Super-cushioned shoes and back injury

I don't know what the correlation is, but I can tell you that I've had the same thing. Loved the Clifton 3's a few years back, honestly made me fall in love with running again because they made it so easy. But then started to get a tight lower back on long runs, which I'd never had before. Switched to a Skechers GOrun Forza 3 because I figured I might need more firm support, and the back tightness was gone.

I don't really know where it comes from though. I know the softness or hardness of a shoe doesn't disperse the force of running any better, but it instead shifts the load somewhere else on the body. Maybe for soft shoes, it's the lower back.

Could also be going from an 8mm drop Elite to the 4-6 mm shoes you're referencing.

Good thread.

I am trying to figure out a shoe that works with my new shoe inserts.

Once I figure that out, maybe I'll be in better shape at 60 than I was at 50?

Spotters of good threads wrote:

Good thread.

I am trying to figure out a shoe that works with my new shoe inserts.

Once I figure that out, maybe I'll be in better shape at 60 than I was at 50?

Yes, good thread and good responses.

We need more of this on LRC!!!

My theory is thus:

Thinner(midsole), flatter (drop) shoes load "lower" and are more likely to result in injury to the feet.

Thicker, steeper shoes load "higher" and are more likely to result in injury to the knees/hips/back.

My personal experience: running in "traditional" shoes (moderate thickness, 10mm drop) always had knee trouble, especially patellar tendinitis. Low back tight, occasional sciatica. Feet never hurt.

Changed to training in minimal, zero drop shoes, knee trouble completely disappeared, hips and back felt great. Truly bulletproof from the shins up. But got metatarsal stress fracture (a first for me).

I think I've found a good compromise for myself: training in flats with no more than a 4mm drop. Thin and flat enough to feel "biomechanically correct" from the knees up, while also thick enough to avoid breaking my feet bones.

The trick, of course, is to find the combo that injures YOU the least.

I agree with this. I ran in zero drop for a long time, max and minimal cushioning, and had lower back issues. I moved to a 5mm drop shoe, and my back problems are fairly non-existent.

10mm drop shoes give me shin splints, so Ive stayed away from those. We are all different, so what works for me may not work for someone else.

I switched to less cushioned , lower drop shoes about 4 years ago and haven't missed a day due to injury or similar since. Not sure it's the only reason, but I'm pretty confident that for me too much cushioning increases risk of minor bothers in the lower legs.

Yeah, so here I am this morning - solid 7 yesterday in the Razor Hyper. The shoe literally seems to propel me - reduces my effort. This a.m.? Lower back super tight, hips talking back, feels like arthritis arrived overnight.

Over the last two years I’ve logged hundreds of miles in the Boston and the zoom elite 9 w/ no problems. (The Boston is just so narrow, but always seemed firm for me, good road feel - and the Elite is gone. ). Thought I’d try new tech midsoles - don't seem to be working. I’m looking at the Forza - good price - but I’m also considering the NB 1400 to replace the elite and Boston. Right now I’m using a home electric tens stim unit on the lower back. I guess the new midsoles aren’t for me.

Likely because a thick stack acts like a Bosu ball that you have to tense up to 'balance" on with each stride That small amount of wobble creates overwork and shearing forces on the lower back.

It's likely always too much wrote:

Likely because a thick stack acts like a Bosu ball that you have to tense up to 'balance" on with each stride That small amount of wobble creates overwork and shearing forces on the lower back.

Great explanation, I agree completely. By going through my years of training in minimal shoes, my legs now feel so odd when trying to run in anything more than a flat. I tried the new skechers razor3, and the pillowy feeling made my knees feel unstable on the first run--that "wobble" effect you describe is spot on.

I realized this back issue thing when I dragged out “expired” zoom elites and a pair of old Bostons for wet, grassy runs - saving my Razors and Beacons for drier days; the following days I had no back issues - as opposed to dry days in the fairly new Razors. Most of my decades running have been in racer/trainer, fairly firm, lightweight shoes. Ironically, trying to spare my bones the stress has aggravated them, I guess. The Boston is about as cushioned as I’ve gone.

I’m curious now as to how many veteran, seasoned runners have made a successful transition to the new high-stack midsoles? ...at least w/out serious injury?

I went from like 25mm to 33mm and it took a couple months to get used to. I find that the thicker mid and outsole provide a better run overall - more protection from the ground and more shock absorption for my feet, and legs. I try to replace between 200-300 miles and the difference between new shoes is like night and day.