Flat feet and runners

In My Humble Opinion
1

Hallboy is a runner…well, he was in the past until he quit because he knees hurt each time he ran. So he was interested in picking it up again, and begin the good mother I am, I made an appointment with Sports Medicine, where he was seen yesterday. The doc there suggested (and this is the simple explaination) physical therapy to stregthen the muscles in his leg, warming exercises, cooling exercise, etc., so we’ll begin that this week. However, while there, he pointed out that Hallboy’s feet were completely flat and that his feet pronate, which is likely contributing to his knee pain. We have an appointment with the podiatrist to see what the next steps are, but the Sports Medicine doc mentioned that he’d likely need inserts for his shoes. I’ve been doing some preliminary checking online and custom made inserts are EXPENSIVE! Hallboy is still growing (he’s 13 and wears a mens size 12.5 shoe) and the thought of getting custom made inserts every six months because his feet have grown makes me sweat and start to hypervenilate.

(The insurance company will pay for the physical therapy. They’ll pay for the Sport Medicine visits. They’ll pay for the podiatrist. They’ll pay for the prescriptions for pain medication. If he needs surgery to correct damage done, they’ll pay for that. They will not, however, pay for inserts that could PREVENT or CORRECT this problem. But, I digress.)

So, I’m looking for runners who have flat feet and what they’ve done in the area of running without pain. Did inserts help? Were they custom made? Did a particular brand of shoe help or hurt?

2

I’m not a runner, but have always had flat & pronated feet. (Or is it the ankles that pronate?) So I wore orthopedic shoes through elementary & into junior high. This was before the days of inserts–so they built arch supports & heel wedges into hideously ugly oxfords.

Nowadays, I wear the less atrocious SAS sandals. In cold weather, I get some inserts from the Dr Scholl rack for more substantial shoes. (Here in Houston, sandals work for most of the year.) Wearing run-down shoes leads to pain from the heel to the lower back. Followed by numbness. Followed by me tossing the shoes.

Tell the podiatrist about your cost concerns. Perhaps some ready-made inserts will work? But it sounds like your kid definitely needs something. (And the exercise described is a good idea.)

I’m sure the runners will have more specific advice.