Insole Advice

[thegranger]

Hi

I've started experiencing hip pain on my right side when walking. The GP assures me it's not arthritic nor mechanical, so I am guessing it's middle age catching up with me.

I'm keen to explore the use of insole inserts to see if they can provide extra shock absorption. Superfeet appear to be market leaders although by no means a cheap option should they prove to be ineffective.

I'd appreciate any input / advice / insight from members as to their experience of using insoles

[Sgurr]

I had the same sort of thing about ten years ago. You may have one leg longer than the other. This is what a podiatrist I went to told me (apparently that is what she tells everyone, but it may be true).

Daughter said "Have you only just discovered that, I knew after I sent back a pair of leggings for ending in a different place on my legs for left and right, and they measured them."

Podiatrist made a cast of my instep, using an expensive machine and charged me well over £100 for orthotic insoles. Was a tiny bit sceptical and I get Boots Own Brand Orthotic insoles now, and they do the job just as well. Now over 10 years since I had the expensive set, which are supposed to be renewed every two years. Incidentally, when I came to think of it, if one leg had been longer than the other, it would have been longer when I was 57 and not waited until I was 67 to manifest itself, and at 77 there is no OBVIOUS difference, but the orthotics did the trick. Maybe my flat feet had just got worse (or flat foot) and is now supported.

Could just be placebo effect.

Apologies to all podiatrists out there: I'm sure you all do really essential jobs.

Caveat. What you have is probably entirely different from what I had.

[teaandpies]

Hi

I've started experiencing hip pain on my right side when walking. The GP assures me it's not arthritic nor mechanical, so I am guessing it's middle age catching up with me.

I'm keen to explore the use of insole inserts to see if they can provide extra shock absorption. Superfeet appear to be market leaders although by no means a cheap option should they prove to be ineffective.

I'd appreciate any input / advice / insight from members as to their experience of using insoles

Superfeet give a 60 day money back promise. You can wear them for 59 days and return them on the 60th. So where's the risk?

[Michael Thomson]

I found that the rigidity of superfeet wasn't particularly helpful. If you are looking for shock absorption, they won't help much. They can help correct other postural problems though.

I prefer Sole footbeds, which provide support but allow for movement and don't have the immobilsation/rigidity issues I had with Superfeet. They mould to your feet through use or tempering in the oven. I use them in all my boots and trail shoes and have been pain free ever since. They sorted my wife's plantar fasciitis too.

The trick I think would be to try them all and see what suits you. Doesn't hurt to talk to a podiatrist either.

[Gareth Harper]

If you continue to have issues you might want to look at getting a podiatrist to carry out a biomechanical assessment. I started having pretty bad hip and back problems about eight to ten years ago. I initially saw one podiatrist who made me much worse. The second did the biomechanical assessment, I had my feet cast and custom insoles made. The insoles last a lifetime but need refurbished every 4 or 5 years.
It made a huge difference to me. I can walk again.

[Caberfeidh]

I'm sure I could be persuaded to even things up a bit, simply by lopping off a wee tad on the elongated side. Of course I may have to even up the other side then. This could go on for a while. May I keep the bits for soup?

[IanEzzi]

Michael Thomson, are these the insoles you are talking about?

http://www.return2fitness.co.uk/foot-ca ... e-footbeds

I'm quite intrigued, I don't feel standard Superfeet really support my arches very much and often get sore heels/balls of my feet at the end of long walks. The issue isn't really bad enough to warrant more expensive insoles or lots of money on a podiatrist (yet...)

The Sole insoles look like they come with a preformed 'high' arch? I guess when you heat them and stand on them this will mould to the underside of your arch?

They also look to have a gap underneath the arch which I assume gives them some flex etc.

[Michael Thomson]

Michael Thomson, are these the insoles you are talking about?

Aye that's the fellows.

You can do the oven thing and then mould them to suit or just wear them for a while and it has the same net effect.

They do an array of thicknesses to suit and insulated versions for winter use too. Their website is the insultingly named www.yoursole.com/uk/ which I find childishly amusing.

They used to do some excellent recovery shoes (insulated bothy slippers to you and me) called Exhale which are outstanding but they are hard to find since they were discontinued.

[basscadet]

I didn't find the Sole ones particularly good - I got a pair with a pair of trail shoes, and did the oven thing, but they weren't cushioned enough for me. I did get some from a podiatrist, but they werent hardwearing enough and I wore through them in no time, so not ideal either. I now use some altberg ones - they have a variety of gels and memory foam inside, of varying densities to support your feet properly, while providing plenty of cushioning. I like them a lot

http://www.altberg.co.uk/svartz-footbeds/product/anatomic-absorber/

[Gareth Harper]

The issue isn't really bad enough to warrant more expensive insoles or lots of money on a podiatrist (yet...)

One thing is that some podiatrists are better than others.

If I remember correctly my insoles correct pronation, they also give me an arch (my feet are fairly flat), plus there is a ‘golf ball’ that pushes into my mid foot to push my toes out.

http://www.hyperpronation.com/

It’s a shame that teenagers aren’t checked at school for pronation or supination. Unfortunately, I’ve had 30 odd years of my feet sitting in the wrong position (your feet adapt to their adult position by the time you are in your teens). I had problems through my 30’s till everything started grinding to a halt in my early 40’s. So whilst my feet now sit correctly, inevitably a certain amount of damage has been done.

A good podiatrist will be able to tell you if your feet sit correctly, indeed if you have one leg significantly longer than the other etc. If you do have pronation or supination etc, that then means your knees, hips back etc all have to adapt to correct your stance.

There are of course other issues that could cause your symptoms, and if your symptoms persist a trip to a podiatrist could be worthwhile.

[IanEzzi]

Hmm...

Took delivery of my new 'Sole' insoles, the Active Thick (3.2mm padding).

The arch was pleasingly high and supportive, and the padding did indeed seem quite thick, very slightly thicker than the green Superfeet insoles I took out.

I had wanted to experiment with higher arches as my knees still tend to track inwards, towards my big toe or more, and deliberately walking on the outside of my feet (i.e. lifting the inside of my arches) seems to correct this.

Anyway, foolishly fitted insoles and immediately went on a 10 hour hike over 7 Munros

Initially my feet were a bit uncomfortable, a general muscular ache all over, which I guess is to be expected as they adjust to a new shape/position. This seemed to ease over the day and on the next day's hike was gone.

However I noticed my toenails seemed to be taking a battering, either the thicker padding was just enough to bring them into contact with the top of the boot, or the insole was somehow pushing my foot forward a bit.

Finally, I also noticed I developed very raw, almost blistered heels on the second day. I doubt this is specifically to do with the insole but maybe to do with a 'soft' bit of my heel now being brought into contact with the back of the boot.

Oh, and my knees if anything seemed slightly worse, so not a great result all round.

If nothing else, treat new insoles like new boots, don't try and smash out a big day with new insoles unless they're exactly the same as your old ones!



Disclaimers: I was using new laces which didn't seem to grip as well as the old ones, so perhaps the blisters and the banged toes were actually just down to my foot moving more in the boot.

Also, I had some angled wedges under my heels with my old insole, to help rotate the foot outward a little and promote better knew tracking. A podiatrist I spoke to was quite dismissive of them so I didn't bother fitting them this time, will put them in and see what difference it makes.

[basscadet]

I find that a lot in trail shoes - if you put an inner sole in, then the curve designed to fit the back of your heel, isn't right so then you get blisters.. It really isn't easy is it!

[jacob]

Maybe I'm completely off track here, but I too suffer from hip pain every now and then, combined with shinsplints (front outside) and knee pains.
I am slightly bow-legged, and since I've drawn the conclusion al these three pains could be caused by this, I've been wearing insoles that are slightly higher on the outside of my foot, forcing me to straighten my legs better. I do notice less trouble with shins, knees and hips since this improvement.
Disclaimers:
-this is a N=1 survey
-no specialist was involved, just me trying something new

[teaandpies]

I find that a lot in trail shoes - if you put an inner sole in, then the curve designed to fit the back of your heel, isn't right so then you get blisters.. It really isn't easy is it!

Spot on. Some manufacturers of insoles do have low volume insoles to help with things like this. Superfeet 'Carbon' are one example of this but expensive at £40 so not for everyone.

I think Sidas may also have low volume aswell??

I think a lot of people forget to remove the shoes own liner before putting in their new insoles

[IanEzzi]

Had another look last night, the new insoles are no thicker than my old superfeet, and both are completely flat at the toe end (i.e. no raised portions or 'metatarsal buttons' etc).

It occurred to me though that when the new insoles arrived they were actually a size too big, I usually take a 43 and these were a 45 (blame US vs British sizing on the yoursole website...).

Anyway, this probably pushes the very exaggerated arch of the Sole insole further from the heel of the boot, which in turn probably pushes my foot further forward in the boot. This probably explains bashed toes AND blistered heels, if my heels are getting pulled forward from the back of the boot then they probably have more room to rub up and down

Anyway, this is probably only of interest to me, but be careful with sizing when ordering your insoles! (probably goes without saying...).

Off to a podiatrist today, think it's about time to look at some custom or semi-custom orthotics

http://ever-flex.com/sportsflex.html