I’ve been an overpronator all my life, and as a result, have always ran in stability or performance stability running shoes. I’ve been bitten by the minimalist running shoes/forefoot running bug and have been searching for ‘minimalist’ shoes. However, the majority of minimalist shoes I’ve come across have the Neutral classification. I am thinking about making the switch to Neutral shoes. Am I risking injury by making the switch?
You won’t know unless you try it.
Get a pair of the shoes of your choice and try a short run once a week and see what happens. Just don’t go overboard when you start.
jaretj
I’ve been an overpronator all my life, and as a result, have always ran in stability or performance stability running shoes. I’ve been bitten by the minimalist running shoes/forefoot running bug and have been searching for ‘minimalist’ shoes. However, the majority of minimalist shoes I’ve come across have the Neutral classification. I am thinking about making the switch to Neutral shoes. Am I risking injury by making the switch?
Need some better understanding:
- how did you arrive that you are an “overpronator”
- why have you been “bitten” by said bug?
Are you risking injury? Yes. Does that mean you should or should not? No.
The short answer is “yes.” If you switch to a shoe that’s not right for your running style (and continue your existing running mechanics) there is a good chance of getting injured.
Back in the early '80s, all running shoes were “neutral” (ex. the Nike waffle trainer). Starting in the mid-80s, features like medial posts began springing up because overpronators were getting knee problems from neutral shoes.
The main function of a running shoe is to allow you to train w/o getting injured. If a shoe is working for you I’d be careful about changing.
The short answer is “yes.” If you switch to a shoe that’s not right for your running style (and continue your existing running mechanics) there is a good chance of getting injured.
Back in the early '80s, all running shoes were “neutral” (ex. the Nike waffle trainer). Starting in the mid-80s, features like medial posts began springing up because overpronators were getting knee problems from neutral shoes.
The main function of a running shoe is to allow you to train w/o getting injured. If a shoe is working for you I’d be careful about changing.
And since the 1980’s this medial post has not been improved upon, nor have injury rates decreased.
Was just about to say that.
I’m sure the intent is there, but there doesn’t seem to be evidence that any of these ideas have actually been working (that I am aware of)
I was identified as a pronator by a running shoe store, ran in motion control shoes for a while, hated them, switched to nike frees, felt much better.
Haven’t been injured from running but I did screw up my knee jumping onto and off a bunch of boulders while hiking =)
The short answer is “yes.” If you switch to a shoe that’s not right for your running style (and continue your existing running mechanics) there is a good chance of getting injured.
Back in the early '80s, all running shoes were “neutral” (ex. the Nike waffle trainer). Starting in the mid-80s, features like medial posts began springing up because overpronators were getting knee problems from neutral shoes.
The main function of a running shoe is to allow you to train w/o getting injured. If a shoe is working for you I’d be careful about changing.
And since the 1980’s this medial post has not been improved upon, nor have injury rates decreased.
Was just about to say that.
I’m sure the intent is there, but there doesn’t seem to be evidence that any of these ideas have actually been working (that I am aware of)
I was identified as a pronator by a running shoe store, ran in motion control shoes for a while, hated them, switched to nike frees, felt much better.
Haven’t been injured from running but I did screw up my knee jumping onto and off a bunch of boulders while hiking =)
The short answer is “yes.” If you switch to a shoe that’s not right for your running style (and continue your existing running mechanics) there is a good chance of getting injured.
Back in the early '80s, all running shoes were “neutral” (ex. the Nike waffle trainer). Starting in the mid-80s, features like medial posts began springing up because overpronators were getting knee problems from neutral shoes.
The main function of a running shoe is to allow you to train w/o getting injured. If a shoe is working for you I’d be careful about changing.
And since the 1980’s this medial post has not been improved upon, nor have injury rates decreased.
Why change what sells ;p
Am I risking injury by making the switch?
Only if you do the implementation wrong.
When i came back from a long lay off to a broken hand i took the time to reform my biomechanics and started (VERY gradually) to do some barefoot running. Still going thru a very slow progression but my feet are stronger, my hips are finally in the right place, my foot strike is correct and i CANT STAND running in anything more than a thin racing flat. Any heel at all pisses me off.
This coming from someone that a year ago was wearing bullet proof orthotics (they were THICK) and thick shoes.
I pronate just a little, moreso with my right foot. I made the switch to neutral shoes and it did me a LOT of good. It seems like the light-stability shoes I was wearing were somewhat restrictive, forcing me to run a certain way. The neutral shoes let my feet do whatever they want. I can see this NOT being good for some people, but for me, it helped a ton. Good luck. Saucony Rides rule!
Need to supplement my post with an addendum here…
In returning to running (and running in the “new way”) I initially was par for par in what i could handle both physically and aerobically with the new form. Pretty soon fitness finally kicked in and I could go go go. However the physical (ligaments, tendons, muscles, bones) of my feet and lower leg were still not (and nowhere near) ready for any greater increase in stress.
So now despite the aerobic system saying… “let’s get on with it”… I have every intent of seeing my form adaptation play out and have the patience to continue running “slow” as my feet adapt to the new load.
Have gotten up to 35-40min runs split between vibrams and racing flats on the treadmill. At no point am I pushing it (in fact can nearly breath thru my nose) but also have played with it enough to know that i can’t punch it up much more. I will speed it up in the last 5min though, but not so much that i risk delaying the physical recovery.
That’s one time where the TI saying of ‘fitness is what arrives when you practice good form’ can be applied.
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rroof, answers to your questions as follows:
- It was determined at my local running store (Road Runner) that I was an overpronator a number of years ago.
- I have switched to forefoot striking due to 3 different knee surgeries over the past 10 years, which include an ACL and meniscus repair in both knees, and also a separate meniscus surgery more recently (50% of R medial meniscus was removed). While training last year, I began to experience pain at the start of my runs as I ramped up run volume late in the season. I ran with this pain in my last race and managed to actually set a run PR. However, I knew that long-term the pain would be a problem, so I saw my orthopedic surgeon and was advised to take 6 weeks off from running. At that point, I sort of listened to his advice, by which I mean that I took a week off from running and proceeded to slowly switch from heel striking to forefoot striking over the course of the Winter. I believe I’ve made a successful transition as I’ve experienced minimal pain in my knee since.
Obviously, I assume there to be some risk involved in making this switch in shoes, but what I am really want to know is whether or not I am at great risk for serious injury by making said switch.
I see - much better info
In your particular case, you likely should try the transition. Your “assessment” from the local running store means little. Your injury pattern and surgery holds far more weight in your history.
Start with a shoe like a NB 904 (for ex) that is very minimal, low heel stack, yet still a medial rearfoot post first. If fine there, move on down the line if you wish. good luck
Any heel at all pisses me off.
I don’t really understand this. If your form has changed, shouldn’t the presence of a heel, or lack thereof, be a non-issue. I do some running in my Vibram FF, and do a lot of running in Brooks Adrenalines, which have been my go-to shoe for 3 years or so. Definitely noticed a change in my form since I started to work on it and started using the VFF, but the Brooks still work fine. Sure, they are a little heavier and bulkier, but just because the heel is there, doesn’t mean you have to use it.
The heel catches the ground before my forefoot gets there. Thus it’s annoying to “catch the heel”
I love neutral shoes, actually run more in “performance neutral” or racers. Any structure and I tend to create bad calf and achillies issues. I do suggest neutral to most of my clients, but if someone is coming from structured, and/or orthotics, its not always wise to go right into no stability. Working them in if you make the switch is definitely the way to go.
I am exactly the same and beginning the same process. I moved to supportive shoes a long time ago (when I was about 14) and when I was about 21 I stumped up for expensive orthotics some variety of which I’ve used ever since (9 years). I’d typically do all my training in Asics 20xx (or when I was really flush kayanos) and transfer the orthotics into something lighter (DS trainers or similar) for races. My reasons for changing now are:
a). theory - the rationale for ‘barefoot/minimal cushioning/natural’ running just makes sense to me - much more so than the idea that I need so much help to do something so natural
b). cost - Asics 20xx series + orthotics run about $400 and I get through them regularly. Asics speedsters are $80 brand new.
c). boredom - I like to change my training up from time to time and see if I see a benefit. I’m targetting a good autumn marathon this year with no A races between now and then so this seems like a good opportuinity to experiment.
Three weeks in I’m doing about 30% of my running in the Speedsters and doing 5 mins slowly on a treadmill barefoot about 3 times a week. I’ve had some unusual muscle tightnesses but nothing serious so far. One interesting side effect - when I used to run a lot my left kneecap would always click into place every peddle stroke on my bike sessions which I always attricuted, probably incorrectly, to a lack of balance between my sartorius and outer quad. That has stopped happening completely.
So, you going to ditch the orthotics too then?
I am a huge non-fan of Orthotics. Had chiro, GP, physio folks telling me I needed them, when all I needed to do was recognize that I am a supinator (and thus stick to a neutral shoe) and FIX MY BIOMECHANICS!
AP
yep. I’m mixing everything up at the moment and trying to make the change as gradual as possible but the goal is to get down to running in the lightest, most neutral, most flexible shoes I can get away with and see if there is any uptick in injuries or downturn in performance.
This is more of an experiment for me that an assertion that it’s the “correct” way to go - I just wanted to try it and have been pleased so far.