As you can imagine this is a common question which has the ever predictable answer of ‘it depends'

If you are a couple of weeks out from the New York marathon, what can you do if those foot pain ‘niggles’ are become worse?

We used to answer this question by saying that it was all down to the repetitive impact with the ground but recent research has shown that although the quality and cushioning properties of specialist running shoes have improved exponentially, the rate of injury has not changed. So there must be another explanation, right?

So what practical advice can we take from this research? For one, you should listen to your gut instincts when choosing both shoes and insoles. 

What should you be doing to help you enjoy your running?

Custom orthotics are effective at reducing knee pain in female runners with a history of overuse injuries of the knee. The custom orthotics directly affected movement at the ankle and forces in the knee.

Running involves a series of impacts with the ground as the body moves from point A to point B. These impacts or collisions between the foot and the ground are usually referred to as Ground Reaction Forces and are a composite measure of how quickly the foot hits the ground

The most predictable answer - it depends. That’s why there’s such a huge range of manufacturers making so many different types of running footwear. They all have their own approach and innovations.