Comments on: When Shoes Attack (Me): ITB Pain Caused by the New Balance Minimus Trail?

By: Jeroen

Jeroen — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 11:21:33 +0000

wow I have the exact same thing!
glad to see I’m not the only one.
No ITB problems but the pinky toe problem is there.
Any fixes?

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 00:27:26 +0000

I am having the same issues with my NB Minimus. I absolutely love the shoes, have run a ton in them but recently have been having the same pain around mile 1. I cant do anything to get rid of it.

I will try out some other shoes soon and see if it goes away.

Thanks for sharing!

By: Jamie

Jamie — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

In reply to Pete Larson.

Good luck Pete.

I hope it works out for you. It realy sucks when you think you have a piece of gear figured out and then find not so much!!!

I give you credit for knowing when to call it quits and stop running in them.

I have been having a great time running on my Newton Gravity's since November and plan to runt the Sugar loaf Marathon in May wearing them.

For trails I am still planning on getting a pair of NB minimus in March when they are available and also the INOV8 X Talon 212

Let us know if NB sends you a new pair.

Thanks Again,

Jamie

By: Pete Larson

Pete Larson — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

In reply to Andrew W. Lischuk.

The Minimus Road seems like it may be a bit more durable given that
the outsole covers the entire bottom of the shoe. However, it is much
firmer, so it's a different feel than the Kinvara. The Minimus Road is
growing on me after some initial uncertainty regarding the firmness.

I have though about doing a top shoes of 2010 post - stay tuned!

Pete

On Monday, December 27, 2010, Disqus

By: Rod

Rod — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks for the post. I bought a pair of NB several years ago and after running in them for a few weeks, noticed a marked asymmetry in my shoe's construction (mine was with regards to the heel counter). I think they are a great company and appreciate what they are doing with regards to minimalistic footwear. I have not bought any NB since that time, partially because of the flaw in the shoes. I did not feel that the shoes should have ever made it through even a cursory screening process.

I am going to try out a pair of MT101. I'm sure other shoe companies have similar problems at times.

By: Pete Larson

Pete Larson — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

In reply to JohnF75.

Good suggestion John. I think the bigger problem is that running on roads in
these shoes exacerbated the problem since there is so little variability in
terrain. If they are causing an imbalance, there would be a lot less relief
on uniform terrain., which may be why I had no trouble on trails in them.

By: AshwynGray

AshwynGray — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Wow! This is a very educational post, Pete! Thanks for the honest revelation here. It's nice to be aware of the potential pitfalls in the design of the Minimus Trail. Naruay5327's theory about making up for pain on one side by altering your gait on the left side is definitely interesting.
In any case, I'm glad the pain didn't sideline you for any extended period. Hurray for shoes that work for ya!

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

In reply to Pete Larson.

The Kinvara and Mt101 are a great combo. Purchased the kinvara and the mt100 in late spring and recently updated to the 101-ran my fastest 50K so far-4:55. Don't count the Minimus out until you log some significant trail miles in.

By: ms_golightly

ms_golightly — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

You have just given me hope. I am leaving for PT in about an hour for ITBS that has been plaguing me since October and has totally messed with my training.

I was in old shoes in need of replacement when my IT band issues began creeping up on me, and immediately thought to change my shoes. I was also in the midst of changing my whole running style from heel strike to mid/fore, and when I informed the expert at my local running store of all these things, he set me up with a pair of Asics that he felt would be a good transitional shoe for me. The ITBS has only gotten worse, and I can not run more than a mile before it kicks in. I fell in love with racing this summer and was beginning training for a half when this all began. There is nothing worse than actually wanting to go pump out 8 miles, only to be held back by such a debilitating injury. I am hoping against hope that a shoe change could work for me. Thank you!

By: Briderdt

Briderdt — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I think it's pretty easy to see how it happened on the opposite side. If you were experiencing pain from the shoe on the right, then you'd unconsciously alter your gait to put less weight on it. That means your left has to land more towards your centerline (left foot lands more to the right) to keep you moving in a straight line. That would put more pressure on the ITB.

Also, while the Kinvara has the same dop in an unloaded state, I believe that the forefoot lugs on the Kinvara will compress more in use, making the effective drop more than the manufactured 4mm. I'd like to see the Kinvara made with a more "solid" construction in the forefoot.

By: Pete Larson

Pete Larson — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

In reply to Chris.

For the shoe to affect my ITB, it would have to be messing with my
form somehow since the ITB connects just below the knee. A bit of slow
motion film from behind might be revealing.

Pete

On Monday, December 27, 2010, Disqus

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Sobering post. Glad you seemed to narrow it down to the NB Minimus Trail shoes. I was really looking forward to the Minimus Trail and the Altra Adam this spring. I better not get too excited. Thanks for the update. Also, in a month or two, toss in an update on the Saucony Kinvara. I keep telling myself it's "too much shoe" for me, but maybe not.
-Chris