Arch pain while exercising - HELP

untsing

Any runners or other exercise fanatics out there want to give me some advice on foot arch pain?  I have flat feet, and sometimes during Jazzercise, the "arches" of my feet hurt so badly I can hardly breathe.  I did buy some shoes they recommended that have some arch support, but sometimes, depending on the moves the instructor chooses, they still effing hurt so much.  Any special tips, stretches, etc?

Mariah&Steven

You need to buy insoles with better arch support than just the shoes.   Steve is flat footed and cannot run unless he has his insoles in his shoes.

untsing

Can I get them at most athletic/shoe stores?  Any particular brand?

Mariah&Steven

Well, I know the one he buys are ridiculously expensive because he orders them through his foot doctor. Like $60 I think and I don't know the brand. I saw some at Sports Authority though that looked good.  You know, maybe you could go to a Run On! or a store that specializes in seeing how your foot is and recommend a good insole for you. 

Terriniski

Dr. Scholl's (sp?) just came out with a new line of orthotic inserts, and if you go on their website you can find stores that have a special set-up (many of them are Walmarts) where you stand on a sensor pad of some sort and it recommends one of the orthotics for you based on how flat your feet are, etc.  I haven't tried it, but it seems like a good idea.Not sure if this is a dumb question, but is it the top part of your arch (like it's hurting your bones/joints) or the under side like a painful stretch?  I know when I do some yoga poses it really hurts my feet so I can't quite get into the right position... I figure with that it's a matter of gaining the flexibility and working/stretching it over time.  But if it feels more like bones than muscles, inserts are probably the way to go.

untsing

It feels like the muscles...like if I just stopped and massaged them it would feel better.

Mariah&Steven

Yeah, that sounds like you need a little bit more support.

shananagins

David has the same kind of insoles that Mariah is talking about.  He had them specifically molded to his feet and he puts them in all his shoes.  He says he can't walk for very long without them

Terriniski

I had a podiatrist specially mold orthotics to my feet, and I definitely need them when I do something like go to Disneyland or hiking.  But I recently read an article from a columnist on Runners World (who is a doctor) saying that running with hard orthotics can be worse than running without the orthotics, so I just went to Run On and bought a pair of shoes that has good support.  If you go the insert route, definitely get soft inserts (you probably can't get hard ones at a store since they're so individually specific, but thought I'd throw that out there).

Tiffany618

I bet insoles would work. FI is a runner and he has this problem too.  He gets shoes that have a hard plastic (not sure how else to describe it) arch support.  It doesn't flex when he runs like the rubber kind.   I don't know if that helps, but he swears by it.

Mariah&Steven

Tiffany, Steve does that, too.  He takes out whatever the actual shoe provides and just puts in his insoles.

appletango85

I have a stretch that might help. Kinda hard to explain but I'll tryStand in your turn out not with your heels touching but not quite shoulder width apart (your feet are around a 45 deg. angle...it varies upon each person...a good way to find out is to sit in a pike position and just let your legs relax. Your legs will go to their natural turnout and the angle you see sitting down is where you want your feet to be angled when you stand up)lift the heel of your foot off the ground while the sole of your foot(toes and the flat surface before your arch) stays on the ground. Push your heel forward as it is raised. your knee should bend. You can play around with weight and stuff to get the stretch where you need it. I also like to do the opposite of this stretch where you put the tops of your toes on the ground and push your heel forwards. It stretches the top of my foot. It does kinda hurt the tops of your toes though if you don't do it on carpet or something but it's not too bad and it feels really good(to me anyways)

Jay&Marissa

I have "flatter" feet and that would happen to me too--getting good shoes from a running shop helped alot, but it looks like everyone else it right--you just need more support. Run On can probably help you with what you need--when I bought my shoes, they told me to come back if I was still hurting

Terriniski

I really like the policy at Run On - I bought a pair of shoes and they allow you to try them out indoors (i.e., treadmill) for a while, and if you don't like them you can bring them back and exchange them for another pair.  I did that, and the pair I went back for was about $10 more expensive, but they gave me a discount to make them the same price.But that may not be very helpful if you just bought new shoes.  Worth keeping in mind for the future.  Not sure if they have a similar policy regarding inserts - I know they carry some specialty inserts.

MissAngel

I have the same problem, I just bought the insoles from footlocker (or similar) and you just cut them out to fit your foot and they are about $29? or maybe less... But I'd try that first, it worked for me and not as expensive as the custom ones.

JustinandLindsay2009

I know this sounds silly but along with insoles, I recommend using thinner socks and not tying your shoes as tight. I had the same problem when I started training last year and a friend who is a marathoner told me to try it. It fixed my problem. When your socks are too thick and/or your shoes to tight, it cuts off circulation to your muscles in your feet. HTH

kcmedstudent

The fascia in the soles of your feet can get really tight as well.  At night while you sleep the fascia tenses up.  During the day when are feet are flat and we're walking around we get tiny micro-tears, so at night our feet relax and the fascia repairs itself by creating scar tissue.  Scar tissue will contract and cause the fascia to tighten.  Normally we tell patients to do this in the morning, but I think you could also do it prior to working out.  You can just use your thumbs and rub up and down in the arch of your foot.  Rub up and down, side to side, and in circles.  There's no specific way.You can also use a golf ball since it's hard.