Best Shoes for Accessory Navicular
He runs a biomechanical assessment clinic, advises on footwear and custom orthotics.
- Best Shoes for Peroneal Tendonitis - October 15, 2024
- Best Skechers for Plantar Fasciitis - October 15, 2024
- Best Running Shoes for Shin Splints - September 26, 2024
Today, I will discuss the best shoes for Accessory Navicular Syndrome. All information in this article is for educational purposes only and shouldn’t substitute medical advice. The three shoes we will discuss in this video are the Asics Gel-Kayano 30, the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23, and the New Balance 860 v13.
James McCormack is a Physical Therapist specialising in knee, foot & ankle injuries. www.flawlessphysio.co.uk participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The money earned from this helps us to create free educational content.
So, the first thing we will discuss is the cushioning of each type of shoe. So, in the Gel-Kayano 30, we’ve got a plush type of cushioning, which means that as you apply pressure to it, you sink into it a little bit more. What’s helpful with this shoe is that it’s got a medial posting on the inside, which puts a little bit of support underneath the medial arch of the foot. That’s helpful because it helps to lift the arch and takes the pressure and the tension off the posterior tibial tendon that attaches to it.
The Adrenaline does this differently; it has a guide rail system, so on the undersurface of the shoe, it has rails that help to control the motion of the foot from side to side. We know that if someone struggles to control pronation moments throughout the gait cycle, it can put excess pressure on the inner aspect of the foot. In a normal foot, that’s not a problem; however, a painful Os navicular or accessory navicular syndrome can place extra stress on the navicular and the attachment site of the posterior tibial tendon. Using the guide rail helps to give extra stability and cushioning.
Buy Gel-Kayano on Amazon Buy Brooks Adrenaline on Amazon Buy New Balance 860 on Amazon
In the New Balance, it’s a bit more of a responsive shoe, so what that means is when you apply pressure to it, it gives you a little bit of a spring back as opposed to something like the plush cushioning in the gel Kayano which allows you to sink into it. It also has a medial posting, so this helps support the medial arch of the foot and offload that in the Navicular. That’s also an important factor in heel drop, so we chose these 3 shoes because they have a high heel drop, which refers to the difference from the back to the front of the shoe.
The adrenaline has the highest heel drop of the 3 shoes, so that’s a difference of 12mms from the back to the front. It gives you that nice tilt that helps shorten the tendon attachments onto the navicular and can help offload your pain. The other two shoes, the Kayano and the New Balance, have a 10mm heel drop, so it is not quite as much as the adrenaline, but what you sacrifice is a slightly heavier shoe in the Adrenaline.
Instead, it’s a bit more of a balanced shoe in cushioning, whereas this is plusher, and this and the New Balance are more responsive in thinking about what shoe might work best for your symptoms. If you have a severe case of accessory Navicular Syndrome, we often recommend the Gel Kayano 30 as a go-to shoe as it tends to have the most medial support, so that’s the most support under the foot’s arch. An all-around shoe for walking and running is the New Balance, and a slightly heavier but supportive shoe is the Adrenaline GTS.
Our YouTube video on Shoes for Accessory Navicular Syndrome
Product Reviews with Flawless Physio
James McCormack, a lower limb specialist who is an expert in treating foot conditions, wrote this article.
This is not medical advice. We recommend a consultation with a medical professional such as James McCormack if you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this article. James offers weekly online physiotherapy appointments and face-to-face appointments at his London clinic.
_______________________________________________________________________
We are specialists in treating foot conditions such as Accessory Navicular Syndrome, and you can see one of our Foot and Ankle Specialists in our clinic in Soho.
Feel Good, Move Well, Be Better