December 3, 2020, 4:32 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Runners know the struggle: toes have too much or too little space, the heel lacks support, or the shoelaces keep coming undone. Running shoes don’t have a true optimization function to perfectly fit your foot–but various lacing tricks can help.
When lacing running shoes, the general rule is: as tight as feels comfortable. The shoe should fit snugly at the midfoot, the heel should not slip out, and the toes should have enough room at the front. The following lacing techniques can help eliminate minor fit issues in running shoes.
Overview – Fit Issues and Tricks to Solve Them
1. Heel Too Loose
If the shoe is too loose at the heel, the foot slips. This can lead to blisters and chafing–and even worse, too much heel movement can cause Achilles tendon issues, so it’s crucial to avoid it! The marathon lacing technique is perfect for good heel support.
Lace the shoe from the inside out up to the second-to-last hole. Thread into the last, rearward hole (like a seatbelt) to create a loop. Now thread the lace crosswise through the loops and tighten.
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2. Painful Toes
Anyone who has ever run with bloody or bruised toenails knows how uncomfortable it is. This can happen if the toe box presses too much on the toes. If the cause isn’t a shoe that’s too small (check this first!), you can free your toes with this diagonal lacing technique. Pull the laces diagonally from the bottom hole near the big toe to the top hole on the opposite side. When lacing, lift the toe area to give the toes extra space.
3. Painful Instep / High Arch
If you have a high arch, the tongue can press on the instep with normal lacing. This relief lacing can help:
Thread the laces normally at the bottom, then skip one eyelet on one side and two on the other. Now thread the laces on the opposite side, then again one or two eyelets up… and so on. Lace the last two holes normally. Alternatively, skip an eyelet in the pressure area.
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4. Wide Forefoot
No matter how tight or loose you lace your running shoes, something is too loose or pinches. This is known as duck or flatfoot–high heels, anyone? Here’s a simple trick: use two shoelaces instead of one!
The lower holes belong to the forefoot–the rear holes to the midfoot and heel. This way, you can adjust the width for both foot areas individually.
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5. Shoelaces Keep Coming Undone
Do your shoelaces always come undone while running? It might be because you learned the wrong bow technique as a child! Yes, there’s something to consider here too. There are more than one way to lace running shoes. Scientists like mathematician David J. Green study knot techniques.
The reef knot, also known as the square knot, holds best (without a double knot!). The starting knot and loops are tied in opposite directions. The video first shows the wrong technique, then the (better holding) reef knot. Perhaps a quick-lacing system is right for you. They can be retrofitted to all running shoes and only need to be threaded once.
6. Maintaining Fit
Loosening the laces only at the top holes before taking off or putting on shoes stretches out the shoe’s fit. Correctly: loosen the laces completely down to the bottom when lacing running shoes, pull up the tongue, and slip out/in.
By the way: Because the foot needs space at the front when running, many experts recommend choosing running shoes half or even a full size larger than everyday shoes. However, if the shoe still pinches, rubs, or annoys: It doesn’t belong on your foot and should be exchanged.