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Long stairs in Brisbane

9 of the best long stairs in Brisbane for…

  • by Pete Colagiuri - Sports Physiotherapist

Long stairs in Brisbane are a great training ground for running and hiking. If you’re in Brisbane and looking for the best locations to get your legs stronger, we’ve got some great options for you (hint: it’s more than just Kangaroo Point stairs).

Stair training can be a great adjunct to any running or hiking program. Whether you’re training for a trail Ultra near Brisbane, such as UTA, BTU or BVRT, or if you’re looking to build strength for Gold Coast marathon, you’ll need a long set of stairs.

Stair training

If you really love your stairs, you can join a training group or sign up to a race specifically for stair climbing!!!

If you’re in Australia, check out the good folks at Stair Climbing Australia for races and training groups.

Locations of long stairs around Brisbane

Here’s our favourite stairs for running or hiking around Brisbane.

The links will open in Google Streetview so you can see the entrance to the stairs. To see the location on a map, click on the X in the top right corner or the pin symbol next to the address in the top left corner.

North of Brisbane

Nulty Way Park, Arana Hills – 100 long timber and paver steps

Lansdowne St, Grange – urban concrete stairs extending on both sides of Lansdowne St

Central and West of Brisbane

Jacob’s Ladder in King Edward Park, Brisbane – middle of the city, concrete steps in clusters of 8 steps separated by a landing

Kangaroo Cliff stairs – only a short distance from the CBD, on the side of a cliff and with awesome views

Wilson Outlook Reserve – another corker of a set of stairs close to the heart of the city, this set runs alongside the riverside lift

Kokoda Trail, Mount Coot-Tha – technically it’s not just stairs but a very worthy inclusion. This network of trails has plenty of rocky and timber steps along the track

South of Brisbane

Springwood Conservation Park – timber and paved steps along with some bush paths in suburban bushland

Collingwood Drive, Collingwood Park – decent set of concrete stairs in sets of 10 steps with short and long landings in between

Dodwell St, Holland Park West – narrow set of suburban stairs in clusters of 8-10 steps with short landings


Got a favourite set of stairs that’s not on our list? Message us via our Facebook page and we’ll add it to the collection.

Best running shoes for calf pain

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.

Best running shoes for wide feet

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)
inner ankle pain

3 common causes of inner ankle pain while running

  • by Pete Colagiuri - Sports Physiotherapist

We asked our Physiotherapy team about the most common causes of inner ankle pain while running. This was their three most common causes and, more importantly, their most effective treatment for inner ankle pain.

Inner ankle pain while running is typically due to some form of overload. That may be muscles being overloaded beyond their capacity or it might be joints that are sustaining higher loads due to a lack of muscle bracing.

Once the overload begins, it generally causes the area to become sensitive which makes further episodes of inner ankle pain more likely.

What are the most common causes of inner ankle pain? And what are the best fixes for each injury?

Cause 1: Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy

The Tibialis Posterior muscle, also known as Posterior Tibialis, is a muscle that runs down the inside edge of the shin, around the inside of the ankle and connects on to the arch of the foot.

As you can imagine, its main job is to control the position of the arch as you run. As you impact the ground during foot strike, the Tibialis Posterior must slowly lower the arch and control the rate of pronation.

If the muscle isn’t performing its task, either due to weakness or another deficit, it will rapidly stretch the tendon which wraps around the inside of the ankle.

This leads to an injury called Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy, which causes inner ankle pain and some swelling around the inside ankle bone (medial malleolus) with a rope-like appearance.

Best treatment for Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy

For a Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy, the best treatment is to reduce the loading on the muscle while increasing its capacity.

You can reduce the loading on the muscle by using orthotics, supportive shoes or foot taping called Low Dye taping.

In order to increase the capacity of the muscle and tendon, you can perform eccentric (slow lowering) exercises.

The simplest example of this type of exercise is leaning against a wall on the same side as the leg (this puts the leg on an angle) and then raise and lower the arch.

Cause 2: ankle joint synovitis

Another common cause of inner ankle pain is due to overstretch of the joint capsule around the inside of the ankle.

This joint capsule has a very sensitive lining, known as synovium, which is prone to inflammatory reactions if it is overstretched or compressed.

The most common mechanism behind ankle joint synovitis for inner ankle pain is an overstretch mechanism. Essentially the inner part of the ankle stretches on impact due to poor muscular or physical stability at the ankle.

This diagnosis can be associated with some ankle swelling, although it tends to be localised around the ankle joint in a donut-looking pattern.

Best treatment for ankle joint synovitis

The best treatment for ankle joint synovitis is to attack it in three ways simultaneously.

Anti-inflammatory options, including anti-inflammatory medication and ice packs, can reduce the inflammatory response after each run.

Increased physical stability around the ankle, using orthotics, supportive shoes or even just new shoes, reduces pressure on the synovium.

Then you can add stability exercises to improve the ankle’s ability to brace itself on impact. These exercises should focus on bracing the ankle on solid ground while the body is pulled away from the centre of mass using a resistance band or a one sided weight.

Exercises using a Bosu ball or similarly unstable surface are almost useless as they train the ankle to continually follow an unstable surface rather than bracing on solid ground as we do in running.

Cause 3: subtalar joint pain

The last of our top 3 causes of inner ankle pain is due to subtalar joint overload.

This is an overload injury but that isn’t to say that you’re putting too much force through the foot.

It’s just that the subtalar joint, which is responsible for tilting the foot, is not able to move through the range of motion required of it when you’re running.

With each foot strike, the subtalar joint is forced beyond its tolerable range of motion due to a lack of stability or a lack of range or both.

As the subtalar joint becomes more painful, it becomes harder to stabilize the ankle in light of the inner ankle pain.

Best treatment for subtalar joint pain

The best treatment approach for subtalar joint pain is twofold.

You can improve the range of motion by doing lateral movement exercises or by receiving hands-on joint mobilization from a therapist.

The other treatment is to improve your ability to stabilise the ankle, which can be done through drills such as plyometric lunges, walking lunges or small hops (if they are pain free).

Other causes of inner ankle pain

Plantarfasciitis

Calcaneal bone stress

Tibial bone stress

Talar Dome lesion

Peripheral nerve irritation

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