My orthopedic surgeon suggested i get some orthotics to correct my overpronation. Turns out i have low arches. He recommended firm Dr. Scholls inserts. I don't know how well these will hold up to 10 day backpacking trips though. Or how comfortable they will be on the trail.
Any recommendations for hiking/backpacking inserts that are good for overpronators?

Edited by joshualee101 on 03/01/2008 22:13:00 MST.

I have had the same problem for some time now. I've tried ankle braces and cheap arch support inserts (like Dr. Scholes) and nothing kept my ankle from hurting. Finally, I went to REI and asked the shoe person for advice. They have a pretty good selection of high quality insoles and the sales person seemed to be very knowledgable on the subject. The pair I got are called "Superfeet" and cost me about $30...but well worth the money. I put them in my boots for a 37 mile hike in the Arizona desert and my ankle felt great! Hope this helps

some are better than others...see a pediatrist...its one of their specialties.

i had orthotics as a teenager as i had very low arches and severely overpronate. they worked the treat for fixing a whole host of related injuries. however, as they didnt have much give in them and required taking inner soles out of most shoes/boots, it meant a less comfortable ride long distance.

luckily i got mine early enough to mould my feet, so now i dont need them-just runners with a moderate-high level of pronation support-which is easy.

> My orthopedic surgeon suggested i get some orthotics to correct my overpronation.

The medical fraternity LOVE to make every slight deviation from the AVERAGE into a medical problem requiring either pills, injections or expensive devices. I simply don't believe the majority of these cases. Humans vary - so what?

The idea that a stock over-the-counter mass-market solution exists for these sorts of matters strikes me as hilarious anyhow.

There's more to it than just overpronated feet.
Let me give you a little background on why i went to the orthopedic doctor. About a year ago, i developed tendinitis in my knee. It took about 2 months for the pain to completely disappear at which point i began backpacking again. After a few months, my knee would start to hurt after about 2 days of hiking. This continued to get worse. I had to end several trips after the second day due to my knee hurting. About a month ago, it started to hurt when i rode my bike. And about a week ago it started hurting all the time. I assumed that my kneecap was not tracking correctly as a result of the tendinitis injury.
I finally went to the doctor to get a professional opinion. He said my kneecaps sit crooked, on both legs, and the overpronation increases the strain on my knees. So genetics may be more to blame. The doctor recommended knee braces, orthotics, and some exercises. I had tried knee braces before going to the doctor, but it didn't alleviate the problem, just made it bearable.
So it isn't just that i have overpronated feet.
I am glad that the doctor is suggesting orthotics and such. I prefer to start simple before moving to more drastic measures.

Edited by joshualee101 on 03/02/2008 01:28:38 MST.

In that case I recommend going to a specialist podiatrist and getting CUSTOM orthotics made exactly for your feet.
OTC inner soles are not tuned to your feet or knees.

i agree totally...see a pediatrist!
mine were custom made, and i had two pairs made for me and wore them over a five year period as my feet grew.

before i had them i had severe heel pain after running for a few minutes (so bad i couldnt walk for days), and had alot of trouble with shin splints and knees and ankles. everything was too far out of alignment.

i think there are probably better materials available these days for the orthotics, so you can probably get some made with alot more impact absorption than the solid plastic and vinyl ones i used to have. my sister has (rather expensive) sandals and thongs that are custom orthotics for her feet...these werent available when i had mine.

I have been using Superfeet on a daily basis for quite a few years now. They simply put have changed my life. I am a pronator when i stand but turn into a supinator when I walk. Roger is so fast to poo poo them, but probably has never used them. They hold up quite well. Sometimes they last longer than your shoes. I can also tell after a short while walking if I am wearing shoes without them. That knee pain comes back. So get some orthotics that work for you, and go out and have a great time.

I went through a stage where I was using custom orthotics in footwear for cycling and walking.

The cycling pair (which I still use) were fixing a bio-mechanical mis-loading of the knee joint that was causing pain doing ultra-long-distance cycling.

In the end however I ditched the walking pair. I figured that pronation was a relatively common and natural thing that probably didn't need 'curing'.

Instead I've done a lot of yoga - to establish a better sense of balance and stability - and reworked how I use my pack so that it has almost no effect on my centre of gravity.

The orthotics I had did greatly inprove my stability but doing yoga improved it even more and in the long run is a lot cheaper.

Edited by ArchNemesis on 03/02/2008 09:43:30 MST.

My OTC insoles were made exactly for my feet.

My orthopedic doctor recommended these products. No custom fit was necessary.

http://www.hapad.com/

Edited by Oldcoyote on 03/03/2008 09:38:52 MST.

I pronate as well and have found its less about the insoles and more about the shoe. Start with a good shoe that is designed for pronation, and then go from there.

An issue with getting the built-in arch support to fit properly is the location of Your arch. Although length and width are relatively easy to deal with, your arch may be located very different from that built into the shoe.

I wear size 10.5 shoes, but have arches that are way forward. Using a 'cut-to-fit' off-the-shelf orthodic (superfeet, downunder...) allows be to place an size 11 arch support in the right spot, and then trim back the excess footbed. The same would be true going the other direction - use a 10 footbed in a 10.5 shoe, and grind a taper onto the end. (Superfeet and Downunders cut-to-fit run long to address this very issue.)

Go to a store and stand on a footbed. Look at how the arch support matches your foot. Move up or down in size as needed. You Will be able to tell the difference.

BTW - I use superfeet and downunder for their very solid healcup - crucial to good support.

Edited by greg23 on 03/05/2008 11:16:28 MST.

I agree with Adam's statement. You need to find the right shoe first. A relatively soft insole will not correct a hard outsole that is designed to compensate for pronation or whatever your foot strike may be.

I am not saying that an insole will not help but start with the shoes first.

Edited by FatTexan on 03/05/2008 11:22:35 MST.

If you choose to go the insole route, I can't recommend SOLE footbeds enough!

http://www2.yoursole.com/

I have several pairs that I swap out of different footwear and I love 'em. You warm them up in a 200 degree oven for a few minutes before putting them into your shoes. Put your feet in the shoes and lace 'em up. You then stand still for a few moments while the footbeds custom mold to your feet. The end result is a custom fit insole that makes any pair of shoes much more comfortable! (Note - Other than being a satisfied customer, I have no relation to the company.)

First of all, I feel your pain. Sharp, stabbing pain every step isn't within the realm of normal aches and pains, and you probably don't have to live with it.

My recc. is to see a podiatrist vs. the ortho. I have the opposite problem (very high arches). Custom orthodics, after a series of cortisone injections, solved my problem. I was reluctant to go that way, but after talking to a number of distance runners, I took the plunge.

As backpackers, we put a ton more stress on our weight bearing joints than the average person. Even if you're fit, adding a pack instantly makes you 20+ lbs "over-weight." Add to that the fact that you're putting significantly more mileage on those joints than the average desk jockey and you have an irregular foot strike, and it's easy to see where something's going to give.

Anyway, my advice is to see what a specialist says.