Cycling with flat feet - are off the shelf insoles better than custom ones?

[cyclingmadman]

I have flat feet and I got some custom insoels recently which totally wrecked my feet? Are off the shelf insoles any better?

 

[bikingdad90]

Your arch doesn't make any difference to been able to cycle comfortably or not. What matters is your position and technique.

Can you expand on what the pain is and where?

 

[vickster]

Did you take the custom ones back to the podiatrist? Mine told me to get back in touch if they need adjusting (they were not inexpensive)!
Were they specifically made for cycling? If not, and you need them for cycling, again talk to the podiatrist. I asked mine the question and she said walking and cycling uses different foot action and biomechanicals

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I have flat feet and I got some custom insoels recently which totally wrecked my feet? Are off the shelf insoles any better?

I tried both, and the off-the-shelf ones bought at a supermarket were better (and cheaper). That's just my experience, though, peoples' feet are all different.

 

[kingrollo]

you can get some for around £30 that you pop in a microwave and then put them in your shoes, stand in them and they mould to the shape of your feet - gotta be worth a try at that money ?

 

[PaulSB]

I have very, very flat feet. I'm OK with day to day walking but a day's sightseeing or walking is very painful for me. However I've been able to overcome this with suitable footwear and insoles for those activities.

I've also cycled off and on for 50 years - a great deal in the last 15. I'd just like to say I've never felt the need for insoles or met anyone who uses them. If you are experiencing difficulties it's much more likely to be your foot position on the pedal or overall ride position than having flat feet.

 

[Cp40Carl]

I am flat footed and agree with a lot of what is said here; it is more likely to be a matter of position and / or technique.

The view that flat feet somehow impede or act as a disadvantage is an old one and the anecdotal evidence now suggests otherwise. To quote one medical expert in the field "the high arched foot can have a lack of shock resistance and can be unstable in athletics. If I had a choice as a professional athlete to have a high arch or a flat foot, I'd take the flat foot. Flat feet tend to be more flexible and so better able to absorb the stress of running and jumping."

There are other army studies which disclose lower training injury rates for flat footed soldiers and a number of flat footed individuals have also competed successfully in the Olympic Games.

I would perhaps look carefully again at your posture and position on the bike. Do let us know how you get on.

 

[atalanta]

I have flat feet and I got some custom insoels recently which totally wrecked my feet? Are off the shelf insoles any better?

I have horrible flat feet - been a problem all my life. I managed to get some custom insoles done on the NHS a few years ago and they changed my life... sounds ott but it's true! See if your GP can refer you.

 

[fossyant]

Double check where the ball of your foot sits relative to the axel. It should be directly over it with the pedal at 9 o'clock. Slight adjustments can be made. I have high arches and suffered with a new pair of Specialised shoes with the Body Geometry inserts, tried normal inserts, higher Specialized inserts, then checked again, and the ball of my foot was slightly too far forward putting pressure on the 'ball' causing discomfort.

Best way is put shoe on and feel the ball of your foot and mark roughly the middle with chalk or some tape. Clip the shoe in and check the mark is roughly in the middle of the axel, if it's way off, that's your problem.