The Monday Shakeout: Can I run in Neutral Shoes if I have Stability Needs?
By Matthew Klein
This week Matt talks about whether runners who normally run in stability shoes or have stability needs can run in neutral shoes. While the answer may seem easy, there are some nuances that are helpful to consider when it comes to injury risk and staying healthy that many should consider. The human body is quite adaptable, but how far it can adapt and for how long may be different stories.
A common question we get through email is whether someone with stability needs can run in neutral shoes. While there are a decent number and variety of stability shoes on the market, there are a far greater number of interesting neutral shoes. Additionally, those wanting to run/race in faster shoes, particularly super shoes, may feel limited as there are no stability super racing shoes and the current faster stability shoe (the Brooks Hyperion GTS 2) is not even remotely super. So it is normal to ask whether one with stability needs can try neutral shoes. The answer is yes, although how much running in them the individual can tolerate will vary.
Who Uses Stability Footwear?
People end up in stability shoes for a variety of reasons. Some people find them after certain pronation-related injuries (which is the top reason to use them), some people may be told to wear them based on how they move (which isn't actually a reason to use a stability shoe) and others may find themselves in them due to being more comfortable (a great reason). The body is adaptable and can adjust to a certain degree to new stimuli, including new footwear types. Many people train most of the time in stability shoes while doing workouts or races in more neutral shoes. How far they will be able to go in them before they experience discomfort or fatigue will vary depending on the person. Some people may be able to go longer, while others may only be able to use neutral shoes for shorter runs. That will vary depending on experience, strength, stability and other factors that need to be respected. If these are not respected, injuries may occur as you exceed your body's capacity. So while you may be able to run in neutral shoes, you will need to respect that there will be frequency, time, or distance limits.
I have personally found that longer runs or longer races require me to use either stability shoes or stable neutral shoes (see below). I can do shorter to moderate distance runs, workouts and races in neutral shoes (especially racing shoes) but have to be careful how frequently I do this to not irritate any tissues or muscles related to helping me control pronation (the medial collapse of the foot/ankle as part of shock absorption). There is good evidence that those with a history of pronation-related injuries, like posterior tibialis tendon/muscle issues, anterior tibialis tendon/muscle issues (shin splints) and some types of Achilles tendon issues may benefit from using a stability shoe (Malisoux et al., 2016).
For those reasons, while someone with stability needs can run in a neutral shoe, we encourage you to still do most of your training in a stability shoe while including the neutral shoe a limited number of times during the week to allow your muscles and tissues to recover.
The Growth of Stable Neutral Options
It is for these reasons that we started looking at the concept of stable neutral several years ago. As stability shoes and stability options have disappeared over the years, we began to look for other components in shoes that could make them wearable for those with stability needs. The most common mechanisms that make a shoe more stable include a wider sole, sole flare, sidewalls (or top lines as some people will call them), a firmer sole, central cut-outs and more. For more information on what makes shoes stable neutral and a full list of currently available ones, check out our Stable Neutral Shoe Guide. There are a variety of shoes that qualify as being stable neutral, including normal training shoes, to super trainers and super racing shoes. Those with stability needs may be able to run in neutral shoes. How far or how comfortably they will be able to do so will vary from person to person.
There are also some people who will not be able to tolerate neutral shoes at all due to sensitivity, biomechanical issues, pathologies and more. If several attempts have been made that have resulted in injury, then staying in stability shoes at least most of the time may be the best option. However, there is good evidence that running in a variety of shoe types may decrease injury risk (Malisoux et al., 2015). Therefore, we suggest running in a variety of levels of stability, including neutral shoes if tolerable, may be a good option to expose the body to different forces. However, those looking to venture into any different shoe type gradually ease their way and train their body to tolerate the new stresses associated with them.
For those with stability needs, we highly encourage you to work on your ankle and hip strength/stability as you make this transition. This should include single limb strength exercises like weighted calf raises, single limb squats, step-ups, etc. This should also include balance work on unstable surfaces such as foam pads or my personal favorite, the Slack Block (we are not sponsored by them, we just like the product). As long as you prepare/train your body, train intelligently, and respect your limits, you should be fine.
References
Malisoux, L., Chambon, N., Delattre, N., Gueguen, N., Urhausen, A., & Theisen, D. (2016). Injury risk in runners using standard or motion control shoes: a randomised controlled trial with participant and assessor blinding. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(8), 481-487.
Malisoux, L., Ramesh, J., Mann, R., Seil, R., Urhausen, A., & Theisen, D. (2015). Can parallel use of different running shoes decrease running‐related injury risk?. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 25(1), 110-115.
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NEXT: How Do I Know if I Need Stability?
