Hallux rigidus shoe traits for runners

[@HughDWallace]

Good advice. I wish it was as simple as seeing a shoe & knowing it will suit your feet. I stumbled upon Hoka last summer (shortly after I developed major pain from Hallux Limitus) & got lucky with the running & walking shoes I bought, but they are not perfect (& look awful!). I was keen to try on a pair of North Face shoes that look perfect with a good rocker & a stiff sole. Two strides in the shop were enough to tell me they were no good at all. I tried a few other brands/models without success. The search goes on for a pair of shoes that don't hurt my feet and don't look hideous... I'm a mountaineer more than a runner these (I want to run to keep the legs fit for climbing mountains) but I think I have to retire (at 48) from both due to the pain. I thought I had a pair of brilliant mountain boots - stiff winter boots with a good rocker (Mammut/Raichle) - but I found out last week that they still don't work as any time I walked over a stone on my big toe it was excruciating. No more climbing for me. Going for a walk on flat tarmac seems ok for about an hour but that is about it. Thankfully I appear to be able to cycle for hours without particular problems so it looks like my mountain fix will be delivered by cycling amongst them rather than walking up them from now. Ah well.

[@DocOnTheRun]

Thank you for adding your comments. It certainly can seem like an arduous task trying to find the right shoes when you have this condition.

[@HughDWallace]

@@DocOnTheRun Thank you for sharing your content. It has really helped me understand what is going on & what I can do about managing it.

[@brunis_m]

Hallux rigidus patient here. I find that the Hoka Bondi is good for the forefoot stiffness (X better due to the carbon plate). Issue with them for me is relatively narrow toe box. Got more success with Saucony Endorphin Shift 3, but those were discontinued. Now I'm at a loss, hoping to get some extra miles from the Shift before I have to deal with this again. Doc - any suggestions? I need the wide toe box (not a wide foot per se, but short toes which means I need a wide toe box), and some arch support.

[@DocOnTheRun]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience for others. I completely agree...it so frustrating when you finally find a make and model of running shoe that works with your specific foot shape, only to be "improved" by the manufacturer to the point it no longer works at all. Often seems like a perpetual running shoe shopping expedition.

[@mindbodyhome102]

Off to return a pair that are not working...Question: If I am not a runner anymore but walk a lot, do I still need to upsize as they say at the running store?

[@TheTkndnv]

Hi there. I got some of the north face shoes mentioned above for my hallux rigidus. Unlike the poster above I find them very comfy. I haven’t run in them but have done a bit of walking. While my big toe feels fine, I have developed pain in my arches. Do you think this is possibly from wearing a rocker sole and will it go away as my foot gets used to it or could it be unrelated?

[@DocOnTheRun]

I am sorry to hear you are having trouble. I can't provide assessments or medical advice via comments, but we could jump on a phone call or webcam call to discuss in detail.

[@Resultsnottalk]

Scretcher are better

[@DocOnTheRun]

Thank you for watching!