If stability shoes are built to compensate for heel to toe transition for heel strikers, is there really any benefit for those that strike on the ball of their foot? It was recommended that I get them, but that was based on someone watching me walk but I run different than I walk…
Newton makes “stability” shoes for forefoot strikers.
I was recomended for stability shoes by someone watching me walk. Huge mistake.
Get a second opinion.
The weight is still being transferred through your ankle regardless of where the foot strikes the ground. I would think an aligned ankle is better than a pronated one.
The weight is still being transferred through your ankle regardless of where the foot strikes the ground. I would think an aligned ankle is better than a pronated one.
as a recovering heel-striker, i’ve moved to Newtons and really, really like the Momentums a lot. i also have a pair of Sir Isaacs, but they’re larger by about 1/4 to 1/3 larger for the same indicated size(41.5), so i wear the Sir Isaacs for the treadmill and just walking around( ! sacriledge! )
my other current fave is the Saucony Fasttwitch 4 that are low and fast, but with a lot less ‘guidance’ than either of the Newtons i have. still ok, but probably not great for distance training.
my previous shoes just weren’t helping an old man get it in gear(last ‘normal’ pair was Adidas Sequence 4, which were ok, but the heel-toe drop was enormous)
If you’re not heel striking it doesn’t matter. Just buy whatever neutral or stability shoe you want.
Have said people do gait analysis when you run, and go from there.
If you are a true forefoot runner (a small percentage of the population is), you don’t need or even want a “stability” shoe. The stability “enhancements” are mostly designed around subtalar joint pronation (i.e. flared heel, medial post, midfoot bridge, etc.), so it wouldn’t help much at all and you would likely find the “ride” of the shoe quite cumbersome.
I used to have knee problems with “stability” shoes. Once I started training in more neutral shoes, or even racing flats, the problems went away. The more “recent” theory is that the body has its own spring and cushioning devices called your muscles in your feet, ankles and calves. You could also read “born to run” to get more info, and no, I don’t run barefoot, nor do I run in vibratums.
To answer your question, I don’t see the benefit. The Green Silence has some ankle correction and no heel. It’s a great shoe.
I used to have knee problems with “stability” shoes. Once I started training in more neutral shoes, or even racing flats, the problems went away. The more “recent” theory is that the body has its own spring and cushioning devices called your muscles in your feet, ankles and calves. You could also read “born to run” to get more info, and no, I don’t run barefoot, nor do I run in vibratums.
He’s got it right. After nearly 40 years of running I let someone talk me into “stability” shoes and even an orthotic. I was having some minor “foot burn” problems at the time. 4 weeks later I was done for 10 weeks with a femoral stress fracture. I should have had my head examined for ever going along with the latest “science”.
Be very careful with running stores and “shoe fitters”. Most don’t know shit.
After working in retail and fitting customers to shoes the only thing that I can say about all customers is that it all comes down to the person and their body. Get fitted to a shoe from a good running specific company and do not worry about the looks of the shoes. If they are ugly just run faster so no one can tell. See what works for you and make your own decision.
Incidentally, if you are a forefoot striker soley (no pun intended) the subtalar and midtarsal alignment will assume a supinated position/ compensation. A shoe such as the asics cumulus for neutral position runners may work well.
If you can find a pair to try you might want to take a look at Carnacs. They traditionally have a little wider forefoot. I can’t speak to the narrow heel, but can tell you that they grip mine better than the Sidis and also accomodate my wide forefoot.
They are a real quality shoe IMO that often gets overlooked because of the massive dominance of SIDI. I am currently using brand new M5 Carbons for the road and have a pair for MTB (can’t remember the name of the model) that just refuses to wear out after thousands of miles of abuse. You can find more here: https://fitfootpro.com/best-running-shoes-for-forefoot-strikers/