Shin splint magic shoes
I want to share what I believe to be the biggest cure to the most common complaint to distance runners and that is shin splints/pumps.
I learned to run heel toe, meaning that my heel hits the ground and then rolls forward to push off with my toes. While this is a common form of running and works for a lot of people, as i got older, heavier, and spent more time running on asphalt i developed some really painful shin splints. After burning through a bunch of different shoes, 120 dollars a pop plus lol, I figured it was probably me and not the shoes.
I took some time on some running forums and learned about barefoot running. It sounds like a lot of hippie shit at first the way its marketed but it really is not. I DO NOT RUN BAREFOOT LOL, but i do run and walk in shoes that have very little slope and weigh next to nothing, they are called Inov8 f-LITE 195's. When I picked the shoes up at first I was skeptical that they would do the job because I was in the school of thought that more padding in the shoes equals a cozier run. After a few miles running in them and focusing on my landing i noticed for the first time running i was actually getting a pump in my calfs and no longer felt any shin splints. 3 months later i ran my first half marathon in 2 hours and 5 minutes (not very fast but a high point in my life no doubt)
If you live in a big city you can find these shoes shoes at a high adventure type store, i do not think they carry them at dicks or sports authority because the market is not there yet. The markup where i got mine was 20 percent higher than online but they price matched me because I could of just went online after trying them on there.
Also, and this probably does not matter that much, but i do not wear socks with my running shoes. They smell, and make my feet smell, but it makes for a cooler run and a better fit.
If you don't have the money to buy the shoes, research midfoot running and give it a try in your current shoes and if you focus on changing your form you will still get all the great results. The biggest thing on how the shoes helped me is because there is no padding or slope so it forces you to properly, they also look badass in black.
Good luck and I hope this gets some of you chronic shinsplinters back on the pavement!
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Anoni never had any problems until I got in my mid 20s. I ran 8 miles nonstop in Benning with combat boots, an 80 pound ruck sack, web gear, M16, entrenching tool, steel pot but I was freaking 18 years old. Now I'm dealing with "plantar fasciitis" you dont know anything about that do you? lol.
+1
I have had a lot of pain in my arches and heels the way I used to run. Just so you know these shoes do not have "arch support" . Thats a good thing though becase your feet are already arched and this lets them flex better. Depending on how you land, that arch support maybe wedging itself in the center of your foot causing those knots in the muscle. They showed me a model skelaton of the foot while I was at that outdoor store and gave me a physics lesson in the foot explaining that the midfoot is designed to absorb the shock, it has dexterity, it has more area, and it sends that force through the muscles instead of the shins and knees. The mechanics made since after they got me on a treadmill to practice for a couple of minutes. They said try running heel toe on concrete without shoes on and see how far you make it lol. Obviously that pain would hurt like hell, the shape of the heel bone is small and pointy and not made to pound the pavement.
I read on some running forums that people who have switched their running style have been cured of plantar flascilitis but I doubt most of them put themselves through the same abuse you did lol. People on running forums tend to exaggerate. It's worth a try though, worse case scenario you got a unique pair of shoes that are incredibly comfortable and weigh next to nothing and like Tcslick said they are great for the gym. Vibrams or Inov8 you can't go wrong, you can go very wrong with Merrill's and jcpennies skelatoes lol. Good luck!
AnonThank you for taking the time to write that bro. I have the regular cushion that came with the shoes, orthotics on top of that after my feet were scanned, Dr. Sholls pad on top of that, a padded heal cushion and another pad for plantar fasciitis on top of that. So far this is the best in comfort I have found.
Give them a vote if you find it helpful.PermalinkWhy didn't you go with vibrams they're the same price?
When I originally went to the store that is what I was looking for. They are what made the whole barefoot revolution thing popular. After I got to the store though the inov8's had a better fit for my feet. The vibrams didn't contour to my big toe well enough and they rubbed against a reoccurring spot where I would get an ingrown nail. Inov8 on the other hand, when I wear them without socks, have a spacious toe box and fit my feet really well with zero ingrown nail rub. I no longer have the ingrown nail problem, but I am definitely prone to it.
I totally agree with you on the barefoot running. I've always ran since high school but never long distance. Maybe 5 miles tops.
Then I bought a pair of Vibrams after reading Born to Run. After a summer of breaking them in, i.e. running till my feel literally were bleeding and bruised. I finally got used too them then I got up running around 80 miles a week.
On calves development. You nailed it. The pump you get running in minimalistic shoes is awesome. I've really put on some nice calves since wearing them.
Also in the gym minimalistic shoes are much better for for most lifts. Like dead-lifts, squats, leg press, calf raises etc..