Wide toe box plus stability shoe?

Triathlon Forum
1

Ok, old age is catching up to me, for a continuing calf problem, my doctor is now recommending that I switch to a stability running shoe.

Since I’m a fore foot runner I like a wide toe box, any thoughts on what brand/model shoe would for the bill? I’m partial to Saucony, Merrill and New Balance.

Thanks

Ron W.

2

My feet are dang near square. Here is what works for me.

Topo Magnifly/Ultrafly
Altra’s have a wide toe box.
Some Asics have nice wide toe-boxes.

3

Ok, old age is catching up to me, for a continuing calf problem, my doctor is now recommending that I switch to a stability running shoe.

Since I’m a fore foot runner I like a wide toe box, any thoughts on what brand/model shoe would for the bill? I’m partial to Saucony, Merrill and New Balance.

Thanks

Ron W.

I have pretty wide feet and I wear Brooks GTS Adrenalins since 2008 so perhaps those are an option for you.

4

New Balance shoes (the EE ones) have pretty wide toe boxes. I run in 990s, 993s (both are butt-ugly), and the 1260s. All are damn expensive.

5

If you do not need a 2E or 4E the NB 860 & 940 have slightly wider toe boxes.
Saucony Hurricane ISO may fit the bill as well.

6

I was going to do an edit to my post but thought you may not see it, so here it is:

EDIT I:
Hoka’s increase the width of their frames this year. The Arahi and the Gaviota might also be options

EDIT II
Just bc your doc recommended a stability running shoe doesn’t mean your doc understands what a stability running shoe does. If I had $10 for every person who came into The Running Shop who said their doc said they needed a stability shoe bc of whatever when they actually did not need a stability shoe, I’d have at least $1k more in the bank. If you pronate you should think about a stability shoe. If you don’t pronate then think about sticking with a neutral shoe.

EDIT III:
With forefoot runners we see a lot of them complaining of recurrent calf problems. I think this is due to the increase loading on the gastroc. Even with a high cushioned shoe there is increased loading. There are a couple of studies out there.
Yong, J., Silder, A., & Delp, S. (2014). Differences in Muscle Activity between Natural Forefoot and Rearfoot Strikers during Running Journal of Biomechanics DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2014.10.015

EDIT IV:
There is also a pretty cool study out there where they took people who were accustomed to heel striking and another group accustomed to forefoot striking. They had them run opposite of their preferred pattern (heel strikers ran forefoot and vice versa). Heel striking proved to be most economical in both groups.

EDIT V:
We get a lot of forefoot strikers who have gone to less cushioned shoes like Merrills who have more recurrent gastroc problems then forefoot strikers who have gone from less cushioned shoes to more cushioned shoes. ymmv

7

Topo, Altra, and the Merrell (Bare access line, and the vapor glove) have wide toe boxes. Merrell has been my favorite in fit. Most of their shoes are speced for tail or tail/road depending on model.

The pair of Newton Distance V have a decent toe box, but not as wide as the other 3 brands.

8

I have always preferred a wider toe box—I have a very triangular foot which is wide across the ball and my big toe is straight (not bent). I ran in NB (8x0 series, IIRC) for decades. But, NB has become hard to find locally…so, last year I switched to Asics. I’m currently running in GT-1000 11/4E shoes. After 1200 miles this year in a mix of v4 and v5 of the Gt1000, I have no complaints.

9

OP back, thanks for the great replies this info will keep me busy for awhile.

My doc states that I’m pronating which is causing some stress and inflamation between the two calf muscles. When I tried a generic arch support and snugged up my laces I do feel a definite improvement. For what that’s worth:-)

Ron W.

10

Careful with the snug laces…there be dragons down that road, too. I used to like snug laces too—developed a Morton’s neuroma in my left foot from that. that’s when I switched to a 4E width, and started using looser laces.

Before I switched to elastic laces, I used to lace my running shoes in two halves: toebox and instep. The toebox I kept loose, and the instep I kept tight. basically half-way up lacing the shoe I tied a knot in the laces before lacing the last three eyelets of the instep. That let me keep the instep tight without pulling the toebox tight also.

11

Funny you should mention that method of tieing that’s exactly what I have done. It keeps the toe box a little loose while keeping the body of the shoe somewhat snug.

And its easy to do if you have the small loops instead of the holes, just give them a double wrap and that section can remain loose.

Ron W.

12

I have Flinstone feet and need some moderate stability, and love the Saucony Guide shoes. The Guide 9s had a bigger toe box than the current Guide 10s, but the 10s still fit me better than anything else I’ve tried. I personally find them more comfortable for my running style than Brooks, Asics (which I wore before switching to the Guides), and New Balance.

13

I was going to do an edit to my post but thought you may not see it, so here it is:

EDIT I:
Hoka’s increase the width of their frames this year. The Arahi and the Gaviota might also be options

EDIT II
Just bc your doc recommended a stability running shoe doesn’t mean your doc understands what a stability running shoe does. If I had $10 for every person who came into The Running Shop who said their doc said they needed a stability shoe bc of whatever when they actually did not need a stability shoe, I’d have at least $1k more in the bank. If you pronate you should think about a stability shoe. If you don’t pronate then think about sticking with a neutral shoe.

EDIT III:
With forefoot runners we see a lot of them complaining of recurrent calf problems. I think this is due to the increase loading on the gastroc. Even with a high cushioned shoe there is increased loading. There are a couple of studies out there.
Yong, J., Silder, A., & Delp, S. (2014). Differences in Muscle Activity between Natural Forefoot and Rearfoot Strikers during Running Journal of Biomechanics DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2014.10.015

EDIT IV:
There is also a pretty cool study out there where they took people who were accustomed to heel striking and another group accustomed to forefoot striking. They had them run opposite of their preferred pattern (heel strikers ran forefoot and vice versa). Heel striking proved to be most economical in both groups.

EDIT V:
We get a lot of forefoot strikers who have gone to less cushioned shoes like Merrills who have more recurrent gastroc problems then forefoot strikers who have gone from less cushioned shoes to more cushioned shoes. ymmv

Good points.

For me personally as a forefoot runner going to a cushioned neutral shoe with 6+mm drop solved most of my achilles/calf problems.

14

Ok, old age is catching up to me, for a continuing calf problem, my doctor is now recommending that I switch to a stability running shoe.

Since I’m a fore foot runner I like a wide toe box, any thoughts on what brand/model shoe would for the bill? I’m partial to Saucony, Merrill and New Balance.

Thanks

Ron W.

Altra. Love them.

15

I would just like to add that “wider shoe” is not the same as “wider toe box”. If you don’t have wide feet, buying wide shoes is a mistake. Plenty of shoes have normal width and wide toe boxes. Nike Streak (almost all the Streaks), Topo, Altra.
Maybe the coming Hoka (February) with the new upper will have a more accommodating toe box, but so far the “wider shoe” option is insufficient.
Anything with pointy toe boxes should be unacceptable. Unless you have bunions, you don’t have pointy feet. I wish (more) shoe makers would start to model performance shoes after actual anatomy of feet instead of fashion, but I guess that’s a wild idea.

16

Ok, old age is catching up to me, for a continuing calf problem, my doctor is now recommending that I switch to a stability running shoe.

Since I’m a fore foot runner I like a wide toe box, any thoughts on what brand/model shoe would for the bill? I’m partial to Saucony, Merrill and New Balance.

Thanks

Ron W.

Altra. Love them.

Op back, I was an early adopter of the Altra shoes and the other early minimalist shoes with wide toe boxs, thinking back now I’m wondering if they weren’t the root cause of some of my calf issues I’m experiencing now at 70 yrs.

I’m still liking them today, especially now that most have more conservative versions with 4-7 mm heel lift. In my quest for some stability shoes Altras and their kind are on my short list.

Ron w

17

I was going to do an edit to my post but thought you may not see it, so here it is:

EDIT I:
Hoka’s increase the width of their frames this year. The Arahi and the Gaviota might also be options

EDIT II
Just bc your doc recommended a stability running shoe doesn’t mean your doc understands what a stability running shoe does. If I had $10 for every person who came into The Running Shop who said their doc said they needed a stability shoe bc of whatever when they actually did not need a stability shoe, I’d have at least $1k more in the bank. If you pronate you should think about a stability shoe. If you don’t pronate then think about sticking with a neutral shoe.

EDIT III:
With forefoot runners we see a lot of them complaining of recurrent calf problems. I think this is due to the increase loading on the gastroc. Even with a high cushioned shoe there is increased loading. There are a couple of studies out there.
Yong, J., Silder, A., & Delp, S. (2014). Differences in Muscle Activity between Natural Forefoot and Rearfoot Strikers during Running Journal of Biomechanics DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2014.10.015

EDIT IV:
There is also a pretty cool study out there where they took people who were accustomed to heel striking and another group accustomed to forefoot striking. They had them run opposite of their preferred pattern (heel strikers ran forefoot and vice versa). Heel striking proved to be most economical in both groups.

EDIT V:
We get a lot of forefoot strikers who have gone to less cushioned shoes like Merrills who have more recurrent gastroc problems then forefoot strikers who have gone from less cushioned shoes to more cushioned shoes. ymmv

Great post…how did they determine what was most economical? Could you link the study if you can find it?

18

Some brands like New balance have detailed forefoot flex measurements avail , it all comes down to trying and testing shoe as you go
Have never tried Altra i must say, they look super comfortable
.

19

If you want to geek out on all the studies, suggest reading the book tread lightly.

20

Study for EDIT IV from my post above:

Economy and rate of carbohydrate oxidation during running with rearfoot and forefoot strike patterns
Allison H. Gruber, Brian R. Umberger, Barry Braun, and Joseph Hamill
Journal of Applied Physiology May 16, 2013