Running enthusiasts sometimes question the usefulness of running insoles, especially when they have just spent a considerable amount of money on a pair of expensive trainers. Nevertheless, at SIDAS, we are convinced that these insoles are essential to ensure the comfort and performance of your feet that are so severely damaged during exercise, but without which running wouldn’t be the same.
We will detail the three major benefits of running insoles:
- Prevent injury
- Minimize shock waves
- Maximize enjoyment on the spot.
We will also explain how to choose the most suitable model for your level, practice, feet, and desires.
WHY USE A RUNNING INSOLE?
1. To prevent injury
Although sports is good for your health, running can deleteriously affect the body if practised without care. But wait! Running is not dangerous; quite the contrary.
However, the risk of injury is a reality that 80% of runners have already experienced. Why is this?
Not least because with each stride and stance, our foot has to bear 3.5 times our weight.
Marie Maligorne, head of the SIDAS orthopaedic centre, notes: “After blisters, overheating and haematomas under the nails, traumas directly affecting the foot, knee and Achilles tendon pain are the most recurrent.”
Therefore, she advises using running insoles in a curative role to accompany the remission of an injury but also in an anticipatory part to avoid a relapse.
Healing and prevention, thanks to the insoles.
“We are really in a logic of anticipation of the numerous microtraumas that the body stores with each stride. Our aim is to minimise the impact of shock waves. To avoid short-term pathology and to be able to devote oneself to one’s passion in the long term, not to be obliged to put away the trainers at the age of 40!” The expert, who has seen the feet of great champions pass through her hands, nevertheless reminds us: “Our claim is not to solve a problem or correct a stride, but to provide a comfort solution to help prevent injuries.”
2. To feel good in your head and your trainers
If the first benefit of insoles is purely physical, linked to the preservation of the body’s complex mechanics, the second is psychological. The main principle is that a runner who feels good in his trainers, without foot pain, is a runner who feels good in his head and takes full advantage of the present moment.
“Feeling safe allows you to have more confidence, to be less focused on the obstacles of the terrain or the small pains and therefore to be more attentive to your sensations, more involved in your activity, whether you are training for performance or going out for pleasure.” That’s what we’re all about at SIDAS: the quest for well-being and the pleasure of activity through the comfort of your feet.
3. To perform better
Regardless of their level, most runners’ motivation is progress. For what greater satisfaction can there be than the satisfaction of accomplishing one’s duty and feeling that one is improving daily? To this extent, whether you are a high-level athlete or a more episodic runner, running insoles help your performance by:
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A more precise, dynamic and stable stride, therefore, economical.
- Injury prevention for consistent, long-term training without pain breaks.
HOW DO OUR SIDAS INSOLES WORK?
Our running insoles are a valuable technological package to prevent injuries, improve comfort, increase performance, and provide real added value compared to traditional insoles.
All our ranges dedicated to running therefore provide:
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Comfort and cushioning thanks to the EVA pad located at the heel, which absorbs shocks and thus protects the various joints. The Merrymesh covering has anti-slip and anti-bacterial properties to prevent overheating risks.
- Foot stability and support since the 3D shell perfectly supports the foot arch. This shell also offers a perfect distribution of pressure zones so that all the foot muscles are mobilised in equal measure, thus avoiding overusing any of them, which could lead to a risk of injury.
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The medio-foot reinforcement, also in EVA, supports the foot's natural rolling.
- Dynamism, thanks to the propulsion faculties' optimisation in the forefoot.
HOW TO CHOOSE A PAIR OF SIDAS RUNNING INSOLES?
A good pair of running insoles is one that is perfectly suited to your feet and running style. As with the choice of shoes, there are several selection criteria for finding the right insole for you.
- Your level of practice: from beginner to seasoned athlete.
- Your preferred playing field: trail or asphalt.
- Your injury history.
- Your desires and the benefit you seek: sensation and performance, or comfort.
- Your feet because every foot is unique.
RUNNING SENSE VS RUNNING PROTECT
These 2 ranges are based on the same advantages and technologies mentioned above. However, we have accentuated certain features on both insoles to focus on a specific benefit.
RUN PROTECT
The Run PROTECT insoles are designed for runners looking for stability and cushioning.
- Stability is provided by a TPU midfoot reinforcement for better control of the stride and by the heel cup, which, like the seat of a chair, accommodates and envelops the back of the foot.
- The heel gel and the forefoot pads provide cushioning and comfort, allowing better dissipation of shock waves.
They are favoured by runners with a high risk of injury: beginners; those with weaknesses or recurring pain; and ultra-distance runners taking part in ultra-endurance events.
The PROTECT running insoles offer unbeatable comfort and ultimate foot protection, regardless of the terrain. These insoles are designed to keep your feet feeling great, even on uneven surfaces, and are perfect for those long workouts.
RUN SENSE
SENSE running insoles are for runners looking for sensation, lightness, and dynamism.
In designing this range, we have already defined running sensation as “all the information that the millions of nerve endings located under our feet give us from the ground, before being interpreted by the brain.” Our SENSE running insoles aim to maximize this feeling of osmosis through:
- Their thinness, for great proximity of the foot to the playing field, like almost direct contact.
- Their flexibility and freedom of movement.
- Their lightness, thanks to an EVA composition, that reduces each insole’s weight to 45 grams.
- A drop of 2, fairly neutral, for a very dynamic “absorbing-propelling” forefoot.
The PROTECT running insoles offer foot comfort and protection regardless of the terrain, even if it is uneven, especially when the effort lasts longer.
They are popular with performance-oriented runners who like to go fast, those who run as a hobby, those seeking connection with the playing field, and those who look for (strong) sensations.
Therefore, the SENSE insoles offer stride precision of support fluidity, not forgetting its shock absorption capacity.
Learn more about the SENSE and PROTECT running insoles to help you choose the best fit for you.
RUN 3FEET VS. RUN 3D
Once you have chosen between SENSE and PROTECT insoles, you have two options, as these ranges have been developed in 3Feet or 3D models. It allows you to go even further in detail and your insoles customization.
3 FEET INSOLES
Every foot is unique. Every foot is different. And the difference often starts with the height of the arch. There are three types of arch height: high, medium, and low (hollow feet, intermediate feet, and flat feet).
Why choose insoles that are adapted to your arch height?
- To provide optimum support for the foot arch, which tends to collapse with fatigue and postural changes that can lead to injury.
- To ensure the most natural foot movement.
The Sense and Protect ranges are available in 3 models, corresponding to different arch heights (high, mid, and low).
3D INSOLES
Need to know your arch height? No problem. The 3D range is there for you. More universal than the 3Feet, the 3D can adapt to the uniqueness of each foot with a shape memory that will quickly make your feet feel at home in your trainers.
SIDAS x TEAM MATRYX
Comfort but also performance!
Running insoles offer real added value to runners who want to reduce their time and win podiums. “It’s a significant marginal gain, a small element that can turn performance into a big result!” Thomas Janichon, Team Manager of Team Matryx, a professional trail running team, reminds us.
You can find out why and how these high-level runners use running insoles by clicking here via the first episode of our new web series.