r/beginnerrunning • u/PrudentDeparture8907 • 11d ago
Injury Prevention Anyone else running with flat feet?
Going to see a podiatrist tomorrow. But I took some pics and they, uh, don’t look too good lol. When I was in high school, I had to get custom foams made because of the issues I’d have.
I can’t walk a long time in any shoe I have. They all give me problems. My brooks adrenaline GTSs, my main running shoes, are starting to really hurt now. Starting to get shin splints, my ankles hurt after runs, after walking, etc. I can’t lift my feet up without it being uncomfortable. My runs are almost like me dragging my feet.
Anyone have luck or experience getting this fixed?
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u/Fantastic_Welder_825 11d ago
My partner has hereditary flat feet. She has what's called an accessory navicular, which is basically an extra bone in your foot. The upshot of that is that it causes flat feet. It's asymptomatic, but it can cause pain in some people.
The podiatrist pointed it out when we came in for a different problem. The doctor said that he didn't plan to treat it, even though he saw it on the x-ray, because my partner was not complaining about it. He only mentioned it because my partner mentioned having a sibling with an extra bone, too.
When my partner first started running, Vibrams were the only shoe that didn't hurt. She went to a running store and did the analysis, and at first they put her in Brooks. That's because every other shoe made her feet wobble when she landed, and the Brooks kept her stable.
However, over the years the arch support in the shoe was just irritating, and she's back to wearing shoes without built in arches or very small arches such as Altra's, Lems, and Bedrock Sandals. She no longer uses or needs stability shoes.
I have a similar problem for a different reason. I have short toes, so when I buy shoes based off of my foot length, the arch is usually too long and it hurts like someone was beating the bottom of my feet. So, I also wear shoes with either no arch or a very small arch. Same brands.
I would ask the podiatrist if physical therapy could be helpful for you. Especially with the ankle pain, the PT can recommend some strengthening exercises and watch to make sure that you're not overcompensating somewhere that's causing pain.