New shoe, old shoe. The rotation, it matters.
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New shoe, old shoe. The rotation, it matters.
At this very moment i am responding to an email of a very sweet and extremely talented runner in Tasmania, I saw her months ago here in the USA as she travelled through. I find myself sharing a conversation with her at this very moment, one she likely knows, but one we all forget, or get lazy with. It is all about
"reducing one more risk factor, reducing one more sudden biomechanical change that can provoke changes in our loading response".
This is nothing new for veteran Gait Guys brethren here, but we get 100's of newbies here each week, so it is good to remind all.
* Never underestimate the subtle changes in biomechanics that might come from a shoe change in a high mileage athlete. Sweat the small stuff, sometimes." Foam changes, foam loses its resilience with repeated compression cycles, foam deforms into your particular biomechanical loading habits. And sometimes your habitual loading cycles are subtle, but as the foam gives into them, the small thing mushrooms into a significant thing. IT can become a "tipping point" for your clients biomechanics. Something that was initially nothing, becomes something of significance. Help reduce your client's risk factors so you can stay focused on the things that matter, reduce those inner-mind rumbling thoughts of "i wonder if that is a factor". Take those off the table for all your clients, when possible.
We always want to get one more run in on a pair of shoes that is weak and limping its way into the finish line, on its final death throws.
"Today's story: Bam, i got one more run in on these babies.
Tomorrow's story: hey i wonder why i am having a little medial foot-arch-ankle pain today???" #facepalm
(not that this has anything to do with the client below, just slamming home my point)
"Dear _____:
Do you think switching to a newer pair of Zante's had any factor in this ? Did the shoe seems to guide the foot differently than the older pair ? Anything feel different ? Sometimes a fresh shoe today changes mechanics too much compared to the one you were just in yesterday (try in the future to have 2-3 pairs in rotation, switch up every run to a different one. Have one newer one in the rotation, another with 200 miles and one that is almost done. That way you are never burning down one shoe and then jumping in a new one. Always be finishing up on an older shoe and starting in on a new one, with one in the pocket in the middle wear milage.)
Now, onto your injury in question . . . .
-Dr. Allen
