Knee pain, sole pain, problem?

[Deleted member 25923]

I have recently been having some knee pain (above the knee cap, mostly left knee) and foot pain on the arch/sole area.

My coach looked at my shoes and noticed they had pretty flat soles/insoles, and I have size 10 4E New Balances. Not a good idea apparently, since they always feel too big.

My regular shoes are some reeboks. Also 4E, size 10, feel huge! I constantly tighten them for basketball/running.

I just bought some Asics Running shoes, and they feel pretty good, but I haven't worn them yet. Apparently, they have the best arch support.

These won't be used for tennis, just outdoor stuff.

Do you guys think that my pain is shoe related, and I think my shoes are the New Balance 550s or 515s, forgot which? Are these not that great, and have bad arches/stability?

I need something for this pain. It's not helping. First year that this has hurt me.

Are Asics tennis shoes good?

 

[canuckfan]

4E are extra extra wide. There is regular, then 2E (wide), then 4E(really wide). Why do you have them if they're too big?

 

[Deleted member 25923]

4E are extra extra wide. There is regular, then 2E (wide), then 4E(really wide). Why do you have them if they're too big?

They felt nice at the time, and roomy

But in competition, they don't feel good.

Do you think a crappy arch can cause knee pain?

 

[canuckfan]

For casual wear a loose fit is fine but in competition you will slide around and lose balance. It will put extra strain on your ankles and knees and it will slow you down, especially during sharp changes of direction. Athletic shoes need a snug fit, without being restrictive.

 

[Deleted member 25923]

For casual wear a loose fit is fine but in competition you will slide around and lose balance. It will put extra strain on your ankles and knees. Athletic shoes need a snug fit, without being restrictive.

Yes, in general, I like a tighter fit. It may feel odd at first, but after a while, my foot gets used to it.

I think the large shoe is the cause of knee and arch pain. Do you think the crappy arch is contributing too?

 

[Deleted member 25923]

Just checked: They were the NB 515's

 

[parasailing]

Do you have flat feet or high arch? When I started to play tennis, I had all sorts of arch pain which went away once I got the right shoe with extra support insole.

Your feet are very important and not having the proper shoe maybe affect your alignment which could be the cause of pain elsewhere.

I have high arch so I go with a medium arch shoe with a SOF Athlete sole which provides additional arch support over the cheap and thin liner that manufacturers come with.

 

[Deleted member 25923]

I'm not sure how arched my foot is. I'm not familiar with the varying degrees. Is there a simple test, or must I see a podiatrist/shoe specialist?

 

[sstchur]

I have very wide feet and for every day shoes, I require 4E for comfort.

But yeah, on the court, I need something more snug or I will injure my foot (I've done it before).

I now use the Babolat Propulse 2, since it has those velcro straps that allow me to cinch up nicely.

Also, if you can afford it, I HIGHLY recommend going to a podiatrist and getting fitted for custom orthotics. I did this, and it was SO worth it. I use them in every pair of shoes I have now, including my court shoes. Have not has any injuries since.

 

[Deleted member 25923]

How expensive are podiatrists? I ask because I am a 17 year old junior

 

[sstchur]

Honestly, I am not sure how expensive it is. I think getting fitted for the orthotics was a few hundred dollars, but I work for Microsoft and have great benefits which covered that

I certainly understand that it might be cost prohibitive for someone in your situation.

On a related note, the podiatrist did suggest that I could try "Superfeet." He said, for over the counter, non-custom fitted, those are quite good. They will take some getting used to (but so did my custom ones) -- about a week, but now they feel great!

Good luck

 

[Deleted member 25923]

Honestly, I am not sure how expensive it is. I think getting fitted for the orthotics was a few hundred dollars, but I work for Microsoft and have great benefits which covered that

I certainly understand that it might be cost prohibitive for someone in your situation.

On a related note, the podiatrist did suggest that I could try "Superfeet." He said, for over the counter, non-custom fitted, those are quite good. They will take some getting used to (but so did my custom ones) -- about a week, but now they feel great!

Good luck

Hm, I think I first need to see if I have lack of arch or too much. I'm not real sure.

 

[parasailing]

I didn't know you were only 17 years old since you wrote such a great post on stringing machines.

Anyways, here is a link to find an approximate of what your arch is, seeing a podiatrist is the best but at least this will give you an idea.

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319-326-7152-0,00.html#

 

[charliefedererer]

Mansewerz,

It sounds like you spend a lot of time on the tennis courts where your feet and knees take a beating.

It's also obvious from so many of your great posts that you are capable of analyzing a lot of information and coming to sound conclusions.

It's a pity that your feet and knee are both bothering you. The underlying problem may indeed be related, but not necessarily so. But it is true that good cushioned footware is one of the things that can soften the forces on the knee, and is usually essential to relieving pain in the arch/sole area.

parasailing gave you a good reference above to check out your basic foot type. The reason this is important is that it will influence the type of insole that could provide you the relief you need.

Most people will have normal to high arches and will benefit from adding the Superfeet Orange insole http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpage-SFMO.html to their shoes, and throwing out the essentially useless insoles that all manufactures initially put in. Those original insoles are made of thin foam that quickly compresses down and then provides no shock absorbtion or arch support. The Superfeet Orange have a semi rigid skeleton for great arch support, covered with a long lasting shock absorbing material. They clearly are the most recommended insole here on TT.

But if you have flat feet the Superfeet Orange are NOT for you. They will push into your insole and cause discomfort. You would then do better with a stuctured comfort insole like the Spenco Polysorb or the Sof Sole Men's Stability Insoles: http://www.runningwarehouse.com/catpage-insoles.html

And occasionally there are even exceptions to the above recommendations, depending if the person is an over pronator (common in those with flat feet) or under pronator (common in those with high arches): http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319-327-7727-0,00.html# That's why some tennis players really end up needing to see a podiatrist for evaluation and potentially custom inserts.

I trust you have had your foot size measured, and that it is indeed 10 4e. If so, unfortunately you are very limited to what tennis shoes you can purchase largely to New Balance. But the 804 is designed for those with a medium arch, and the 1004for those with a low arch. (But also realize that shoe manufacturers produce their shoes for an international market, and usually slap the US/UK/European/Asian sizing on after the shoe is made, so someone may post another shoe appropriate for you.)

Also, since the knee pain may not be related to a shoe remedy, you might try posting more details on the health and fitness website for a response.

 

[mike53]

Hm, I think I first need to see if I have lack of arch or too much. I'm not real sure.

Walk on dry concrete with wet feet and look at your footprints. If you see the outline of your entire foot, then you have flat feet. If you see it about half filled in between the heel and the forefoot, that is an average arch. The less wet mark you see on the concrete in the area between your heel (where you see 100%) and your forefoot (also 100%) the higher your arches and the more you may need support.

Not to overlook the obvious, but could your shoes be worn out? Worn out street shoes can also cause this kind of problem. If your shoes are too wide, you can wear 2 pairs of socks until you get the right size. If they are too long, your toe will slide into the end and jam and your toenails will fall off.

 

[charliefedererer]

Mike 53 just gave me this idea from another post. If your feet turn out to be slightly narrower than 4e, this is the list of shoes from TW for "wide feet": http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/catpage-MSWIDE.html It includes some K-Swiss and other choices.