Superfeet Insoles

[Xen]

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https://www.superfeet.com/en-us/orange

^This or gamechangers? Kinda hate how fps start to disintegrate...

edit: tennis dudes thread with more info on insoles. some anecdotes about superfeet and footprints.
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/the-best-insoles.573470/

[close]

I saw someone in that tennis thread refer to FPs as "ARTi-LAGE" so I looked it up.

I thought FPs were using some proprietary, patented formula but I guess they're actually just some random insole that anyone can buy in bulk.

https://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/maggie1117/product-detailPKpQSCAcXLWe/China-Arti-Lage-Insoles.html

[close]

You reallly reckon Brezinski is developing a scientific breakthrough?  I liked my Gamechangers, but they fell to bits and barely held their shape.  As soon as I found out it was his thing, it made sense it was probably just an alibaba rebrand.

As much as I'd rather not support him now (and I don't buy FP anymore); gotta give credit where credit is due...and that's to the guy that came up with it; there was some video a while back where it was 'another guy' that started the whole thing, guess kookzenski was just part of the money.

[radcunt]

Lol not far off it then. 

[in love w/ fs shuvs]

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https://www.superfeet.com/en-us/orange

^This or gamechangers? Kinda hate how fps start to disintegrate...

edit: tennis dudes thread with more info on insoles. some anecdotes about superfeet and footprints.
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/the-best-insoles.573470/

[close]

I saw someone in that tennis thread refer to FPs as "ARTi-LAGE" so I looked it up.

I thought FPs were using some proprietary, patented formula but I guess they're actually just some random insole that anyone can buy in bulk.

https://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/maggie1117/product-detailPKpQSCAcXLWe/China-Arti-Lage-Insoles.html

[close]

You reallly reckon Brezinski is developing a scientific breakthrough?  I liked my Gamechangers, but they fell to bits and barely held their shape.  As soon as I found out it was his thing, it made sense it was probably just an alibaba rebrand.

Lol.

[Made In China]

I have pretty bad flat feet and run the blue Superfeet insoles in my boots. They're great for supporting my arches but I wouldn't recommend that specific insole for skating, since the forefoot is super thin and not padded at all. Even in my boots they give me more "boardfeel" than the stock insoles that came with them.

I would definitely try one of their other thicker insoles for skating. The hard plastic seems like it would be pretty durable and stand up to skating. Maybe I'll cop a pair of the orange ones in the near future and see how those feel.

[yourfuckingdad]

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I've been wearing my Superfeet Greens pretty much all the time since I got them. My feet got so fucked that I couldn't walk at all without pain. So I'm wearing them in a new pair of Slip-On Pros inside and in my Dunk Highs outside and they've allowed me to walk again.

As others have said, they pretty firm so I'm not sure how skating will be. They also have a slippery surface, unlike most skate insoles which are grippy which I'm not too stoked about.

I'm very happy to be able to walk again, so they're def worth it, but I'm gonna keep my Gamechangers purchase and use those for skating whenever they decide to ship them. My issue with Gamechangers has always been that they don't provide much impact protection, despite their fancy foam. Maybe the new ones are better. My current ones are from like 2016.

[close]

The new/old gamechanger are no different. I picked up a pair from a recent re-stock and they're the same old thing.

In a vulc the greens probably suck, my only experience is with the KSLs (which again, the pour-in midsole is doing all the support/impact work, the stock insoles were thin basic crap). I'd imagine they work well in the berle since the ultimate wafflewhateverthefuck is the core of the shoe.

Yea they're not fun walking around in my vans. I don't skate in vulcs anymore though so not a huge deal.

[LebowskisRug]

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Superfeet makes different insoles designed for impact. I would use those for skating instead.

[close]

I'm not doing anything high impact these days. If I start hucking or I notice my feet hurt (and not from adjusting) I'll look into the orange or the adapt runners (tho they look pretty flat at the front and more cushy in the heel).

From what I've read, the orange have a lower arch and slightly shallower heel cup (compared to the green which has the max arch and heel cup depth) + the padded forefoot so more cushion; I'm not getting any heel slip with the greens.

https://theathleticfoot.com/insoles/superfeet-green-vs-orange/
No idea how accurate thise is.

One thing I noticed on Amazon is the Orange seem to have a higher/faster rate of failure. Many of the reviews also cite the greens arch sitting back closer to the heel as I found it to do.

So when I used to race bikes I went through a huge amount of orthotics before having custom ones made. Rearfoot arch correction is where the support should take place not in the middle as we often think. If it's in the rear it actually lifts the foot into place and puts the metatarsal bones in proper alignment. Normal tennis ball feeling arches only brace mid arch which does about jack shit for the most part.

Superfeet green are great for walking, light jogging, and low "impact" stuff meaning not repetitive jumping or large impulse impacts. We would modify them for cycling shoes if we didn't have the money as they start with great rearfoot support for most.

Skating of any form is harder impact than walking, standing, and light jogging and there should be some give in the insole.

[Ok]

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Superfeet makes different insoles designed for impact. I would use those for skating instead.

[close]

I'm not doing anything high impact these days. If I start hucking or I notice my feet hurt (and not from adjusting) I'll look into the orange or the adapt runners (tho they look pretty flat at the front and more cushy in the heel).

From what I've read, the orange have a lower arch and slightly shallower heel cup (compared to the green which has the max arch and heel cup depth) + the padded forefoot so more cushion; I'm not getting any heel slip with the greens.

https://theathleticfoot.com/insoles/superfeet-green-vs-orange/
No idea how accurate thise is.

One thing I noticed on Amazon is the Orange seem to have a higher/faster rate of failure. Many of the reviews also cite the greens arch sitting back closer to the heel as I found it to do.

[close]

So when I used to race bikes I went through a huge amount of orthotics before having custom ones made. Rearfoot arch correction is where the support should take place not in the middle as we often think. If it's in the rear it actually lifts the foot into place and puts the metatarsal bones in proper alignment. Normal tennis ball feeling arches only brace mid arch which does about jack shit for the most part.

Superfeet green are great for walking, light jogging, and low "impact" stuff meaning not repetitive jumping or large impulse impacts. We would modify them for cycling shoes if we didn't have the money as they start with great rearfoot support for most.

Skating of any form is harder impact than walking, standing, and light jogging and there should be some give in the insole.

I agree with this.
My feet are weird, and hurt, a lot. Bad feet ‘runs’ in the family.
I’ve tried orange, copper, green, light green Superfeet. Mostly recommended to me from running stores. None have felt great for skating. I broke the orange ones, and the copper ones (if I remember correctly), cracked.
Good for walking/standing, as has been suggested.
I thought it was just me being a baby with old persons feets.
Not much does help my feet. I have the destin insoles and those are ok, barring my atrocious trim job…like think well worse than a certain gear favorites initial grip job…Birkenstock’s on the off days, the firm ones, those help quite a bit. I actually used the Birkenstock inserts in CK1s shoe, worked pretty good.
I’ll be checking back on this, as I feel ya’lls pain.

[Richard Skidder]

In regards to the arch being further back in Super Feet: it’s by design; rather than have the center of your arch resting on a “lump” Super Feet intended to raise the base of the arch to train the muscles of your feet to strengthen around the arch itself so it can “learn” to hold itself up.
In terms of soreness the next day after first switching Super Feet recommends wearing the insoles for a certain amount of time and switching back to the stock inserts for a certain amount of time and so on…

[Xen]

I'm on both now, trimmed both greens/oranges to fit my shoes better (they were getting scrunched in the toe).

Oranges are very bouncy and squishy, greens not at all.
Oranges are harder to get in and out of shoes due to the foam at the front of the insole.

I didn't like the oranges in the KSLs, prefer the green as the orange felt to tall/bouncy in that shoe. The heel is, indeed, thicc; oranges are also squeeky in comparison to the greens.

The oranges felt much better in Vans/shoes built around a thicker insole and not a supportive midsole.

The arches are great, feet are sore but adjusting.

[vndrewlee]

I've been using these New Balance insoles in Blazer Mids and they've been great.

https://www.newbalance.com/pd/sport-active-cushion/FL6383.html

They're a partner product with Superfeet, "shaped by superfeet", so they have the supportive shape, but they also have cushioning under the heel and forefoot.

They're also not super thick like Orange Superfeet under the heel.

[in love w/ fs shuvs]

I've been using these New Balance insoles in Blazer Mids and they've been great.

https://www.newbalance.com/pd/sport-active-cushion/FL6383.html

They're a partner product with Superfeet, "shaped by superfeet", so they have the supportive shape, but they also have cushioning under the heel and forefoot.

They're also not super thick like Orange Superfeet under the heel.

they good for stairs?

[Uncle Flea]

Can I be on pals insoles

[lemonchicken91]

has anyone tried the Fulton Cork insoles
https://walkfulton.com/

[LebowskisRug]

So far for me the Superfeet Run Comfort feel the best especially in Vans. They basically feel like what the Popcush feels like once broken in except they don't smoosh around when you skate. Skated every day this week and didn't have sore ankles or lower back for once. The heel support is still fairly stiff and cups the heel but has better padding than the Greens.

[JANUS]

So far for me the Superfeet Run Comfort feel the best especially in Vans. They basically feel like what the Popcush feels like once broken in except they don't smoosh around when you skate. Skated every day this week and didn't have sore ankles or lower back for once. The heel support is still fairly stiff and cups the heel but has better padding than the Greens.

Glad to hear you’re feeling good! And shit, I might have to give the run comfort superfeet a try.

[vndrewlee]

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I've been using these New Balance insoles in Blazer Mids and they've been great.

https://www.newbalance.com/pd/sport-active-cushion/FL6383.html

They're a partner product with Superfeet, "shaped by superfeet", so they have the supportive shape, but they also have cushioning under the heel and forefoot.

They're also not super thick like Orange Superfeet under the heel.

[close]

they good for stairs?

Probably not. They're similar thickness and density as original equipment insoles, just with additional arch support.

[EagleassMF]

Has anyone tried superfeet in last resorts? I have a pair that I just wear casually, but even just walking around for a while gets pretty uncomfortable in the standard soles.

I have a pair of carbons, but they have almost zero padding in the forefoot, so I’m hesitant to rip out the current soles to put them in my VM003. The run comforts mentioned above look pretty good, but I have a feeling they’re too big for LRs.

[LebowskisRug]

Run comfort are decently low volume for Superfeet actually.

I'm thinking about this more I'm not sure of the point for skate shoes. It's not as repetitive as running and if you don't have any existing issues then there shouldn't be weird stress areas. The turn of the board and not really striking your heel reduce a lot of the impact and collapse you get while running or jumping.

Even then it seems that these days most running and basketball shoes are designed to build support into the structure of the shoe. I personally run in Nikes which have very little drop and are fairly flat and rely on the foam structure for impact. Probably why Popcush now works for me as it does the same basic thing but doesn't last as long and isn't built into the shoe. I think eventually I'd like to get off Vans and into something that has more built in midsole protection. A Tiago is a great example except that I can't skate those well.

I went back to Popcush for a few days and I think the differences are kinda marginal for me and could be placebo.

[Knee Pain]

I’ve developed what I think is capsulitis in my pushing foot. It’s been bothering me for a few weeks now. Got a pair of the run comforts, and they’ve made a massive difference within a few days, just walking around. Not skated in them yet, but will try them in the next few days.

[cleveridiot]

I’ve developed what I think is capsulitis in my pushing foot. It’s been bothering me for a few weeks now. Got a pair of the run comforts, and they’ve made a massive difference within a few days, just walking around. Not skated in them yet, but will try them in the next few days.

I swear by the run comforts after LebowskisRug mentioned them. I put them in dunks and don't trim them at all. (size 9 insoles/shoes) and the width of the dunks in the toe give them enough space and now my toes are able to spread out a bit too. Game changing combo.

[PuffinMuffin]

So when I used to race bikes I went through a huge amount of orthotics before having custom ones made. Rearfoot arch correction is where the support should take place not in the middle as we often think. If it's in the rear it actually lifts the foot into place and puts the metatarsal bones in proper alignment. Normal tennis ball feeling arches only brace mid arch which does about jack shit for the most part.

Superfeet green are great for walking, light jogging, and low "impact" stuff meaning not repetitive jumping or large impulse impacts. We would modify them for cycling shoes if we didn't have the money as they start with great rearfoot support for most.

Skating of any form is harder impact than walking, standing, and light jogging and there should be some give in the insole.

Ya because they're fooled by bullshit and marketing and there's little objective data. Then every so often someone actually produces a meta analysis that demonstrates that the difference is far smaller. The best runners in the world often use stock shoes without much in the way of custom orthotics because midsole technology is so good now yet every dickhead out there that claims they need $200+ insoles to run 5k could benefit more from doing strength and mobility work to become a less shitty human and require less correction.

I dealt with the same thing in cycling for years. I had custom orthotics and custom shoes because my arches and ankles would collapse and introduce pelvic instability up the chain. My PT worked with 4 of the biggest teams at the time and none of them had any issues. The solution was fairly simple- more work off the bike to build basic ankle stability pelvic stability. Took 20min 3 times a week. Within 5 months I was able to use bone stock insoles and shoes.

The whole point of this is to demonstrate that people often fall for marketing and band aid solutions which mask the true problem.

I don't mean this as a dig, but aren't you contradicting yourself?

[Sketch Hitchcock]

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So when I used to race bikes I went through a huge amount of orthotics before having custom ones made. Rearfoot arch correction is where the support should take place not in the middle as we often think. If it's in the rear it actually lifts the foot into place and puts the metatarsal bones in proper alignment. Normal tennis ball feeling arches only brace mid arch which does about jack shit for the most part.

Superfeet green are great for walking, light jogging, and low "impact" stuff meaning not repetitive jumping or large impulse impacts. We would modify them for cycling shoes if we didn't have the money as they start with great rearfoot support for most.

Skating of any form is harder impact than walking, standing, and light jogging and there should be some give in the insole.

[close]

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Ya because they're fooled by bullshit and marketing and there's little objective data. Then every so often someone actually produces a meta analysis that demonstrates that the difference is far smaller. The best runners in the world often use stock shoes without much in the way of custom orthotics because midsole technology is so good now yet every dickhead out there that claims they need $200+ insoles to run 5k could benefit more from doing strength and mobility work to become a less shitty human and require less correction.

I dealt with the same thing in cycling for years. I had custom orthotics and custom shoes because my arches and ankles would collapse and introduce pelvic instability up the chain. My PT worked with 4 of the biggest teams at the time and none of them had any issues. The solution was fairly simple- more work off the bike to build basic ankle stability pelvic stability. Took 20min 3 times a week. Within 5 months I was able to use bone stock insoles and shoes.

The whole point of this is to demonstrate that people often fall for marketing and band aid solutions which mask the true problem.

[close]

I don't mean this as a dig, but aren't you contradicting yourself?

I didnt think they were.  Cycling isnt as high impact as skating.

[LebowskisRug]

I've been using these New Balance insoles in Blazer Mids and they've been great.

https://www.newbalance.com/pd/sport-active-cushion/FL6383.html

They're a partner product with Superfeet, "shaped by superfeet", so they have the supportive shape, but they also have cushioning under the heel and forefoot.

They're also not super thick like Orange Superfeet under the heel.

Ya the NB insoles are relabeled Superfeet, same ones. The ones I use, the Run Comfort, are identical to the one you linked. They have improved my 440s a lot over stock.

[LebowskisRug]

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So when I used to race bikes I went through a huge amount of orthotics before having custom ones made. Rearfoot arch correction is where the support should take place not in the middle as we often think. If it's in the rear it actually lifts the foot into place and puts the metatarsal bones in proper alignment. Normal tennis ball feeling arches only brace mid arch which does about jack shit for the most part.

Superfeet green are great for walking, light jogging, and low "impact" stuff meaning not repetitive jumping or large impulse impacts. We would modify them for cycling shoes if we didn't have the money as they start with great rearfoot support for most.

Skating of any form is harder impact than walking, standing, and light jogging and there should be some give in the insole.

[close]

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Ya because they're fooled by bullshit and marketing and there's little objective data. Then every so often someone actually produces a meta analysis that demonstrates that the difference is far smaller. The best runners in the world often use stock shoes without much in the way of custom orthotics because midsole technology is so good now yet every dickhead out there that claims they need $200+ insoles to run 5k could benefit more from doing strength and mobility work to become a less shitty human and require less correction.

I dealt with the same thing in cycling for years. I had custom orthotics and custom shoes because my arches and ankles would collapse and introduce pelvic instability up the chain. My PT worked with 4 of the biggest teams at the time and none of them had any issues. The solution was fairly simple- more work off the bike to build basic ankle stability pelvic stability. Took 20min 3 times a week. Within 5 months I was able to use bone stock insoles and shoes.

The whole point of this is to demonstrate that people often fall for marketing and band aid solutions which mask the true problem.

[close]

I don't mean this as a dig, but aren't you contradicting yourself?

TL;DR- I was not contradicting myself. Some rear foot arch support can benefit a lot of people, but the gimmick technologies often found in skate shoes are just forms of foam that provide no structural support. You can get better impact resilience through being stronger in the joint and more mobile as well as having a supportive midsole built into the shoe.

No, I wasn't. I should clarify that while you aren't jumping down stairs while pedaling a bike, joint misalignment and things such as arch collapse or over pronation can lead to pain an injury. Walking usually doesn't have these implications. My need for orthotics decreased somewhat as I got stronger and more stable joints, but some rear foot support was still needed so I used bone stock insoles I could buy off the shelf usually Specialized BG or Superfeet as I naturally have overpronation. Can't fix my bone structure.

Then I said in skating you need structural support as the net joint impact is high, but that you likely don't want a hard insole (Superfeet green) since there is also more force from the physical impact of jumping up and down. Something that braces the rear foot to provide joint alignment while having some padding is likely to be useful in skateboarding. I currently replace insoles in some shoes that don't have a real midsole, like a NB 440 or a Half Cab because having some structure in the rear foot still helps and as I age every little bit seems to improve my ankle stability. I ruptured all the ligaments in my popping foot about 1.5 years ago and even with rehab I'll take anything I can get at 37 years old to prevent hurting it again.

Frankly most skate shoes rely a lot on jamming foam into a generic midsole. Keeps costs down. Midsoles in skate shoes are rarely designed to be supportive. So my comment about running shoes might not apply to all skate shoes. And band aid solutions with heavy marketing like FP insoles, which mute impact supposedly but do not provide structural support.

[PuffinMuffin]

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So when I used to race bikes I went through a huge amount of orthotics before having custom ones made. Rearfoot arch correction is where the support should take place not in the middle as we often think. If it's in the rear it actually lifts the foot into place and puts the metatarsal bones in proper alignment. Normal tennis ball feeling arches only brace mid arch which does about jack shit for the most part.

Superfeet green are great for walking, light jogging, and low "impact" stuff meaning not repetitive jumping or large impulse impacts. We would modify them for cycling shoes if we didn't have the money as they start with great rearfoot support for most.

Skating of any form is harder impact than walking, standing, and light jogging and there should be some give in the insole.

[close]

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Ya because they're fooled by bullshit and marketing and there's little objective data. Then every so often someone actually produces a meta analysis that demonstrates that the difference is far smaller. The best runners in the world often use stock shoes without much in the way of custom orthotics because midsole technology is so good now yet every dickhead out there that claims they need $200+ insoles to run 5k could benefit more from doing strength and mobility work to become a less shitty human and require less correction.

I dealt with the same thing in cycling for years. I had custom orthotics and custom shoes because my arches and ankles would collapse and introduce pelvic instability up the chain. My PT worked with 4 of the biggest teams at the time and none of them had any issues. The solution was fairly simple- more work off the bike to build basic ankle stability pelvic stability. Took 20min 3 times a week. Within 5 months I was able to use bone stock insoles and shoes.

The whole point of this is to demonstrate that people often fall for marketing and band aid solutions which mask the true problem.

[close]

I don't mean this as a dig, but aren't you contradicting yourself?

[close]

TL;DR- I was not contradicting myself. Some rear foot arch support can benefit a lot of people, but the gimmick technologies often found in skate shoes are just forms of foam that provide no structural support. You can get better impact resilience through being stronger in the joint and more mobile as well as having a supportive midsole built into the shoe.

No, I wasn't. I should clarify that while you aren't jumping down stairs while pedaling a bike, joint misalignment and things such as arch collapse or over pronation can lead to pain an injury. Walking usually doesn't have these implications. My need for orthotics decreased somewhat as I got stronger and more stable joints, but some rear foot support was still needed so I used bone stock insoles I could buy off the shelf usually Specialized BG or Superfeet as I naturally have overpronation. Can't fix my bone structure.

Then I said in skating you need structural support as the net joint impact is high, but that you likely don't want a hard insole (Superfeet green) since there is also more force from the physical impact of jumping up and down. Something that braces the rear foot to provide joint alignment while having some padding is likely to be useful in skateboarding. I currently replace insoles in some shoes that don't have a real midsole, like a NB 440 or a Half Cab because having some structure in the rear foot still helps and as I age every little bit seems to improve my ankle stability. I ruptured all the ligaments in my popping foot about 1.5 years ago and even with rehab I'll take anything I can get at 37 years old to prevent hurting it again.

Frankly most skate shoes rely a lot on jamming foam into a generic midsole. Keeps costs down. Midsoles in skate shoes are rarely designed to be supportive. So my comment about running shoes might not apply to all skate shoes. And band aid solutions with heavy marketing like FP insoles, which mute impact supposedly but do not provide structural support.

Ah, gotcha, thank you for elaborating. I'm happy you found a solution for your pain.

I've tried cleat wedges, those G8 adjustable insoles, Speedplay pedals, different bike fits, and pedal spacers. Basically everything, and I still have chronic bilateral knee pain if I go too hard or long on the bike. I can skate without much pain now thanks to plica surgery and physical therapy. Which I'm stoked on, but I miss group rides and hard climbs.

[Knee Pain]

I’ve developed what I think is capsulitis in my pushing foot. It’s been bothering me for a few weeks now. Got a pair of the run comforts, and they’ve made a massive difference within a few days, just walking around. Not skated in them yet, but will try them in the next few days.

Skated these today in my half cabs. Really pleased with them, didn’t have any noticeable pain in the ball of my pushing foot after a 2 hour session.

[LebowskisRug]

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So when I used to race bikes I went through a huge amount of orthotics before having custom ones made. Rearfoot arch correction is where the support should take place not in the middle as we often think. If it's in the rear it actually lifts the foot into place and puts the metatarsal bones in proper alignment. Normal tennis ball feeling arches only brace mid arch which does about jack shit for the most part.

Superfeet green are great for walking, light jogging, and low "impact" stuff meaning not repetitive jumping or large impulse impacts. We would modify them for cycling shoes if we didn't have the money as they start with great rearfoot support for most.

Skating of any form is harder impact than walking, standing, and light jogging and there should be some give in the insole.

[close]

Expand Quote

Ya because they're fooled by bullshit and marketing and there's little objective data. Then every so often someone actually produces a meta analysis that demonstrates that the difference is far smaller. The best runners in the world often use stock shoes without much in the way of custom orthotics because midsole technology is so good now yet every dickhead out there that claims they need $200+ insoles to run 5k could benefit more from doing strength and mobility work to become a less shitty human and require less correction.

I dealt with the same thing in cycling for years. I had custom orthotics and custom shoes because my arches and ankles would collapse and introduce pelvic instability up the chain. My PT worked with 4 of the biggest teams at the time and none of them had any issues. The solution was fairly simple- more work off the bike to build basic ankle stability pelvic stability. Took 20min 3 times a week. Within 5 months I was able to use bone stock insoles and shoes.

The whole point of this is to demonstrate that people often fall for marketing and band aid solutions which mask the true problem.

[close]

I don't mean this as a dig, but aren't you contradicting yourself?

[close]

TL;DR- I was not contradicting myself. Some rear foot arch support can benefit a lot of people, but the gimmick technologies often found in skate shoes are just forms of foam that provide no structural support. You can get better impact resilience through being stronger in the joint and more mobile as well as having a supportive midsole built into the shoe.

No, I wasn't. I should clarify that while you aren't jumping down stairs while pedaling a bike, joint misalignment and things such as arch collapse or over pronation can lead to pain an injury. Walking usually doesn't have these implications. My need for orthotics decreased somewhat as I got stronger and more stable joints, but some rear foot support was still needed so I used bone stock insoles I could buy off the shelf usually Specialized BG or Superfeet as I naturally have overpronation. Can't fix my bone structure.

Then I said in skating you need structural support as the net joint impact is high, but that you likely don't want a hard insole (Superfeet green) since there is also more force from the physical impact of jumping up and down. Something that braces the rear foot to provide joint alignment while having some padding is likely to be useful in skateboarding. I currently replace insoles in some shoes that don't have a real midsole, like a NB 440 or a Half Cab because having some structure in the rear foot still helps and as I age every little bit seems to improve my ankle stability. I ruptured all the ligaments in my popping foot about 1.5 years ago and even with rehab I'll take anything I can get at 37 years old to prevent hurting it again.

Frankly most skate shoes rely a lot on jamming foam into a generic midsole. Keeps costs down. Midsoles in skate shoes are rarely designed to be supportive. So my comment about running shoes might not apply to all skate shoes. And band aid solutions with heavy marketing like FP insoles, which mute impact supposedly but do not provide structural support.

[close]

Ah, gotcha, thank you for elaborating. I'm happy you found a solution for your pain.

I've tried cleat wedges, those G8 adjustable insoles, Speedplay pedals, different bike fits, and pedal spacers. Basically everything, and I still have chronic bilateral knee pain if I go too hard or long on the bike. I can skate without much pain now thanks to plica surgery and physical therapy. Which I'm stoked on, but I miss group rides and hard climbs.

I had plica inflammation in and off for years. I even rode fucking OSymmetric chain rings thing that would somehow cure it.

I ended up riding my cleats aft of neutral by 5-7mm and switching to Shimano pedals. They're so much more stable it's ridiculous. If you haven't, check out Steve Hogg's old posts on foot correction. I had a shim on 1 leg so I could open up the other and get around my FAI impingement.

I tried G8 insoles but the arches weren't firm enough. I rode custom S Works shoes I got from a pro team stash with those, but found a guy that was working with Sky, Cannondale, Jumbo, and SD Worx and he introduced me to using the Superfeet purple insoles or BG Fit and using hard tape and plastic to slowly build the arches up. Eventually a bunch of brands incorporated his insole shape. He also got me doing work off the bike and after 8-9 months I had no knee pain and basically ankle stability.

All this went out the window when I crashed and tore my labrum. Had to basically quit riding after a while to focus on rehab full time. I'm literally just to a place where I don't walk and stand crooked.

If I were you I'd for sure check out Hogg or seek out a similar fitter. Check out the Kneesovertoesguy reverse out knee pain program. I know a few pro skaters swear by it namely Spencer Hamilton.

[yourfuckingdad]

I got the Adapt Run Max long distance running insoles and they seem to be a better fit for vans and stuff. I would prefer something a little thicker, but these work.

I got a pair of of Etnies Ranger LTs to wear in the house with the Greens to keep my arches from getting fucked up, and have the Run Max's in whatever shoes I wear out. I've been able to skate and play DDR again thanks to the insoles + some exercises from my PT.

[PuffinMuffin]

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So when I used to race bikes I went through a huge amount of orthotics before having custom ones made. Rearfoot arch correction is where the support should take place not in the middle as we often think. If it's in the rear it actually lifts the foot into place and puts the metatarsal bones in proper alignment. Normal tennis ball feeling arches only brace mid arch which does about jack shit for the most part.

Superfeet green are great for walking, light jogging, and low "impact" stuff meaning not repetitive jumping or large impulse impacts. We would modify them for cycling shoes if we didn't have the money as they start with great rearfoot support for most.

Skating of any form is harder impact than walking, standing, and light jogging and there should be some give in the insole.

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Ya because they're fooled by bullshit and marketing and there's little objective data. Then every so often someone actually produces a meta analysis that demonstrates that the difference is far smaller. The best runners in the world often use stock shoes without much in the way of custom orthotics because midsole technology is so good now yet every dickhead out there that claims they need $200+ insoles to run 5k could benefit more from doing strength and mobility work to become a less shitty human and require less correction.

I dealt with the same thing in cycling for years. I had custom orthotics and custom shoes because my arches and ankles would collapse and introduce pelvic instability up the chain. My PT worked with 4 of the biggest teams at the time and none of them had any issues. The solution was fairly simple- more work off the bike to build basic ankle stability pelvic stability. Took 20min 3 times a week. Within 5 months I was able to use bone stock insoles and shoes.

The whole point of this is to demonstrate that people often fall for marketing and band aid solutions which mask the true problem.

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I don't mean this as a dig, but aren't you contradicting yourself?

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TL;DR- I was not contradicting myself. Some rear foot arch support can benefit a lot of people, but the gimmick technologies often found in skate shoes are just forms of foam that provide no structural support. You can get better impact resilience through being stronger in the joint and more mobile as well as having a supportive midsole built into the shoe.

No, I wasn't. I should clarify that while you aren't jumping down stairs while pedaling a bike, joint misalignment and things such as arch collapse or over pronation can lead to pain an injury. Walking usually doesn't have these implications. My need for orthotics decreased somewhat as I got stronger and more stable joints, but some rear foot support was still needed so I used bone stock insoles I could buy off the shelf usually Specialized BG or Superfeet as I naturally have overpronation. Can't fix my bone structure.

Then I said in skating you need structural support as the net joint impact is high, but that you likely don't want a hard insole (Superfeet green) since there is also more force from the physical impact of jumping up and down. Something that braces the rear foot to provide joint alignment while having some padding is likely to be useful in skateboarding. I currently replace insoles in some shoes that don't have a real midsole, like a NB 440 or a Half Cab because having some structure in the rear foot still helps and as I age every little bit seems to improve my ankle stability. I ruptured all the ligaments in my popping foot about 1.5 years ago and even with rehab I'll take anything I can get at 37 years old to prevent hurting it again.

Frankly most skate shoes rely a lot on jamming foam into a generic midsole. Keeps costs down. Midsoles in skate shoes are rarely designed to be supportive. So my comment about running shoes might not apply to all skate shoes. And band aid solutions with heavy marketing like FP insoles, which mute impact supposedly but do not provide structural support.

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Ah, gotcha, thank you for elaborating. I'm happy you found a solution for your pain.

I've tried cleat wedges, those G8 adjustable insoles, Speedplay pedals, different bike fits, and pedal spacers. Basically everything, and I still have chronic bilateral knee pain if I go too hard or long on the bike. I can skate without much pain now thanks to plica surgery and physical therapy. Which I'm stoked on, but I miss group rides and hard climbs.

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I had plica inflammation in and off for years. I even rode fucking OSymmetric chain rings thing that would somehow cure it.

I ended up riding my cleats aft of neutral by 5-7mm and switching to Shimano pedals. They're so much more stable it's ridiculous. If you haven't, check out Steve Hogg's old posts on foot correction. I had a shim on 1 leg so I could open up the other and get around my FAI impingement.

I tried G8 insoles but the arches weren't firm enough. I rode custom S Works shoes I got from a pro team stash with those, but found a guy that was working with Sky, Cannondale, Jumbo, and SD Worx and he introduced me to using the Superfeet purple insoles or BG Fit and using hard tape and plastic to slowly build the arches up. Eventually a bunch of brands incorporated his insole shape. He also got me doing work off the bike and after 8-9 months I had no knee pain and basically ankle stability.

All this went out the window when I crashed and tore my labrum. Had to basically quit riding after a while to focus on rehab full time. I'm literally just to a place where I don't walk and stand crooked.

If I were you I'd for sure check out Hogg or seek out a similar fitter. Check out the Kneesovertoesguy reverse out knee pain program. I know a few pro skaters swear by it namely Spencer Hamilton.

I've been doing kneesovertoes for nearly a year, the pain reduction has been considerable. I've worked my way up from not being able to bend past 90 degrees to a full human knee extension and almost at a full nordic. It's helped with pop too.

Steve Hogg is kinda fried. He backs applied kinesiology which I can't respect: https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/08/material-challenges-how-to-lessen-your-ability-to-coordinate-your-actions-without-being-aware-of-it/

[LebowskisRug]

He went off the rails for sure but was one of the earlier fitters that was a proponent of moving cleats rearward, doing most of the correct in the shoe specifically the arch and heel, and lowering the saddle/bringing it forward to open up the hips and improve stability. Those points alone are missed by so many conventional fitters that just look at joint angles and not what is going on in the hips and ankles. Cleat wedges are the worst and don't help the arch and heel collapsing. Also back then most people were adhering to traditions that made little sense especially regarding saddle choices.

Damn that's great gains for a year! Hope it's helping you on the bike and board.