Knee pain, ankle pain, hip pain. Each form of pain flares up from different activities, different injuries, and people from all different walks of life. We’d love to experience none of them, but odds are, you or someone you know experiences one of these kinds of pain when it comes to running, maybe even walking.
Keep reading to learn how you might be able to minimize knee pain, or maybe even prevent it, by finding the shoes that best fit your specific situation
Be Realistic
Knowing your history (playing years and years of high impact college sports, for example) will help narrow down what might be going on to cause that pain in your knees when you run. Chances are, you’ve had an injury and just don’t remember your doctor telling you years and years ago to avoid certain physical activities. Depending on your injury, you may have been told to avoid a lot of jumping (which translates into basketball-playing) and running (including playing soccer, football, and obviously marathon-running), instead being told to focus on low-impact exercise (swimming is a great choice).
If this sounds like you, a quick switch of footwear might not be enough to completely rid yourself of pain. A visit with a trained physician might be necessary to identify issues before they get worse.
Try New Shoes
Don’t just go out and buy new shoes to buy new shoes. Really take your time while shopping and do things the right way.
- Try on shoes later on in the day, when your feet have swollen (all of them do, so don’t worry about being self-conscious). Finding shoes that fit when your feet are at their largest will ensure they won’t feel too tight: a problem when you try on shoes in the morning, when your feet are the smallest.
- Shop with a professional if you can. Seek out specialized running stores to get their take on your stride. Often, local running stores will offer services where an employee can watch how you run, and recommend shoes that may help correct stride issues like overpronation and underpronation.
When in doubt, call in the experts. If you’re concerned about knee issues from injury or overuse, you might benefit from a visit with one of our physicians. Call us today at (210) 696-9000 to schedule a consultation.
