Bluegrass Endurance and Nutrition: Using My New G8 Performance Insoles

I will be doing a more thorough review in Part 2 of my new G8 Performance insoles (2620's) when I get my Metdome pads I forgot to order initially. At the moment I have these in my running shoes I just use daily for walking as am not running right now but will be using them in my running shoes and riding shoes. For my running shoes I did not need to cut the insoles as with my Topo's having a wider forefoot and my size in the insoles being the max for the large it worked great. For my riding shoes I will need to trim them to fit. I am using the Level 1 arches moved all the way forward, desired location for proper foot movement, as that seems to work and then, per their instructions, I will go up a level in about 4 - 6 weeks and see where they fit.

But for here I want to share why I use these as I am not fan of most orthotics as in general I have tried them over the years and with regards to running in general can't use them as they make my knees and hips hurt. For cycling I have had less issues with custom insoles. With most insoles they are very restrictive and upon initial thinking that sounds good but for me it just leads to more pain. That said one of the first things you will notice in the G8 is the arches - you are given 5 sizes - is that they are flexible - along with very adjustable on each foot, as they are not so much there to be support in the traditional manner but are to help to get your feet to change to where they were designed to be. This makes the insoles more of a proprioception device, more on this in a moment, than what you might consider your standard insole. Now there may be those out there who need more rigid support and that is between you and your podiatrist/doctor but I hope the goal is to have those insoles as a temporary remedy and not a permanent fixture. Much like if you break your arm you would not wear a restrictive cast forever but do so till the required healing is done then is removed.

What is proprioception - I have seen it defined as a "sense of body positioning in space" and thus in the case of the G8's the arches and Metdome pads are such that they touch the specific area and you body reacts and over time will adapt and begin to move as designed. This is a much more natural way to work on an issue, such as I have with my foot, and I hope long term will take care of things.
Let me add here, and I will share more when I fit my cycling insoles, that for cycling insoles work to help keep things where they need to be and as cycling is a much different - unnatural - movement than running these insoles add proprioception that is harder to get riding than running. Also, as cycling uses the feet differently as a lever there are more biomechanics issues to deal with and I even have some heal wedges for my insoles to help work to keep things aligned when riding. By the way I did say "unnatural" a we were designed to walk and run but riding - well not sure there. This doesn't mean we should not ride but there are some different things to the into account as riding has you affixed to an in general - static device your bike and the flow is not the same as when you run. This is why how we connect to our pedals and sit not eh bike are so important.

Here is a good video I found on the insoles from Bike Fitter Neill Stanbury: