Injury management - Sports Injury

Best running shoes for calf pain: look for these…

by Pete Colagiuri - Sports Physiotherapist

Finding the best running shoes can be a challenge. Trying to find the best running shoes for calf pain adds another dimension!

Running shoes can have a big impact on the pressure in the calf muscle when you run. So it makes sense that the right running shoes should be able to help take the pressure off the injured area.

To get the best shoe for your calf, you ideally need to know what’s causing your calf pain.

We’re releasing an app in the 2nd half of 2021 that can provide you with an accurate diagnosis for your calf pain.

Until then, have a read of this great article that can help you find the cause of your calf soreness.

Choosing the best running shoe for calf pain

When we choose the best running shoes for calf pain, there are number of key features that control how much load the calf muscle is under:

Heel-toe offset
Level of support
Stack height
Grip/outsole

Feature #1 – Heel-toe offset

The first is heel toe offset, also known as heel to toe drop. This describes the height of the heel relative to the height of the toe.

It tells you how much the foot is angled downwards when you’re standing. This downwards angle reduces the amount of stretch on the calf. So a high heel toe offset, typically around 10mm or greater, will reduce the amount of stretch of the calf.

If your calf symptoms are linked to shorter calf muscles, a higher heel toe offset is helpful.

A high heel toe offset is also useful for very painful, irritated conditions as it provides some pain relief. It allows you to run faster with less pressure on the calf compared to low drop shoes.

Feature #2 – Level of support

The level of support is rated from neutral (no direct support), then minimum/moderate/maximum support levels and finally, motion control.

Neutral shoes make the calf work harder by increasing the amount of muscle work required to stabilise the ankle.

The min/mod/max support options provide more structure and support (obviously) which reduces the stability work required. But it can inadvertently make it harder for the calf to propel you forwards.

Motion control options are rarely required and make normal biomechanics almost impossible.

The best advice for support levels is to go with the lowest level required to maintain a consistent running technique for the duration of your runs. If you start well but lose form in the last few miles, you might benefit from an upgraded support level.

Feature #3 – Stack height

Stack height refers to the overall height off the ground – basically it’s the amount of foam under your foot.

Higher stack heights, as seen with Hoka running shoes and other brands, reduce the calf muscle work with landing. As you impact, the cushioning help with shock absorption. That means your calf muscles won’t be as active, which should reduce calf muscle fatigue.

Feature #4 – Outsole or grip

Last on our list is the outsole or grip on the shoe. And this one might surprise you!

Better grip – either from new shoes or more aggressive grip patterns – actually increases the load on the calf.

As you push off, the improved grip ensures that you don’t slip. So all that force generated in the calf is matched by a firm attachment to the ground, maximising calf muscle loading.

Compare that to an old shoe, smooth grip patterns or road shoes worn on trail, and the opposite occurs. The calf force is allows to slip a little as it pushes off, reducing the forces pushing back against it. that will reduce your performance slightly but it’ll also reduce your calf pain in each running session.

11 best running shoes for wide feet

by Pete Colagiuri - Sports Physiotherapist

Trying to find the best running shoes for wide feet is a long held frustration for anyone gifted with a broad forefoot!

Wide feet, defined as having an increased width (across the ball of the foot) relative to its length, require a shoe with slightly different proportions.

Who has wide feet?

Feet will naturally widen over time, and this happens faster with excessive body weight or poor ankle/leg stability.

Looking at cultural differences, wide feet are more common amongst Asian cultures (source).

Who needs wide fitting running shoes?

Some surveys found that up to 50% of people need a wider fitting shoe. So they should be pretty common, right?

Oh so wrong unfortunately…

Side note: we look in detail at the best running shoes for wide feet below. We’ve created a dedicated post for women’s wide fitting running shoes, link TBA.

Where do you find running shoes for wide feet?

Looking at the 800+ men’s shoes available on runningwarehouse.com, less than 15% of running shoes are for wide feet. If you need a trail-specific running shoe, less than 10% have options for wide feet.

In considering the best running shoes for wide feet, there is no “best” shoe because everyone’s needs are different.

It would be like trying to recommend a “best” car – some people need a station wagon for the kids, others need a sports car for the look while some prefer an off-road vehicle for, well, off-road.

What to look for in a wide fitting running shoe?

The two key features of a shoe that are needed to narrow your selection are the heel to toe offset (aka heel to toe drop) and the amount of support it provides.

Road shoe without support

If you prefer a lower offset shoe (anything under 6mm) and you don’t needs support, the HOKA ONE ONE range now includes a selection of wide fitting shoes. Runners love HOKA because of their generous cushioning and smooth ride.

In a mid offset shoe (around 6-8mm) without support, your best options are in the Saucony or New Balance range. Saucony’s wide fitting running shoes are a little bit heavier than the New Balance options but accommodate a higher volume foot (nice way of saying a “fatter foot”).

For your high offset wide fitting running shoes without support, you’ll be looking at Brooks, Mizuno or Asics shoes (although there are some options in the New Balance range as well).

Road shoe with support

If you need support in a wide fitting road running shoe, the best options are:

Hoka One One Arahi (low-mid offset)
Saucony Guide (mid offset)
Asics GT-2000 (high offset)
Brooks Adrenaline GTS (high offset)
Mizuno Wave Inspire (high offset)
New Balance 860 (high offset)

Trail running shoes

If you’re looking for trail running shoes for wide feet, the options are even more limited.

Trail running shoe with support

First point, THERE ARE NO SUPPORT OPTIONS FOR TRAIL SHOES!!!

Your only options are to go for a supportive road shoe or to add a supportive orthotic to a well structured neutral shoe.

Trail running shoe without support

For a trail shoe that fits a wide foot and doesn’t have support, the favourite options are:

Altra Lone Peak (zero offset – ie. dead flat)
Hoka One One Speedgoat (low offset)
Saucony Peregrine (low offset)
Brooks Cascadia (mid-high offset)
Salomon Speedcross (high offset)

4 steps to selecting the best exercises for lower…

by Pete Colagiuri - Sports Physiotherapist

Lower back pain is one of the most prevalent medical conditions. It affecting around 80% of the population.

The best way to fix lower back pain remains elusive. We know a number of options that are effective for most people.

However the best option is different for different people. There is still some trial and error in figuring out the most effective treatment option for your lower back pain.

Medication and exercise for lower back pain

Two of the most effective options – medication and exercise – work at different times in the lower back pain episode.

Medication, like simple paracetemol, can help ease the initial pain in the first few weeks. This is known as the acute phase of lower back pain.

The medicine helps by affecting the way you feel pain. That’s enough to get you moving again but it’s not a cure and it’s not a long term option.

Other medications work with more severe pain or muscle spasm but they’re rarely required.

After you’ve got moving again, usually with ongoing back soreness, it’s time to get back to normal.

That’s when exercises for lower back pain comes in.

Effective exercises for lower back pain

The best exercises for lower back pain fit specific criteria:

You feel better after doing the exercise
You can do the exercise with a smooth, well-controlled movement
The exercise targets range of motion or strength that is functional for the back
The exercise doesn’t generate too much muscle fatigue

You should feel better after doing the exercise/s.

If you’re effective in restoring normal functioning of the lower back, the back is comfortable and able to move with more confidence afterwards.

If the exercise is overloading the back for its current capacity, it’ll become sore and begin to guard against movement, This will delay your recovery and reinforce bad movement patterns.

The exercise should involve a smooth well-controlled movement.

If you find the movement painful, jerky or it just doesn’t look normal, there’s a good chance that it’s not helpful.

The brain learns quickly and it adjusts your movement based on recent experience.

So it the exercise movement doesn’t allow smooth movement, the brain will replay that same movement pattern for your daily tasks.

This will slow your progress and generate some unhelpful barriers to recovery.

For the back to function normally, it needs to move functionally

“Functional movement” as a term has been overused and abused in many gyms. It’s nothing fancy and doesn’t have superpowers.

It literally means any movement that mimics the actually job of the lower back.

The back needs to bend and twist while remaining supported by muscles.

So a functional exercise should do the same.

On the other hand, a plank exercise might be good for strength but it’s not mimicking a normal movement pattern.

This doesn’t provide confidence for the brain to return to normal movements so it’s of limited benefit.

Don’t overcook your strength work

Some fatigue is necessary for strength gains. But if you try to get stronger too quickly, it leads to increased muscle fatigue and soreness.

The fatigue prevents the back from moving and functioning normally for a period of time afterwards.

So while you’re fatigued, you’re more likely to irritate the underlying lower back pain. And excessive fatigue can also trigger muscle spasms, which further delays recovery.

Designing your own strength program

by Pete Colagiuri - Sports Physiotherapist

Most people who regularly lift weights are working to a set program.

It might be a DIY program, one from the web or a professionally-designed program.

A program from an S&C coach or personal trainer is usually the best option, as they can customise it for your goals and current lifting capacity.

But those programs can become expensive if updated regularly.

So here are some guidelines to effectively designing your own DIY strength program, for home strength or gym programs.

1. Mobility before strength

Before you can train strength, you need to have enough range of motion to perform the exercise.

Mobility refers to ability to move your joint through an adequate range of motion.

If you’re finding that your exercise is not limited by muscle strength and fatigue, you may have a mobility problem.

So before you can dive into heavy strength work, you need to begin with mobility exercises to improve your range.

If you need examples of these exercises, have a look at a lot of the yoga movements.

2. Strength or stability, not both

The body’s ability to generate force is directly linked to the stability of the platform that it’s working from.

Essentially if you’re standing on a wobbly surface, your brain won’t fully engage muscles when they are likely to push you further off balance.

When you’re designing and selecting exercises for your program, decide whether you’re targeting strength or stability.

For strength work, you’ll be able to lift heavier when standing on two legs on stable ground. The weight should be positioned over your centre of balance, often over your shoulders or held at your chest.

Stability work is designed to challenge your ability to control off-centre loading. So you may hold a single weight on one side or narrow your centre of balance by standing on one leg.

3. Be general, be specific

This may sound counter-intuitive but every program needs a broad range of exercises targeting specific needs.

“Be general” refers to providing your body with different types of stimulus across different areas.

This can involve lifting heavy for some exercises, moving fast for other exercises and ensuring that you challenge most parts of the musculoskeletal system.

“Be specific” refers to your movement patterns. These patterns need to match the type of movement that you are training for.

If you’re working on your strength to improve your running, the exercises should mimic specific aspects of the running action.

For example, slow heavy calf raises won’t match the function of the calf muscle during running. Faster bouncy calf raises will better align with the running movement.

4. Train for consistency

This one is more about injury prevention and training smart.

We train one session of the time but you need to be thinking months ahead.

Sure, you can survive one session of brutal punishment. But if you repeat that session over and over, the risk of injury is almost guaranteed.

For ever injury that put you on the sideline, you lose training time and waste the training you’ve done in the week prior.

As a general guideline, for every week that you’re not training, it takes two to three weeks to rebuild to the same point.

So backing off a little in your training and aiming for consistency is a better option than a 2 week injury that takes 6 weeks to recover from.

5. Technique is everything

The technique of every exercise is carefully designed with two aspects in mind.

The first is targeting the right muscles doing the right job. By focusing on technique, you ensuring that you get the most benefit for the target area.

The second is for the risk of injury. Exercise technique avoid overloading vulnerable areas and directly links in to point #4.

When you’re training, you can push each set towards fatigue. But it’s vital that you don’t reach a point where your fatigue compromises your technique.

A wise owl once said that you can push each sets until you feel like you’ve only got 1 to 2 reps left in the bag.

6. Challenging but possible

Exercises you choose should feel challenging. If it feels easy, it’s probably not stimulating the body enough to get a decent training effect.

But it shouldn’t be so challenging that maintaining good technique is impossible.

When you’re performing an exercise for the first time, it’s valuable to have an experienced eye watching you.

The experienced observer is looking at how you perform the technique in the first set, and whether you can maintain that technique to the last set.

7. Be patient

Lastly, be patient.

The body undergoes a cycle of break down and rebuild with every training session.

Trying to speed up the process by pushing harder in training or reducing your recovery time disrupt this balance.

It means there’s too much breakdown and not enough rebuild. That will leave directly do something called “overtraining syndrome”, when you work twice as hard for very little outcome.

When you see the competition in the gym, just remember that they may have been working at this longer than you.