Asics for Achilles

muggles

Hi all,

This is probably akin to asking what the lotto numbers might be so apologies in advance if sounding stupid!

I am looking at getting new runners. I'm only a casual runner, about 30km a week along with a couple of exercise classes thrown in at times. I would be inclined towards over pronation, but only slightly. My biggest fear is having suffered with Achilles heel at the start of the Summer to do so again. If buying one runner as oppose to another can in any way assist in avoiding such I'm all for it!

I'm leaning towards the Kayano but open to suggestions. Surprised at the not so positive reviews out there on the Kinsei - I thought they were the creme de la creme?

Is there such a difference in the newer technologies of the Kayano 21 that justifies the price when I could probably drop back to the 18 or 19 for a fraction of the cost?

Any other Asics I should consider? I will obviously try out all options in sports shop but would like to be armed with a bit more info before doing so.

PS I'm female!:)

sconhome

The Kinsei is a top neutral shoe. They are very stable but heavy which is the most common complaint apart from the price.

Kayano is a top guidance shoe. More suited to an over pronator whereas a neutral is not so suitable.

RayCun

It is not the case with runners that the more you pay, the better the runner is, on some fixed scale. Different runners have different features and different structures, making them more suitable for some people than others.
Your best bet is to go to a shop where you can try on a few pairs, jog around, see what feels comfortable.
If you can get to a shop that has knowledgeable sales assistants and a good range of runners to try on, you will make a better choice. If there is a branch near you I'd highly recommend Amphibian King

rainbow kirby

If you're a slight overpronator, the Asics 1000 or 2000 lines would probably be better for you than either of the ones you have mentioned, and a lot cheaper too.

Tigerandahalf

I overpronate a lot. When I am sitting on the couch at home my feet would be resting on their sides. I have a pair of Asics Gel Ikaia at the moment and they have served me very well. My toes didn't come through the material and the sole has held up very well. I see lots of people with a lower base running shoe but if you overpronate you may not get much time out of them. I normally just pick up any decent running brand that gives stability to the sole area. Max I have paid thus far has been around 70eur.

conavitzky

muggles wrote: »

Hi all,

This is probably akin to asking what the lotto numbers might be so apologies in advance if sounding stupid!

I am looking at getting new runners. I'm only a casual runner, about 30km a week along with a couple of exercise classes thrown in at times. I would be inclined towards over pronation, but only slightly. My biggest fear is having suffered with Achilles heel at the start of the Summer to do so again. If buying one runner as oppose to another can in any way assist in avoiding such I'm all for it!

I'm leaning towards the Kayano but open to suggestions. Surprised at the not so positive reviews out there on the Kinsei - I thought they were the creme de la creme?

Is there such a difference in the newer technologies of the Kayano 21 that justifies the price when I could probably drop back to the 18 or 19 for a fraction of the cost?

Any other Asics I should consider? I will obviously try out all options in sports shop but would like to be armed with a bit more info before doing so.

PS I'm female!:)

Hi Muggles, As a long term sufferer with Achilles issues new runners are not going to be the silver bullet that solves all your problems. You need to get to the route of what caused the issue and start a strengthening and maintenance program to help keep the issue at bay. This in conjunction with a suitable shoe will help you.
I found that a lot of my issues were coming from the rigid heel counter on shoes pinching on my achilles as I pronated. I now wear Skechers Go run rides for all my runs. They have a flexible heel and my issues seem to have eased off. I am not totally pain free and have to pick and choose my rest day /easy day / sessions based on how my ankles are! But the injury is in way better shape that it was. Be wary though that if you are used to asics kayanos etc you are dropping from a 11mm heel to toe drop to an 8mm drop which some say will put more pressure on your achilles. (personally i think it helped my issue and helped stretch that general area)
I would not wear them racing as they are quite soft and dont give much rigidity / return but as a general training shoe i have found them to be great. They are also quite cheap compared to the big hitters (half the price)! Win win scenario!

muggles

I 100% agree with you conavitzky in trying to establish the cause and I do need to put more effort and focus into this.

I'm not changing runners on the expectation that they're going to fix my injury, I'm changing them because the lining has ripped and the padding is coming away they're that worn!:o While I couldn't care less on the aesthetics, I fear the gel has also disintegrated.

rainbow kirby my last pair were the GT 2000 and in fairness have served me well. I wouldn't have any objection to going with them again. I suppose I just thought the Kayanos would be the next step up and better.

Clearlier

muggles wrote: »

I 100% agree with you conavitzky in trying to establish the cause and I do need to put more effort and focus into this.

I'm not changing runners on the expectation that they're going to fix my injury, I'm changing them because the lining has ripped and the padding is coming away they're that worn!:o While I couldn't care less on the aesthetics, I fear the gel has also disintegrated.

rainbow kirby my last pair were the GT 2000 and in fairness have served me well. I wouldn't have any objection to going with them again. I suppose I just thought the Kayanos would be the next step up and better.

I remember reading about a study of runners (the people) which found that the more expensive the shoe the more likely the runner was to have been injured in the recent past. I'd love to find the actual study but I thought it illustrated well that expensive runners do not solve problems. IMO - they are more likely to cause problems.

I second the recommendation about Amphibian King. If there's a weakness in them it's that IME they tend to stock the more expensive shoes (although I suspect that this is a reflection of demand as much as anything) but you are highly unlikely to leave the shop with the wrong shoe.

Dubgal72

I used to overpronate (the camera at Amphibian King says not any more), I still use Asics GT 2000 and also do some knee bends recommended by my physio in conjunction with a 'chi running' style (attempted anyhow!).
The knee bends were recommended to strengthen my Achilles and support a more economic running style. I'd be reluctant to describe them in case I don't do it well but worth bending your physio's ear next time. Good luck. Over pronation is not for life ;-)

muggles

Might be worth a trip to Galway to check out Amphibian King so in that case. To be honest I wasn't aware of them. I would have just purchased in Elverys.

muggles

Dubgal72 wrote: »

I used to overpronate (the camera at Amphibian King says not any more), I still use Asics GT 2000 and also do some knee bends recommended by my physio in conjunction with a 'chi running' style (attempted anyhow!).
The knee bends were recommended to strengthen my Achilles and support a more economic running style. I'd be reluctant to describe them in case I don't do it well but worth bending your physio's ear next time. Good luck. Over pronation is not for life ;-)

I'm learning a lot from this thread! Catherina McKiernan is running workshop at local gym I use on Sat.:)

Dubgal72

muggles wrote: »

I'm learning a lot from this thread! Catherina McKiernan is running workshop at local gym I use on Sat.:)

Go! :-) I read Danny Dreyer's book, a workshop is on my Christmas wish list...

muggles

Yeah, I'm intending to! Will probably be the only one there without multiple marathons under my belt but I've heard great reviews on ChiRunning going back a number of years now so have always been curious to find out more.

Raven Runner

I have had Achilles problems & Find The Asics GT 3000 good for me but everyone's different best of luck

Netwerk Errer

muggles wrote: »

Yeah, I'm intending to! Will probably be the only one there without multiple marathons under my belt but I've heard great reviews on ChiRunning going back a number of years now so have always been curious to find out more.

I would really recommend going to a medical professional with qualifications in biomechanics if you want to correct your gait and not a chirunning workshop. No offence to Catherina Mc Kiernan but she is hardly qualified to make gait adjustments. As far as I'm aware, she has no history in any sort of anatomical study.

Chirunning involves an almost complete overhaul of your technique which raises it's own risks and is scientifically lacking in evidence. At least get a consultation with a qualified individual before jumping into chirunning. Your issue could be as simple as muscle imbalances.

thehamo

Most Achilles problems arise from a tightness in the calf muscle pulling on the tendon at the heel. I would recommend working on fixing the calf and the actual route of the problem rather than trying to find a shoe that will mask it. Overpronation is generally caused by either a weakness/tightness in on of the calf muscles called tibilalis posterior which is a deep muscle underneath the "belly" of the calf muscles.

My advice would be to see a qualified practitioner to get it sorted first.

Jude13

As said above your runners may not help or be the cause of your Achilles pain.

However, I have snapped my right Achilles twice and my left one once. Yup, not torn, not partial rupture, kaput, snapped.

Following the surgery's I have purchased a 'good' pair of runners, as I would have done all of my running in rugby boots. I bought Asics Cumulus and have found them great the last 18 months.