{"id":1318,"date":"2022-10-14T15:42:48","date_gmt":"2022-10-14T15:42:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecharlotteathlete.com\/?p=1318"},"modified":"2023-08-17T20:14:17","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T20:14:17","slug":"quarantine-runners-your-guide-to-surviving-foot-and-ankle-injuries-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecharlotteathlete.com\/quarantine-runners-your-guide-to-surviving-foot-and-ankle-injuries-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Charlotte Runners! Your Guide To Surviving Foot and Ankle Injuries: Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Okay lets pick up right where we left off! Part 1<\/a> covered important mobility and stability concepts for pain-free running, part 2 will dive deep into footwear and running technique!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Footwear
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Let\u2019s start off with footwear. There\u2019s no one size fits all when it comes to shoes.<\/strong> So when trying to figure out how much support your shoes should have, without getting too in depth, you need to determine what kind of arch you have. A simple way to find out is to just look at your feet. If that\u2019s not clear, then you can do the \u201cwet feet\u201d test by stepping in some water and observing your foot print.\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n

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If you have a\u00a0high arch, your foot is often more stable and you\u2019ll need less structural support.<\/strong>\u00a0This also means that your feet may have a hard time absorbing impact and may need extra cushioning.\u00a0But if you have high arches and wear shoes that also have a high arch,\u00a0you\u2019re more likely to develop weakness and poor arch strength because your arch muscles aren\u2019t being used.

If you have a low arch or flat feet, you\u2019ll likely need more support because you have an unstable foot\/arch that likes to collapse or fall inward when you run<\/strong>\u00a0making you more likely to experience plantar fasciitis and ankle sprains. So you\u2019ll want some type of shoe that helps prevent \u201coverpronation<\/a>,\u201d and offers structural support for your arch. But if you continue to use your shoe as a crutch or quick fix for your lack of arch, you\u2019ll\u00a0cause the muscles to weaken even further over time, because they simply have to work less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you lie somewhere in between, then lucky you! You have a normal foot that is properly aligned with the appropriate amount of pronation and the weight and shock of every step you take is distributed evenly, making it less likely that you\u2019ll experience injuries. So as a general guideline, if you have normal or high arches, you likely need more flexible, minimalist shoes. <\/strong>However if you have flat feet, you likely could benefit from more supportive shoes<\/strong> to help relieve some pain while you get them stronger. However, in either circumstance you need solid arch strength. This can be done by performing these exercises below:
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1. Toe yoga: 3 minutes (video 1)
2. Arch Lifts: 3 minutes, hold 5 sec\u200b (video 1)
3. Floor sweeps: 3 sets of 15-20 reps (video 2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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