Ask the Coach: What are the best shoes for knock knees?

Dear Coach,

I suffer from knock knees.  What brand of shoes do you recommend for the gym?  I am currently wearing Mizuno shoes to work out in and I wear Nike shoes work.  I also wear heel insoles.

I also have severe arthritis in my knee and have hardware holding my knee and leg bones together (the hardware has been in over 20 years).

I am currently relearning how to run again and my right knee does not bend all way due to an injury that I sustained in December 2017.  My goal is to run a 5K sometime in the future.

Thank you for your help.

Dear Runner,

Knock knees (also called genu valgum) can be caused by several things depending on the severity:

1. Flat feet and/or over-pronating in a weight-bearing position; the arches roll in and the knees follow.
2. The angle of the hips are wider than the knees due to the natural structure of the body and/or weakness of outer musculature.
3. A lack of Vitamin D, most commonly associated with rickets.

To reduce the amount of stress on the knees to help minimize the degeneration of the knees, it is important to support the arch with a rigid insole. Another way to improve the alignment of your legs would be to wear a shoe with moderate to high stability. Most brands at Fleet Feet make a shoe that has a posting, which is a higher density sole under the inside portion of the foot where people are more likely to roll in. The posting helps decrease the significance of the turning in and to ensure this area stays supported throughout the lifespan of the shoe. I would not recommend one specific brand without looking at the shape, size, and structure of your foot, but would recommend you sit down with a Fleet Feet Outfitter to help you find the right shoe for you before you start training for the 5K!  If you're looking for a safe, fun plan to help you enroute to the 5K, I recommend that you look into our No Boundaries program.

Good luck with training!

Coach Bethany