6 Techniques for Lacing Up Shoes!

Spring has arrived! Soon we’ll begin emerging from hibernation, feeling refreshed, re-energized and ready to take on the world. Today we’re sharing an excellent article written by Carolee Belkin Walker, published in The Washington Post that covers the art of lacing your shoes for maximum comfort.

“There’s more than one way to lace your running shoes – and it matters which you use

You’ve visited your favorite running store, analyzed your gait and found the perfect shoe for you. Now you’re all set to go on a run, right? Not so fast. How you lace your shoes can affect your performance and overall running experience, experts say.

“I’ve had runners slip on a pair of running shoes and say they feel great, but when they stand up or jog around the store or on the treadmill, they’ll tell me something just doesn’t seem right,” said Rob Voigt, who manages the Georgetown Running Company in the District. “I’ll relace their shoes and ask them to take another jog around the store, and I already know by their smile that the lacing made all the difference.”

In fact, according to podiatrist Adam Spector, of Foot and Ankle Specialists of the Mid-Atlantic in Wheaton and Rockville, if you don’t lace your shoes appropriately, your performance may suffer and you may have a less-than-pleasant experience. Spector is co-founder of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club’s Stride Clinic to evaluate runners. He was a national-level swimmer on scholarship at George Washington University and ran for cross-training. Now, running is the centerpiece of Spector’s daily exercise regimen.

Runners can suffer minor and major injuries if they do not lace their shoes optimally, Spector said. And that’s because correctly lacing your perfect shoes can keep them perfect while you run. “Your foot and shoe need to become one,” Spector said. “The key is to make sure the shoe fits well and then to lace your shoes so that your foot stays stable.”

For example, excess side-to-side motion of your foot as you run can create irritation and sheer that may result in blisters, tendinitis or other overuse injuries, according to Spector. If your foot moves from front to back, you risk experiencing a burning sensation on the bottom of your forefoot or bruising your toes, which can become increasingly painful. When the toes get irritated, possibly traumatizing the nail bed and causing bleeding under it, the nails can turn black and blue. “It’s a myth that you’re not a real runner unless your toenails turn black,” Spector said. “They shouldn’t.” Yet you don’t want to secure your feet too tightly, either, Spector says. “Locking down the tendons in your feet and preventing them from moving freely can injure the tendons or joints and irritate the nerves, conditions that can be difficult to treat and take a long time to heal.”

The goal is for your foot to be stable as you run — or even as you walk — said Voigt, a recreational runner who played lacrosse at the State University of New York at Canton. He said a number of lacing strategies are designed to secure your foot while accommodating such common issues as bunions, or bony joints at the base of your big toe; a cavus foot, or a foot with a high arch; flat-footedness, or when the sole of your foot comes in contact with the ground when you stand or run; narrow heels; and heel spurs, or calcaneal spurs, which are buildups of calcium on your heels.

In addition, some lacing techniques can be used to adapt a running shoe if, for whatever reason, you don’t have access to a variety of shoes. “Overseas, I didn’t have the luxury of going and trying on lots of different pairs of shoes, so I had to make do with what I had,” said Steve Royster, a Foreign Service officer who just finished his ninth marathon and is working in Washington. “I noticed that if I laced them with different levels of tension or skipping certain eyelets, I would get different and sometimes helpful effects.” Royster said he has flat feet, so he’s benefited from lacing his shoes through all of the eyelets but then tying them pulled to the outsole, away from the arch. “This helps to adjust shoes that don’t fit as well to give me more support,” Royster said. Voigt also noted that it’s a good idea to ensure that your laces are flat and not twisted as you tie them. “This is another way to avoid chafing and irritating any of the nerves on the top of your feet as you run.”

While it’s important for runners to be properly fitted for shoes that are comfortable, support their foot type and gait, and are appropriately laced, runners experiencing pain, skin issues or numbness in their feet that does not resolve quickly should be evaluated by a podiatrist to rule out more serious local or systemic problems, Spector said. “Our feet are attached to our bodies,” he said. “So optimizing their biomechanics and function will improve how the rest of our body works.” Voigt says that most running stores can show you how to lace your shoes if any of the techniques are confusing or if you don’t know which ones would work best.

The Art of Lacing

Gap lacing: Lace your shoes normally but skip any areas that are sensitive, especially if you have high arches, wider feet or bunions.

Side lacing: Securing your shoes by lacing them on the side of your foot can accommodate high arches and flat-footedness.

Loop lock lacing: This style is designed for when you get the right fit but your heel still wants to slip. You’re basically lacing the shoe and going back to last eyelet to pull everything tight.

Skip lacing: This style can accommodate greater blood flow at the neck of the foot and bunions.

Speed lacing: Some shoes come out of the box with speed laces, but you can buy them at most running stores. Speed laces are popular among triathletes because you can slip your feet quickly into your shoes and simply pull the laces to tighten them. Most speed laces come with a simple locking mechanism.

Straight lacing: This style can help relieve pressure on the top of your foot. You’re creating more space between eyelets without skipping eyelets. ”

If you have questions about your feet, gait, shoes or lacing techniques, talk to your Chiropodist today! We’re here to make every step comfortable!