Here are some helpful hits when it comes to footwear, insoles and lacing
Anyone that has worked with me, or any other PRI provider knows that a good shoe is a critical part of your healing process. A good shoe helps the body support against gravity and allows a sense of safety through the appropriate reference centers in your feet. A good shoe can change sense of stability, power, endurance, muscle recruitment and available joint range of movement.
As a PNW resident, I get inquiries all the time from patients about good hiking boots and boot modifications that can continue to benefit my clients with ground sense and reference.
I reached out to my PRI nation, and I got some good information regarding hiking shoes, over the counter inserts and lacing.
So here we go:
Most hikers are good, but some are great. It just depends on if you and your PT feel you need more support or not. Here are some goodies that seem to do it right every time.
- Topo makes a nice wide toe box with decent support.
- Brooks Cascadia/Caldera are very comfortable and capable.
- Salomon X Ultra Gore Tex
- Comes in a low and mid height hiker.
- Mid seems to work best for reference centers but it weighs more.
- Low is a nice option that can also work for some short trail runs, it is not as light as some other trail running options.
- La Sportiva is lighter than a Solomon and work well for narrow heels and feet.
I know avid hikers sometimes use trail runners for day hiking and even back packing with light packs. A trail runner is going to be lighter and not as cumbersome as a hiker.
- One brand is a La Sportif trail runner that works well with someone who uses PRI orthotics. A trail runner is going to have a thicker tread and more stability for running on trails or hiking easy to moderate hikes. The prospect of using a good trail runner can open up more comfortable options if ankle weakness is not a concern.
- Scarpa is another option, but these are for a bit narrow foot and heel. Many of my trail running clients as well as hikers are not as big of a fan of this product line and the pricing is a bit higher.
It is great to have found a local footwear dealer that has a good return policy so that you can have some time trying these shoes on trails. Ideally you can bring these boots or trail runners into your PRI provider to be tested in them for proper fitting and modifications to ensure success.
Over the counter orthotics:
A great OTC option for insole to consider is a new line this year from Superfeet. It is the Superfeet flex line. This line comes in a 3mm, 4mm and 5mm option.
I have found that patients get a lot of success with purchasing a boot ½ size bigger and then adding the Superfeet flexmax 5mm option into a hiker or trail runner for a bit of added support. A thinner option like 3mm or 4mm is good for a typical running shoe.
Superfeet flex have a deep heel cup and a flat bottom with sensory arch support but also continue to allow the normal movement of supination and pronation that we all need access to for alternating gait or walking/hiking.
Another OTC option for insoles is a Currex line. Currex has the option to search by activity. They have a nice running option and trail runner/hiker option.
Lacing your hiking boot or trail runners:
Hiking shoe needs to be able to be laced up. Thanks to some research and these helpful YouTube folks, I teach my clients about a heel tie shoe lock lacing pattern for running shoes when doing a specific shoe fit in PT but below you will find some options for doing a similar lacing pattern for hiking boots.
Here are a couple links below to see a heel tie shoe lock pattern for hiking boots. A trail runner can use the same lacing pattern as a running shoe.
The videos for specific styles of hiking boots differ in lacing style from speed lacing to regular lacing.
Bottom line: Great shoes can make the difference in a PRI program with all activities, daily or recreational.
Please reach out with questions!