Chiropractic: When You Love Running, Put Your Feet First

Staff Writer

Whether you run for recreation or are an athlete, understanding the physics of running and the importance of supportive running shoes will ensure a lifetime of running happiness. Let your chiropractor help you get the most of your activity and reduce the possibility of injuries or discomfort.

Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world. In the U.S. alone, 60 million Americans reported participating in some form of running every year. Like any exercise, proper form and function are essential to keep you safe and able to run for many years. Chiropractic care is all about ensuring the body you have is functioning properly. The mechanics behind running are interesting – especially if one considers all the forces a runner must defeat. There are three primary gravitational forces at play when someone runs.

1. The horizontal force generated by the contact between the runner’s foot and the ground.
2. The vertical force created by the contact between the runner’s foot and the ground
3. The force of gravity that is pulling down on the runner

A runner has to overcome the vertical force to accelerate horizontally, and to leave the ground in a true run, the runner has to overcome the force of gravity. The force that propels the runner is aptly called the propulsive force. A runner’s speed is directly related to the explosiveness of this propulsion. For example, Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt can push off with a peak force of 1,000 pounds ­ nearly double that of the average person.

One of the most interesting aspects of running is the amount of time the runner’s feet actually contact the ground. Remember, a runner does have to compete with gravity and you can truly defy gravity for a portion of the running cycle. An average sprinter’s foot makes contact with the ground for only .12 seconds! For an Olympic sprinter, it’s about .08 seconds!

Doctors of chiropractic know that the vertical force of a runner’s feet on pavement can be anywhere from five to 12 times one’s body weight. That’s why chiropractors will tell those who like to run for exercise to select proper footwear.  

Yes, Talk With Your Chiropractor About Running Shoes

Shoes with the right supportive foundation for you helps your body absorb and distribute that additional weight and pressure. Choosing the right shoes is a combination of a runner’s foot type, arch height, and “wear-ability.” As an expert in musculoskeletal function, conditions, and problems, your doctor of chiropractic can help prevent injuries that sometimes result from the forces generated while running. For proper fit and continued good health, here are the three main things to consider:

1. Examine Your Foot Shape

Look at the bottom of your running shoe. The wear on your shoe will likely reveal your foot type.

• If your shoe shows even wear, you have a neutral arch and are a normal pronator. (Your foot rolls naturally inward, about 15%, allowing it to absorb the shock and keep your ankles and legs properly aligned)
• If the shoe’s innersoles are worn down, you are an overpronator and probably have a low arch. (When you overpronate, the heel’s outer edge meets the ground first, followed by the foot rolling inward onto the arch.)
• If your shoe is wearing excessively on the outer soles, you probably have a high arch, and you are likely an underpronator (insufficient inward rolling of the foot after landing on the ground).

 2. Know Your Arch Type  

• Neutral arch: Causes the foot to roll to a healthy spot.
• Low arch: Causes s the foot to roll excessively inward or overpronate.
• High arch: Causes the foot to roll in only slightly at impact or under pronate.

3. Shoe-wearability

This is best described as how the shoes feel. Properly breaking in new running shoes can prevent injuries such as blisters. If you can, try out new shoes on a treadmill. Running poor-fitting new shoes can cause changes to your gait that can lead to longer-term injuries. With little guidance from your chiropractor, you can determine which type of running shoe might be best for you, based on what you discover. Among the options:

Stability Shoes

Stability shoes are better for runners with normal arches and only mild control problems. The extra stability from these shoes comes from extra arch-side supports and high-density foam. Stability shoes typically have built a gentle arch from front to back that provides rear-foot stability and forefoot flexibility.

Motion Control Shoes

Motion-control shoes are great for flat-footed and heavy runners, who tend to overpronate. These shoes typically have rigid devices made of plastic, fiberglass, or high-density foam. The arch area on motion control shoes is filled in to increase stability. The extra rigidity prevents the heel from turning out and the foot from overpronating.

Cushioning Shoes

Cushioning shoes are good for people with high arches and rigid feet who tend to underpronate. This highly flexible shoe is constructed on a curve, and its lightweight materials provide minimal rigidity with optimal cushioning.

CUKC Chiropractic Health Center

Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC), founded in 1922, is a private, nonprofit, chiropractic and health science-focused university in Overland Park, Kansas. The CUKC on-campus Chiropractic Health Center is open to the public and treats patients from Kansas City’s 15-county metro area. Our goal is to provide care and solutions for a better, more productive life for our patients.