running shoes for flat footed woman under 100 dollars

hey cc fitness ppls. 5 feet 6 170lbs love to run but have flat feet. current shoes clearly not good running shoes as after a session of running cannot walk the next day. please recommend a running shoes for flat footed woman thnx

I just use inserts in my shoes.  I noticed a world of difference when I started doing that.  And I wear Asics that help with over pronation by stabilizing.

If you wear a shoe that continues with foot support, your foot will continue to be flat-footed.

Run barefoot. Start running in grass, and for short durations until you get used to it. Then continue running barefoot for longer distances. This will help repair your gait and hopefully your poor arches.

white shakrua.....unfortunately this is not an option. at present when i run for long hours or periods my feet hurts so while i appreciate your suggestion it is clear i need proper running shoes. any suggestion please?

 Hi,

I'm in the UK, so not exactly sure if this will be of any help, but last month when I began running I decided to invest in a decent pair of running shoes.  Problem was, I had no idea what shoes were right for me/my feet/my running style.  I decided to go to a local sports shop (a proper sports shop, not somewhere that just sells tracksuits and t shirts - the prices were higher, but its worth it).

When I got there, I asked the assistant what she recommended, and she asked if I would like to have a "gait analysis" as this would enable her to recommend the right shoes for me.  I agreed.  Basically, all I had to do was run on a running machine for about a minute whilst the computer attached to it recorded me running.  She was able to slow down the video and actually watch how I ran.  Based on this she recommended a great pair of shoes, they really are good.

If available, definetly get a gait analysis and tell them you have flat feet.  They will definetly know what's best for you.

thnx woobely. i wonder if anyone from here in the us can tell me which stores in the us does that gait analysis? i went into a store (won't say the name) and the assistant was showing me shoes but admitted she didn't know which to recommend exactly for flat footed ppl. one showed me a performance training rebox the flexibility one but i was soo not comforftably spending money on a pair when i wasn't sure it was the right one for my feet. hope someone answers soon.

there is no perfect shoe for any foot type, and the whole gait analysis thing has been discredited by the research. try on lots of shoes and go with the ones that feel the best.

i also have flat feet, and i've found that more arch support is not beneficial at all. the best shoes for me are relatively minimalist (not going to give you a brand or model because that's counter-productive). less cushioning seems to result in more focus on form. but that's just me.

you may just not be built for running :/

pgeorian i dont get ur "not built for running" comment. but let me clarify i am not running for competition etc....i am running as part of my exercise routine, i run on the treadmill, run on flat surface, run in boot camp etc. so based on ur comment i should just stop run? :/ kmt

also why not tell me a brand u use since u too are flatfooted? kmt

some people aren't built for running. their conformation just doesn't support it, so they're prone to injury. not saying that's you, just saying that it's something to consider. 

i won't tell you a brand because there's absolutely no reason to think that the shoes that work for me will work for you. like i said above, the research has shown that the best shoes for any individual are the shoes that feel good. get shoes that are comfortable and then focus on good form.

and anticipating your next question: for me, the best way to make sure that i'm running with good form is to run quietly. if my footfalls are quiet, i know i'm keeping impact to a minimum.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

there is no perfect shoe for any foot type, and the whole gait analysis thing has been discredited by the research. try on lots of shoes and go with the ones that feel the best.

i also have flat feet, and i've found that more arch support is not beneficial at all. the best shoes for me are relatively minimalist (not going to give you a brand or model because that's counter-productive). less cushioning seems to result in more focus on form. but that's just me.

you may just not be built for running :/

All I can say is that gait analysis worked for me.  Yes, it may not work for everyone and according to you "has been discredited", but as you say, it's about what feels best for you.  The shoes recommended to me based on my gait analysis feel great, so I don't see what the problem with gait analysis is.  It's somewhere to start, if like me, you had no idea what shoes to get.  Plus if you don't like the shoes recommended based on a gait analysis, don't buy them.

P.S - I didn't get recommended just 1 pair of shoes, but 5 or 6 different pairs.  I tried on them all, ran on them all and went with the one that felt best.

thnxks woobley i am going to do that today. run in them in the store and see which feels better too.

Original Post by woobley:

Original Post by pgeorgian:

there is no perfect shoe for any foot type, and the whole gait analysis thing has been discredited by the research. try on lots of shoes and go with the ones that feel the best.

i also have flat feet, and i've found that more arch support is not beneficial at all. the best shoes for me are relatively minimalist (not going to give you a brand or model because that's counter-productive). less cushioning seems to result in more focus on form. but that's just me.

you may just not be built for running :/

All I can say is that gait analysis worked for me.  Yes, it may not work for everyone and according to you "has been discredited", but as you say, it's about what feels best for you.  The shoes recommended to me based on my gait analysis feel great, so I don't see what the problem with gait analysis is.  It's somewhere to start, if like me, you had no idea what shoes to get.  Plus if you don't like the shoes recommended based on a gait analysis, don't buy them.

P.S - I didn't get recommended just 1 pair of shoes, but 5 or 6 different pairs.  I tried on them all, ran on them all and went with the one that felt best.

you got shoes that you're happy with, and i'm happy for you. just saying that it's unlikely that the "gait analysis" had much to do with it.

Are you purposefully ignoring what pgeorgian is saying? :/ We are trying to help you but you are ignoring all our advice and listening to only what you want to hear...

white sakura i am not ignoring i am actually happy that persons are answering. i like the whole running the grass idea and learning how to run etc suggestions.

i was asking a pointed question as to what he meant by me not built for running when my exercise regime incorporates running so me thinking about not being built for running is not an option to me. i don't know about anyone else but that is my view on my exercise regime.

what do u think?

It's all about what works for you.  If the OP wants to take someones advice that's fine, and if they don't?  That's fine too.  I'm going to agree that it's ridiculous that someone would say that someone else may not be "built" for running.  That's such a cop-out.  Unless they're legless or in a wheelchair, they can run.  It's just a matter of finding a way of doing it and the right equipment that works for them.  All we can do is say what worked or didn't for us, it's still up to them to determine for themselves.  Having the gait analysis done was a good thing for me.  It showed that I over pronate and that's what caused my knee pain, therefore, I got shoes with added stability toward the inner foot.

Original Post by asbandr:

It's all about what works for you.  If the OP wants to take someones advice that's fine, and if they don't?  That's fine too.  I'm going to agree that it's ridiculous that someone would say that someone else may not be "built" for running.  That's such a cop-out.  Unless they're legless or in a wheelchair, they can run.  It's just a matter of finding a way of doing it and the right equipment that works for them.  All we can do is say what worked or didn't for us, it's still up to them to determine for themselves.  Having the gait analysis done was a good thing for me.  It showed that I over pronate and that's what caused my knee pain, therefore, I got shoes with added stability toward the inner foot.

thanks. couldn't have said it better myself. i went to ladyfootlocker when i start using it will report on how it feels

okay, here's my experience: 

based on gait and foot analysis, i got a pair of ascics stability shoes that ate holes in my insteps for 500kms. it was a constant cycle of blister, callous, blister-under-callous, raw-skin. then i got a pair of minimally-cushioned mizunos that felt good, and within  a week my feet were healing in spite of training for a half marathon.

other than blisters, i've never had an injury. that's because i have good form, not because gait analysis assigned me a particular shoe. shoes do not fix form problems; form fixes form problems. 

and my story is backed by the research.

eta: OP, please don't forget that you asked for advice.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

okay, here's my experience: 

based on gait and foot analysis, i got a pair of ascics stability shoes that ate holes in my insteps for 500kms. it was a constant cycle of blister, callous, blister-under-callous, raw-skin. then i got a pair of minimally-cushioned mizunos that felt good, and within  a week my feet were healing in spite of training for a half marathon.

other than blisters, i've never had an injury. that's because i have good form, not because gait analysis assigned me a particular shoe. shoes do not fix form problems; form fixes form problems. 

and my story is backed by the research.

eta: OP, please don't forget that you asked for advice.

eta: pgeorgian, please don't forget that you aren't the only one who knows anything about running. 

Sorry to be harsh, but it seems that because the OP doesn't like your advice, (which by the way, what runner would when you tell them to quit running?) you've gotten personally offended and keep trying to push your point.  Congrats on finding what works for you, but it's not the only thing there is.  Some have had success with gait analysis, and some with barefoot running.  To each his own.  This should be a place to encourage each other in our efforts to be healthy and active, not to bring someone down based on a single post.

I will agree, however, that lulursy, you should watch your form.  Especially if you've had pain you may be unconsiously over compensating on one side to make it easier for the other.  I'd do some research to make sure you're running with proper form.

asbandr, it appears that the OP decided what she wanted to hear before she posted. i didn't tell her to quit running; she complained about pain, and i told her that not everyone is built for running. she wants to fix her pain with shoes; i told her that shoes won't fix the problem, form will. the OP has expressed absolutely zero interest in form, and that concerns me.

you don't have to believe anything i say, but i do encourage you to look at the research on running injuries and what prevents them. shoes ain't it.

eta: i used to believe what you believe, based on the fact that a running coach told me so years ago. i changed my opinion, partly because of what i've learned here but mostly because of my own experience. a couple of weeks ago i had dinner with the running coach (now also a cycling coach and certified personal trainer). he's changed his opinion, too, based on his experience and on the research.

i don't think i ignored ur suggestion about form. if u think i did i am sorry about that bit. only thing i ignored was ur suggestion that i should consider if i was built for running.

thnx everyone for ur suggestions; bad, good and indifferent i am greatful that persons answered.

lulu, lots of people suggested that running wasn't for me, back in the day. i resisted. i ran my first half-marathon (in under 2 hours) at 42. i ran my second and third at 43.  believe me, i wasn't trying to tell you to quit. i would never do that.