Are you aware of that nagging pain in your lower Legs It's a problem that never seems to improve? The leg pain is always a cause to slow your progress just as you begin to see real improvements. This type of lower leg injuries that are commonly known as "shin splints" is among the most frequent injuries that occur in people who are not active.
The advice that users receive regarding the treatment and prevention of these injuries when looking for athletic shoes is not based on scientifically proven facts. A majority of people purchase running shoes for shin splints that do not help their condition or contribute to it.
The good news is that, with the correct shoe selection, shin splints are minimized or prevented. This article will provide you with everything you require to choose the ideal athletic shoe that is centered on the specific requirements of either you or your customers. The key is to understand the unique characteristics of your feet and be in a position to identify the main features of the athletic shoe.
It All Starts with Understanding Your Feet
We've all been told about flat feet or having an arch that is excessively high. This information is vital since the reality is that the majority of what we require in an athletic shoe is centered around our arch.
The flatfoot, also called the pronated foot is distinguished by an excessive movement. It means that the foot is slack as it "gives" more when weighed down by the body, resulting in appearing flat while carrying the weight.
An arch that is high, often called a supinated shoe, is not without its own issues. Supinated feet are stiff and rigid foot that is not the good shock absorber. Because of this, excessive forces of motion are transferred to the leg, only to be absorption by another body component, in this instance the bones of the leg's lower part.
The neutral (normal) normal foot is an intermediate point between supinated and pronated feet. This is the biomechanically sound foot. It is not vulnerable to any kind of shin splints however symptoms could persist.
If you've never heard of one or the other foot kind you are, you are neutral. In the next article, I'll provide an easy method of identifying arch types that can fit on any person.
What are the reasons these foot Types cause Shin Splints?
Let's first look at the flat or pronating foot. The tibialis posterior muscles are the muscle that is responsible to maintain your foot's arch as you put weight on your feet (see the diagram).
However, we recognize that the pronating arch tends to fall down when under pressure. This is why there is a tug-of-war between the arch collapsing as well as the posterior tibialis every step. As time passes the collapsing arch will win the battle. Due to the forces in the posterior tibialis, the muscle's source begins to disengage from its connection to the tibia.
It is evident that the person suffering from this condition may experience pain on the medial distal (lower inside) part of the leg. This is felt close to the border between the soleus and tibia muscle near the middle of the leg. Be aware that pain could not be restricted to one location because the source of the posterior tibialis covers an extensive region.
Let's examine how to look at the Supinating (high arch) foot. Remember the fact that it is a stiff foot that is not able to absorb shock effectively. This foot carries more force of the impact to the leg. The tibia bone is the one that suffers the most from this type of injury. Hairline fractures can appear within the bone. The person who has this kind of shin splint might be experiencing pain in the front distal (lower front) of the leg, in the lower part of the shin.
The condition can be distinguished from the splints that fit on the foot with a flat surface since this type is the most sensitive when placed directly to the tibia (shin) generally prior to (in the front of) the posterior tibialis muscle. The condition is further diagnosed by obvious signs of swelling (lumps) around the shins. With either kind of shin splint discomfort is more intense when exercising and right after.
How to Choose the Best Footwear
After kinesiology is over we can move on to shoes since the right footwear can minimize the risk of injury. If you're flat-footed, you'll need shoes that control the movement of your foot. Keep in mind that a foot that is flat experiences excessive motion. To prevent this it is recommended to look for the sole of your shoe to be sturdy from the point of the feet (usually the largest portion of the shoe) until the heel. Additionally, you need a strong and sturdy heel cup. The heel cup is the area where the shoe that cups and helps stabilize the heel over the sole.
This is an ankle brace and keeps it in the neutral position, stopping pronation. What can you do to check the characteristics of a shoe? It is essential to take it off! Press the heel cup over the sole. Do you feel it is soft or firm? One hand should be held on the side of the sole, and then place the other hand on the largest portion of the sole at the bottom of the toes. Do a nice twist! Bend it! Did it feel firm or did it feel spongy?
Then compare it to similar models in the stores. I've found that Asics shoes that have a motion control bar are usually very well in this area. Are you in agreement?
If you've got flat feet, it is important for the shoe to be sturdy in these crucial areas, yet flexible on the toes. This helps maintain the integrity of the arch and foot, decreasing the force on the tibialis posterior muscles when you exercise. This will reduce the potential for the tibialis posterior muscle to start to tear out of its tibial connection (see above) which will save lots of pain and training.
What happens if you have an arch that is high? It's already a sturdy foot, which means you don't require motion control. What you require is the ability to absorb shock. If you are prone to hairline fractures in the tibia due to an excessive amount of force that is transferred through your foot, then you'll need to take some of the impact force by wearing a shoe.
Take a look at some new shoes! Try a few jumps! You're searching for a shoe that will cushion your impact against the ground. I've discovered that Saucony sneakers are generally the top choice in this class. Which do you recommend? It is possible to benefit from an additional athletic sole insert specifically designed for shock absorption.
What happens if you've got an average or neutral foot? If so you're not vulnerable to either shin splints that are mentioned in this article though symptoms of one or the other could still be present. Your choice of a shoe isn't so important for you. It is important to choose shoes that are a compromise between the two types of technology discussed earlier. You should look for a good shock absorber with good support in your sole (from the bottom of your toes) and the heel cup.
One characteristic ALL athletic shoes must-have is a flexible toe. This will prevent you from overworking the Gastroc-soleus area (the calves) in the course of your activity, and thereby opening yourself to a variety of different athletic injuries.
