it on sale and/or online or try the equivalent model of another brand but anyone who doesn’t really know what suits them should start with a trial.
The Brooks Adrenaline is a proper motion control shoe for over pronators isn’t it? Wouldn’t that be entirely the wrong type of shoe for him?
You don’t say how old your son is but I would tend towards a neutral shoe. Make a list of a few well reviewed ones then go to a store that has a tread mill or lets him try a few different ones outside. If he picks the neutral pair that is most comfortable to run in then he won’t be going far wrong. Once you prove that a particular pair works then get it on sale and/or online or try the equivalent model of another brand but anyone who doesn’t really know what suits them should start with a trial.
I went on the advice of the lady helping me at our local run shop. I didn’t realize it was for over pronators vs supinators. I’ve only started seriously running a few years ago and I’m a neutral runner. Hence why I came here vs listening to the local “expertâ€. Guess I’ve learned a valuable lesson.
That makes it a bit tricky. I went to a local running store years ago. I was going to ask them about something so I was hanging around while they dealt with a customer who was trying things on. At this place when you tried on shoes they’d watch you while you were on the treadmill. He went through a whole history of injuries then was going against their advice because he’d heard good things about the one he wanted. The guy at the shop was saying he wouldn’t sell him the one he wanted. He was saying you can leave and come back later when I’m not working but I’m not selling you that shoe. He’d listened to the history and watched the guy run in different shoes. I always recommended people go there.
Maybe there is an equivalent near you that people can recommend? It’s even worth a bit of a drive because what they tell you can be gold dust. I don’t know what info the lady at your local store was working on. Was it just after a chat? I think all people here can do is mention shoes that would then go on the list of things to try. Epic React was mentioned for instance, definitely one to try. You don’t even really have to take any advice from them if he can try them out. If you are sure he supinates, take you list of neutrals, buy the one that makes him smile when he runs in them.
I supinate and have really enjoyed the New Balance Fuel Cell Rebel for a light faster shoe. It has a “wing” on the outside of the foot that provides some nice extra cushion. Worth checking out.
I also have had good luck with the Hoka Clifton as an everyday trainer.
I had chronic peroneal tendon issues for several years. I tore it in IMTX 17. The higher the mileage the worse it got. I went through a lot of trial and error and finally got it under check. Here is what worked for me:
- Very important! Get a tiger tail roller and roll the peroneal muscle daily, there are two trigger points you need to hit (google it).
- I had a gait analysis done at Ironman performance center- I had a weak posterior chain and had to work on that. Get a gait analysis with video break down and recommendations. Worth the $100 bucks.
- There are specific strengthening exercises he will need to do for the peroneals. If you PM me I can send you the workouts they had me doing.
- Good fitting shoe. I tried everything and during the gait analysis I had much better position in a somewhat neutral shoe with low drop (4mm) and no inserts. I now run in Saucony Freedom, they even say on their website it is good for supination. I think it has been the best shoe for me so far.
Hope that helps!
Supinators often need extra cushion, so look at highly cushioned shoes. Also look for shoes that have outsole on the lateral side of the toeoff area. Some shoes just assume runners will be rolling across the ball of the foot and over to the big toe.
I’m a big fan of the Nike Epic React. It’s a reasonably light, highly cushioned trainer. Softer and lighter than the Ghost for example. Well suited to both high mileage training and speedwork. I assume he’ll be racing in spikes.
Thanks to the replies thus far. Yes he’ll race in spikes but I’ll have to figure that out as well. The ones I got him didn’t work too well. However I think it may have been because he had already tweaked his ankle.
Spikes are never going to feel great. They rely on you running on softer surfaces (tracks, grass, etc.) and not running too often in them or too far (basically races only).
There are spikes today with a lot more cushion (ex. the Hoka below), that the “distance” spikes of old (below that) which had minimal heel cushioning and basically no forefoot cushioning.
The Brooks Adrenaline is a proper motion control shoe for over pronators isn’t it? Wouldn’t that be entirely the wrong type of shoe for him?
Ya, the Adrenaline is a serious heavy motion control shoe. I’m not a barefoot/minimalist proponent, but I’d think he’d want a more neutral shoe and then run trails and stay off the road or track until he has to for indoors. For road shoes, I got my wife some New Balance Beacon and they are her favorite shoe ever and she’s had none of the niggles she had with other shoes.
Trail running is my answer to everything. I had terrible shin splints as a D1 jumper doing bounding drills on the track in spikes, but no problems at all as a fat trail runner for the past 30 years. My son was a D1 All-American in the decathlon and battled foot problems in college and then when he tried to come back. I tried to get him to do trail running, which again is my solution for everything, but he never did.
I agree neutral shoes with high cushion is the answer. I am a supinator with high arch. Hoka shoes, Clifton for training, Cavu Rincon for raccing, and Challenger ATR for trail, have been my go to shoes for the last a few years. Incidentally, I have issues with the Carbon X, the max I can run in those shoes is about 6/7 miles, after that, I got cuboid problems.
I’m a supinator and like the following shoes. Also I have a 2E wide foot so you will only see shoes that come in wides.
Suacony Iso Ride - I’ve been really happy with this shoe lately. Nice cushioning and I don’t take a beating
Asics Cumulus - nice but firmer than the Ride
Asics Nimbus - Another excellent shoe. Softer ride than the Cumulus.
Saucony Triumph - super soft, I call them old man walking shoes. They work well but I feel slow in them. Good recovery run shoe
Wave Rider - OK shoe, but I can feel every rock I step on
Hoka Bondi and Clifton - they just don’t work for me. I’m fine for 45 min or so but anything over an hour causes PF issues for me, and I’ve only had PF issues in them
I also found good success in Saucony Zealot and Kinvara (for faster and shorter runs).