best running shoe to prevent ankle sprains

Maybe a shoe with more stability would help? I'm guessing you're a stability runner because you wear Trance. There are several hybrid trail/road shoes that could help you get a little extra stability when you run. Saucony, Saloman, pearl izumi and I think mizuno make hybrids. I've also heard a few Nike models have pretty good ankle support.

Ankle sprains can be associated with the height of the heel on your shoes. Wearing a shoe with lower heels could lower your likelihood of ankle sprains. Good luck.

low heels, almost barefoot.

Also, plantar/dorsi flexion strength.

ICoach wrote:

Ankle sprains can be associated with the height of the heel on your shoes. Wearing a shoe with lower heels could lower your likelihood of ankle sprains. Good luck.

^^^

This would be my approach.

I would avoid any shoe with a high heel and thick midsole. "Support" or "stability" shoes are not really necessarily more stable when you hit the ground - they just try to keep your foot from rolling inward by using harder foam or plastic that makes the inside of the sole less compressible.

With a lower midsole it's harder to roll your foot off of the side of the sole.

If you are not ready to go minimalist with a thin sole, I would try something like the Kinvara, which at least has a low heel.

thanks!

I tried something like the above. A friend of mine was like "dude, you never sprain your ankle walking around barefoot, so try that." Instead, I tried wearing the Kinvara 2 for a while, and after some initial adjustment (mostly a lot of aching calf soreness), I kept getting pain in the outside of my right knee. When I'd switch back to the Trance or Asics GT, the pain would go away, back to the Kinvara, it would come back. I figured it was the result of pronating inward (but I really don't know) since my right foot is flat (the other has a normal arch).

Any idea about a shoe with a low heel that has some pronation control?

Again, many thanks for the helpful suggestions. It means a lot.

ICoach wrote:

Ankle sprains can be associated with the height of the heel on your shoes. Wearing a shoe with lower heels could lower your likelihood of ankle sprains. Good luck.

I would agree with that

Shoe thickness in general is your enemy. The kinvara has a low heel-toe drop but is in fact a pretty thick shoe. Get something thinner

ukathleticscoach wrote:

ICoach wrote:

Ankle sprains can be associated with the height of the heel on your shoes. Wearing a shoe with lower heels could lower your likelihood of ankle sprains. Good luck.

I would agree with that

+1

Give the Brooks Flow line a try. I ran in the Flow and they feel pretty stable due to the low heel to toe ratio. I think the Cadence has more stability that might work better for you though the heel to toe is slightly higher. Definitely more stability than the Kinvara.

What about the Saucony Fastwitch 5? The heel is (19mm), Forefoot (15mm) and there is more pronation control (min/mod) than the Kinvara.

Two further questions:

1. One trend I seemed to find when looking at shoes was that the lower the heel, the less the pronation control. Is there a reason for this?

2. Does the firmness of the shoe matter? Would I want a low heeled shoe that is made of firm or more cushioned material (all other things being equal)

For a more traditional trainer the Adidas Tempo is good for ankle strains. Wide base, good heel lock, some pronation control, not too high, not too heavy for long runs.

The Addidas Tempo looks a lot higher than most: Heel (29mm), Forefoot (19mm). Does weight affect ankle stability?