When I go running or biking these days, you will always find a pair of SOLEs in my shoes. I even use them for indoor spinning. Correct knee and leg alignment is of paramount importance in these repetitive sports, and it all starts with the arches of the feet. The arches help to absorb each running strike and to transmit the energy of each pedal stroke. Well-engineered footbeds assist the muscles in maintaining the anatomical position of the arch. When the arch is not supported then it can lead to misalignment of the ankle and then the knees, hips and lower back, which can lead to injury in any of these areas.
I started using SOLEs in my running shoes after I first tried custom athletic orthotics from my doctor. I used my doctor’s orthotics for several months. They made my feet a little sore, but seemed to help my running. Then I used them in a foot race with a relatively new shoe. It was a hard race, and I developed the worst feet I have ever had. I was not sure if the problem was the shoes or the orthotics, so it was several months before I tried the shoes again. In the meantime, I had been given a pair of SOLE Regular Softecs, so I threw these in the shoes and went for a run. While I am not about to claim that SOLEs will always be better than orthotics you get from your doctor, this was certainly the case for me. It turns out the orthotics were too stiff and hard. Dirt and rocks had gotten between the orthotics and the arches of my foot and had worn my skin away. Once I started using the SOLE footbeds, the same pair of shoes that hurt my feet so badly, Montrail Continental Divides, became my favorite pair of trail runners. The SOLEs have just the right amount of cushion and help prevent blisters in addition to keeping my leg in proper alignment.
After much experimentation with mountain bike shoes I have settled on using Shimano SH-M120 (currently SH-M121). The shoes are rugged and comfortable, but the insole that comes with the shoe is flimsy and flat. After my success in using SOLE Softecs in my running shoes, I started using SOLE Slim Sports in my cycling shoes. When my feet swelled during Primal Quest last year, I went without socks on the bike. This strategy kept my feet dry and allowed them to heal on the long bike legs. If I had tried this with the footbeds that came with the shoes, I am certain my feet would not have fared so well.
You can find detailed advice on the company website, www.yoursole.com, but here are a few tips:
+ SOLEs come in whole sizes, so buy the next whole size larger if you are a half size.
+ They are heat moldable, but you can definitely use them without molding them.
+ Before you mold your footbeds, make sure they fit in your shoes:
- Take your old insoles out.
- See if the SOLEs fit snugly in your shoes.
- Your old insoles can help act as a trimming guide.
- Progressively trim small slivers from the front of the footbed until they fit.
+ Mold in 3 easy steps:
- Heat the oven to 200F. Put the SOLEs in the oven for 2 minutes.
- Take them out, put them in your shoes, stand in your shoes, and lace them up.
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart for 2 minutes. In this position you best approximate neutral and your arch is at it’s highest. The footbeds will cool down and take the shape of your shoe and neutral positioned foot.
- **For bike shoes do not mold in a standing position. Instead heat them up and jump on your trainer for two minutes and spin. SOLE will take the shape of your foot in a non-weight pedal stroke, rather than a weighted standing position.
- Get outside and enjoy!
I started using SOLEs in my running shoes after I first tried custom athletic orthotics from my doctor. I used my doctor’s orthotics for several months. They made my feet a little sore, but seemed to help my running. Then I used them in a foot race with a relatively new shoe. It was a hard race, and I developed the worst feet I have ever had. I was not sure if the problem was the shoes or the orthotics, so it was several months before I tried the shoes again. In the meantime, I had been given a pair of SOLE Regular Softecs, so I threw these in the shoes and went for a run. While I am not about to claim that SOLEs will always be better than orthotics you get from your doctor, this was certainly the case for me. It turns out the orthotics were too stiff and hard. Dirt and rocks had gotten between the orthotics and the arches of my foot and had worn my skin away. Once I started using the SOLE footbeds, the same pair of shoes that hurt my feet so badly, Montrail Continental Divides, became my favorite pair of trail runners. The SOLEs have just the right amount of cushion and help prevent blisters in addition to keeping my leg in proper alignment.After much experimentation with mountain bike shoes I have settled on using Shimano SH-M120 (currently SH-M121). The shoes are rugged and comfortable, but the insole that comes with the shoe is flimsy and flat. After my success in using SOLE Softecs in my running shoes, I started using SOLE Slim Sports in my cycling shoes. When my feet swelled during Primal Quest last year, I went without socks on the bike. This strategy kept my feet dry and allowed them to heal on the long bike legs. If I had tried this with the footbeds that came with the shoes, I am certain my feet would not have fared so well.
You can find detailed advice on the company website, www.yoursole.com, but here are a few tips:
+ SOLEs come in whole sizes, so buy the next whole size larger if you are a half size.
+ They are heat moldable, but you can definitely use them without molding them.
+ Before you mold your footbeds, make sure they fit in your shoes:
- Take your old insoles out.
- See if the SOLEs fit snugly in your shoes.
- Your old insoles can help act as a trimming guide.
- Progressively trim small slivers from the front of the footbed until they fit.
+ Mold in 3 easy steps:
- Heat the oven to 200F. Put the SOLEs in the oven for 2 minutes.
- Take them out, put them in your shoes, stand in your shoes, and lace them up.
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart for 2 minutes. In this position you best approximate neutral and your arch is at it’s highest. The footbeds will cool down and take the shape of your shoe and neutral positioned foot.
- **For bike shoes do not mold in a standing position. Instead heat them up and jump on your trainer for two minutes and spin. SOLE will take the shape of your foot in a non-weight pedal stroke, rather than a weighted standing position.
- Get outside and enjoy!
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