7 Lace Patterns for Running Shoes (with Short Video Demo)

More and more people are taking up the sport of running. That is hardly surprising as the amazing health benefits of running are becoming more widely known. Running is a great way to lose weight, improve heart health, build up the immune system, treat depression, tone muscles, boost memory and brainpower, among other wonderful benefits.

Every runner, be they beginner or experienced amateur or a seasoned pro, knows the importance of wearing a good pair of running shoes that fit well. Wearing ill-fitting or poor-quality running shoes can cause or exacerbate all sorts of health problems, such as shin splints, plantar fasciitis, bunions, tendonitis, back pain, knee pain, hip pain, and so on.

What many people may not know is that just wearing the right running shoes is not enough to protect your health. You also have to wear the shoes the right way. Specifically, you have to lace up the shoes the right way.

Running in incorrectly laced shoes can affect your performance and cause foot problems, which could make it harder to stick to your running regimen. You have the choice to lace based on your foot shape, gait, and any conditions you may have.

When you buy running shoes, they normally come pre-laced. But it is important for you to re-lace them according to your personal needs before putting them on. Here are ways to lace your running shoes for a number of common foot conditions and requirements:

Table of Contents

Wide Feet

Wide feet are a very common condition. There are many causes of wide feet, the most usual one being genetics. But it can also be caused by other factors such as age, flat foot, pregnancy, edema, etc. Having wide feet could be problematic for runners.

Besides wearing running shoes that are designed for wide feet, it is important that you properly lace your running shoes using wide feet specific technique.

If You Lace Them Wrong

People with wide feet need extra space in their shoes to accommodate the width of their feet. But roomy shoes alone are not enough.

You could be wearing the best running shoes designed specifically for wide feet, but if you lace up those shoes incorrectly you could still be facing a lot of problems. Incorrectly laced shoes will put excessive pressure on your big toes and pinkie toes.

They can also pinch all your toes together. Over a prolonged period, this can lead to impingement of toes, not to mention chronic foot pain and inflammation. It will also increase your risks of developing various foot conditions, including:

Bunions: A bunion is a bony bump and inflammation that forms at the base of your big toe. Bunions are common in people with wide feet. With improper lacing of your shoes, you can put excessive pressure on your big toes which can lead to the development of bunions.
Overlapping toes: If your toes are pinched and squeezed together repeatedly over a prolonged period, one of your toes may move towards its neighbor and eventually crosses over and lies on top of it. Improper shoe lacing exacerbates the pinching and squeezing of toes for people with wide feet, increasing their risk of overlapping toes.

Calluses and corns: Incorrectly laced shoe could put too much pressure on your foot, increasing your risks of getting calluses and corns.
Hammertoes: Chronic pinching and squeezing of your toes can also lead to hammertoes, where your toes point downward instead of forward. Improperly laced shoes could cramp your toes together excessively and increase your risk of hammertoes.

If You Lace Them Right

If you have wide feet, using a wide foot-specific technique to lace your running shoe can reduce some of the tension across the front part of your shoe. This will create more space in your shoe’s front area to enable your forefoot and midfoot to spread out naturally. The upshot is reduced pressure on your foot and lowered risks of foot conditions such as a bunion, overlapping toes, calluses, and hammertoes.

How to Lace for Wide Feet

Place your running shoe in front of you with its toe pointing away from you.
Start with the eyelet closest to the big toe – the inner bottom eyelet. Thread the shoelace through that eyelet.
Thread the end of the lace that is on the internal side of the inner bottom eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces toward the shoe wearer’s foot) through the eyelet right above (away from the shoe wearer’s toes and up toward her shin) the inner bottom eyelet. The lace should go inside out – it should start from the internal side of that eyelet, through the eyelet, and end up on the external side of that eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the shoe wearer’s foot).

Pull both ends of the lace to balance the lace – to make sure both halves of the lace are of equal length.
Pick up the end of the lace that runs through the inner bottom eyelet, thread it through the other bottom eyelet straight across the shoe tongue (the outer bottom eyelet – the eyelet closest to the pinkie toe.) The lace should go outside in – it should start from the external side of the outer bottom eyelet, through the eyelet, and end up on the internal side of the outer bottom eyelet.
Continuing with the same end of the lace, go up that same side of the shoe (the pinkie toe side), skip one eyelet, and thread the lace through the next eyelet. This time going inside out (from the internal side of the eyelet to the external side.)

Continuing with the same end of the lace, go straight across the shoe tongue, thread through the eyelet there, going outside in.
Continuing with the same end of the lace, go up that same side of the shoe (the big toe side), skip one eyelet, and thread the lace through the next eyelet. This time going inside out.
Continuing with the same end of the lace, go straight across the shoe tongue, thread through the eyelet there, going outside in.

Continuing with the same end of the lace, go up that same side of the shoe (the pinkie toe side), thread it through the top eyelet of that side, going inside out.
Repeat the exact same pattern with the other end of the lace.
You are done.

Heel Slippage

We all know that feeling. You love running. You want to get into a groove, a flow. But you can’t, because your heels just feel irritated – they would not stop slipping. You cannot get into a rhythm. Your heels hurt. You get blisters on them. Your run is ruined.

If You Lace Them Wrong

If you don’t lace your shoes correctly you are going to keep getting heel slippage. While heel slippage may not cause any serious harm to your feet, it is very annoying. It disrupts your runs and takes the fun out of running. Not to mention, persistent heel slippage means extra frictions on your feet and an increased likelihood of getting foot blisters.

If You Lace Them Right

With proper lacing technique, you can create a tight “seal” around your ankle area that stops heel slippage for good. No more disruption to your flow and no more blisters on your feet.

How to Lace for Heel Slippage

There are 2 different techniques you can use, depending on whether your running shoe has 2 extra eyelets at the top of the shoe sitting behind the 2 regular top eyelets.

If your running shoes have 2 extra eyelets, follow these instructions:

Place your running shoe in front of you with its toe pointing away from you. We are going to first lace the shoe in the traditional criss cross pattern.

Start with the eyelet closest to the big toe – the inner bottom eyelet. Thread the shoelace through that eyelet.
Thread the end of the lace that is on the external side of the inner bottom eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the shoe wearer’s foot) through the other bottom eyelet straight across the shoe tongue (the outer bottom eyelet – the eyelet closest to the pinkie toe.) The lace should go outside in – it should start from the external side of that eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the wearer’s foot), through the eyelet, and end up on the internal side (the side of the eyelet that faces towards the wearer’s foot) of the eyelet.
Pull both ends of the lace to balance the lace – to make sure both halves of the lace are of equal length.

Pick up one end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue – that is, go straight across the shoe tongue and go up to the eyelet right above (away from the shoe wearer’s toes and go up toward her shin.) Thread the lace through this eyelet. The lace should go inside out – it should start from the internal side of the eyelet, through the eyelet, and end up on the external side of the eyelet.
Continuing with the same end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue again and thread the lace through the eyelet there. Once again, the lace should go inside out.
Keep doing this diagonally up (“criss cross”) lacing pattern until you have threaded the lace through a top eyelet.

Take the other end of the lace and repeat this exact same criss cross pattern until you have threaded the lace through the other top eyelet.
Take one end of the lace, go across the shoe tongue and thread it through the extra eyelet sitting behind the regular eyelet there. The lace should go inside out.
Take the other end of the lace, go across the shoe tongue and thread it through the extra eyelet sitting behind the regular eyelet there. The lace should go inside out.

Pull tight. This creates a tightening “seal” around your ankle to prevent heel slippage.
Tie shoe as usual. You are done.

If your running shoes do not have 2 extra eyelets:

Follow steps 1 to 6 listed above
Keep doing the diagonal (“criss cross”) lacing pattern until you have threaded the lace through an eyelet that is second from the top. From that eyelet, instead of going diagonally across the shoe tongue, go to the eyelet directly above it. Thread the lace through that eyelet, going outside in. The lace will form a small loop across those top 2 eyelets.
Repeat the same pattern with the other end of the lace: criss crossing the shoe tongue until you have threaded the lace through the other eyelet that is second from the top. Then go straight up to the eyelet directly above it. Thread the lace through that eyelet, going outside in. The lace will form a small loop across those top 2 eyelets.

Take one end of the lace, go across the shoe tongue and thread it through one of the 2 small loops you have just made in steps 2 and 3 above.
Take the other end of the lace, go across the shoe tongue and thread it through the other small loop you have made.
Pull tight to create a seal around your ankle.

Tie shoe as usual. You are done.

Numb Toes (Morton’s neuroma)

Numb toes (Morton’s neuroma) is a painful condition that involves the thickening of the tissue surrounding the digital nerve leading to the toes. When that tissue thickens, it ends up pressing against the nerve and causes irritation and pain.

Symptoms include numbness in the toes and pain in the ball of the foot. You may feel like you are walking with pebbles in your shoes. When you run, you may also feel pain as your feet push off from the ground.

Women are 10 times more likely than men to be affected by Morton’s neuroma. Morton’s neuroma is often caused by wearing high heels or shoes that are too tight.

If You Lace Them Wrong

Improper lacing of your running shoes can squeeze your toes too tight and put undue pressure on the nerve and tissue in your forefeet. That can progressively worsen your Morton’s neuroma. Your foot pain will get more and more intense over time. It will also last longer and longer until it eventually persists for days or even weeks at a time. If ignored, this can also cause permanent damages to your nerve.

If You Lace Them Right

Using a lacing technique specifically designed for numb toes, you can create extra room in the front part of your shoe for your forefoot to spread out. That will relieve the pressure on the nerve and tissue in your forefoot, leading to less pain and less numbness. Over time, it is even possible to reverse your Morton’s neuroma this way.

How to Lace for Numb Toes

The idea of this technique is to leave the bottom row of eyelets unlaced so as to relieve pressure on your toes.

Place your running shoe in front of you with its toe pointing away from you. We are going to lace the shoe in the traditional criss cross pattern, but we will completely skip the bottom eyelets and start from the second eyelets from the bottom.
Start with the eyelet on the side of the big toe and on the second row from the bottom (the bottom row of eyelets is the row closest to the toe of the shoe) – the inner second from bottom eyelet. Thread the shoelace through that eyelet.

Thread the end of the lace that is on the external side of the inner second from bottom eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the shoe wearer’s foot) through the other second from bottom eyelet straight across the shoe tongue (the outer second from bottom eyelet – on the side of the pinkie toe.) The lace should go outside in – it should start from the external side of the outer second from bottom eyelet, through the eyelet, and end up on the internal side (the side of the eyelet that faces toward the wearer’s foot) of that eyelet.
Pull both ends of the lace to balance the lace – to make sure both halves of the lace are of equal length.
Pick up one end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue – that is, go straight across the shoe tongue and go up to the eyelet right above (away from the shoe wearer’s toes and go up towards her shin.) Thread the lace through this eyelet. The lace should go inside out – it should start from the internal side of the eyelet, through the eyelet, and end up on the external side of the eyelet.

Continuing with the same end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue again and thread the lace through the eyelet you come upon. Once again, the lace should go inside out.
Keep doing this diagonally up (“criss cross”) lacing pattern until you have threaded the lace through a top eyelet.
Take the other end of the lace and repeat this exact same criss cross pattern until you have threaded the lace through the other top eyelet.

You are done.

By leaving the bottom row of eyelets unlaced, you have created extra room for your forefoot and reduced the pressure on your toes. This will go a long way in relieving the symptoms of your Merton’s neuroma.

High Arches

People with high arches commonly experience pain when they walk or run. Typically, wearing shoes with good arch support and cushioning will help alleviate that pain by relieving excessive pressure on the feet and absorbing the impact of foot strikes on the ground.

But in addition to wearing shoes with good support, It is also important for people with high arches to lace their shoes correctly.

If You Lace Them Wrong

If you have a high arch, very often the middle part of your foot is raised higher than normal, resulting in the top of your midfoot having a taller than normal height. If you do not lace your shoe properly, this raised height of your midfoot will cause the top of your midfoot to constantly press up hard against whatever shoe you are wearing, leading to chronic irritation of the skin around that area.

If You Lace Them Right

With proper lacing technique, you can create a loose-fitting “window” in the middle of your shoe tongue. This window will relieve the pressure on the top of your midfoot and reduce friction on your skin there, which will consequently lead to reduced irritation.

How to Lace for High Arches

There are 2 different techniques you can use, depending on whether your running shoe has ghillie loops on its eye stays. For both techniques, the key is to create a “window” in the middle of the shoe tongue so as to relieve pressure on your midfoot.

If your shoe has ghillie loops, follow these instructions:

Place your running shoe in front of you with its toe pointing away from you. We are going to first lace the shoe in the traditional criss cross pattern.

Start with the eyelet closest to the big toe – the inner bottom eyelet. Thread the shoelace through that eyelet.
Thread the end of the lace that is on the external side of the inner bottom eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the shoe wearer’s foot) through the other bottom eyelet straight across the shoe tongue (the outer bottom eyelet – the eyelet closest to the pinkie toe.) The lace should go outside in – it should start from the external side of the outer bottom eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the wearer’s foot), through the eyelet, and end up on the internal side (the side of the eyelet that faces toward the wearer’s foot) of that eyelet.
Pull both ends of the lace to balance the lace – to make sure both halves of the lace are of equal length.

Pick up one end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue – that is, go straight across the shoe tongue and go up to the eyelet right above (away from the shoe wearer’s toes and go up toward her shin.) Thread the lace through this eyelet. The lace should go inside out – it should start from the internal side of the eyelet, through the eyelet, and end up on the external side of the eyelet.
Continuing with the same end of the lace, go upward (away from the toe) and thread it straight through the 2 ghillie loops above.
We will then resume the criss cross lacing pattern: continuing with the same end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue and thread the lace through the eyelet there. Once again, the lace should go inside out.

Keep doing this diagonal (“criss cross”) lacing pattern until you have reached a top eyelet.
Take the other end of the lace and repeat this exact same “criss cross then ghillie loop then criss cross” pattern until you have reached the other top eyelet.
You are done.

If your shoe does not have ghillie loops and only has regular eyelets, follow these instructions:

Follow steps 1 to 5 listed above.
After the first 2 eyelets are criss cross laced, go straight up and thread the lace through the eyelet above. The lace should go outside in.

Tip: If you want a bigger unlaced “window” for your midfoot, you can skip one eyelet and thread the lace through the eyelet that is 2 rows above. You can even skip 2 eyelets and thread the lace through the 3^rd eyelet. You can also start this “straight up” pattern early: instead of going straight up after you have laced 2 eyelets you can go straight up after you have only lace 1 eyelet.

Resume the criss cross lacing pattern: continuing with the same end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue and thread the lace through the eyelet there. Once again, the lace should go inside out.
Keep doing this diagonally up (“criss cross”) lacing pattern until you have threaded the lace through a top eyelet.

Take the other end of the lace and repeat this exact same “criss cross then straight up then criss cross” pattern until you have threaded the lace through the other top eyelet.

Overpronation

Ankle support is important to many people, especially to those who have ankles that roll easily or those who suffer from overpronation (flat feet.) For runners who need ankle support, they can opt for running shoes that are specifically designed for that purpose. Some runners also wear ankle braces to give support to their ankles. But what many do not realize is that by using proper lacing techniques they could provide extra support to their ankles at no extra cost.

If You Lace Them Wrong

If you are in need of ankle support, wearing an incorrectly laced running shoe could increase your risk of spraining your ankle. Ankle sprain will sideline you from running for days if not weeks. Moreover, repeated ankle sprains could lead to torn ankle ligament and further increase your risk of ankle sprain in the future. It is a vicious cycle.

If You Lace Them Right

A properly laced running shoe could substantially reduce your likelihood of rolling your ankle. That would allow you to stick to your running regimen, which in turn would strengthen your ankles over time, which in turn would further reduce your risk of ankle sprain in the future. It is a virtuous cycle.

How to Lace for Overpronation

The instruction here is for lacing running shoes that feature 2 extra eyelets at the top of the shoe sitting behind the 2 regular top eyelets. An example of a running shoe that features those 2 extra eyelets is Mizuno Wave Rider 23.

Place your running shoe in front of you with its toe pointing away from you. We are going to first lace the shoe in the traditional criss cross pattern.
Start with the eyelet closest to the big toe – the inner bottom eyelet. Thread the shoelace through that eyelet.
Thread the end of the lace that is on the external side of the inner bottom eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the shoe wearer’s foot) through the other bottom eyelet straight across the shoe tongue (the outer bottom eyelet – the eyelet closest to the pinkie toe.) The lace should go outside in – it should start from the external side of the outer bottom eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the shoe wearer’s foot), through the eyelet, and end up on the internal side (the side of the eyelet that faces toward the shoe wearer’s foot) of the outer bottom eyelet.

Pull both ends of the lace to balance the lace – to make sure both halves of the lace are of equal length.
Pick up one end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue – that is, go straight across the shoe tongue and go up to the eyelet right above (away from the shoe wearer’s toes and go up toward her shin.) Thread the lace through this eyelet. The lace should go inside out – it should start from the internal side of this eyelet, through the eyelet, and end up on the external side of the eyelet.
Continuing with the same end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue again and thread the lace through the eyelet. Once again, the lace should go inside out.

Keep doing this diagonally up (“criss cross”) lacing pattern until you have threaded the lace through an eyelet that is second from the top.
Take the other end of the lace and repeat this exact same criss cross pattern until you have threaded the lace through the other eyelet that is second from the top. This marks the point where we have completed the typical criss cross lacing pattern – up to the 2 eyelets that are second from the top.
Take one end of the lace, stay on that side of the shoe tongue (do not cross the shoe tongue.) There are now unlaced 2 eyelets on that side, one (the regular top eyelet) sitting in front of the other (the extra eyelet in the back.) Thread the lace through the regular top eyelet that is in the front. The lace should go inside out. Then thread the lace through the extra eyelet that is in the back, going outside in this time. The lace should have formed a stitch across those 2 eyelets.

Take the other end of the lace and do the exact same thing: stay on that side of the shoe tongue (do not cross the shoe tongue), thread the lace through the 2 top eyelets on that side to form a stitch across them.
Take one end of the lace, cross the shoe tongue, and thread it under the stitch you just made there.
Take the other end of the lace, cross the shoe tongue, and thread it under the other stitch you just made there

Pull tight and tie the lace. You are done.

Bunion

A bunion is a bony bump that forms at the base of the big toe. A bunion happens when the bones in the forefoot get displaced. That causes the joint at the base of the big toe to pop out. Bunions can be very painful. While bunion sufferers can seek relief by wearing shoes that are friendly to bunions (typically shoes with wide toe boxes), that is not the only thing they can do. Lacing their shoes in a way that is friendly to bunions is also helpful.

If You Lace Them Wrong

An incorrectly laced running shoe will put extra pressure on your bunion, aggravating your bunion and causing extra pain. It can also lead to a number of other foot problems. Some people may unconsciously shift weight off their painful big toes as they walk or run, putting extra stress on their other toes, knees, and hips. Bunions can also lead to hammertoes or overlapping toes.

If You Lace Them Right

A properly laced running shoe will relieve pressure on your bunion and lessen or eliminate your pain, allowing you to run normally again. It can also stop your bunion from worsening and causing problems in your other toes, knees, or hips.

How to Lace for Bunion

The idea of this lacing technique is to create a loose-fitting “window” on top of the bunion area so as not to put pressure on your bunion. As such, we will do a traditional criss cross lacing pattern but skip the eyelet that is closest to the big toe.

Place your running shoe in front of you with its toe pointing away from you.

Start with the eyelet closest to the pinkie toe – the outer bottom eyelet. Thread the shoelace through that eyelet.
Thread the end of the lace that is on the internal side of the outer bottom eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces toward the shoe wearer’s foot) through the eyelet right above (away from the shoe wearer’s toes and go up toward her shin) the outer bottom eyelet. The lace should go inside out – it should start from the internal side of that eyelet, go through the eyelet, and end up on the external side of the eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the shoe wearer’s foot.)
Pull both ends of the lace to roughly balance the lace – to make sure both halves of the lace are of approximately equal lengths.

Pick up the end of the lace that is on the external side of the outer bottom eyelet, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue – that is, go straight across the shoe tongue and go up to the eyelet right above. Thread the lace through the eyelet that is right above the bottom eyelet closest to the big toe. The lace should go inside out. Notice how we have just skipped the eyelet closest to the big toe in order to not put pressure on your bunion.
From this point on we will be doing the traditional criss cross lacing pattern.
Pick up the end of the lace from step 5 above, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue, and thread the lace through the eyelet there – the third eyelet up from the pinkie toe. The lace should go inside out.

Continue with the same end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue again and thread the lace through the eyelet there. The lace should once again go inside out.
Continue with the same end of the lace, keep doing this diagonally up (“criss cross”) lacing pattern until you have threaded the lace through a top eyelet.
Pick up the other end of the lace and repeat the exact same criss cross lacing pattern until you have threaded the lace through the other top eyelet.

You are done.

Shin Splints

Shin splints are an inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around your shinbone. When you overwork those muscles and tissues, they become the site of inflammation, and shin splints can occur as a result. It is a painful condition. Many shin splints sufferers wear shin splints friendly shoes or orthotics to help manage their condition. It is also possible to use shin splints-friendly shoe lacing techniques to further reduce pain and inflammation.

If You Lace Them Wrong

An incorrectly laced running shoe will put extra stress on the muscles and bone tissue around your shinbone, aggravating your shin splints and causing additional pain and inflammation. Initially, the pain may be intermittent and stop when you stop running. But eventually, the pain can worsen to the point where it becomes continuous and your shin splints could turn into a stress fracture of your shinbone.

If You Lace Them Right

A properly laced running shoe will reduce stress on your shinbone and its surrounding tissues, leading to reduced inflammation, pain level, and pain duration. It would also reduce your risk of developing a stress fracture of your shinbone.

How to Lace for Bunion

The first technique is called “Power Lacing for Stability.” This will improve the stability of any running shoes. The increased stability will in turn reduce stress on your shinbone and surrounding tissues, thus reducing the severity of your shin splints.

Place your running shoe in front of you with its toe pointing away from you. We are going to first lace the shoe in the traditional criss cross pattern.

Start with the eyelet closest to the big toe – the inner bottom eyelet. Thread the shoelace through that eyelet.
Thread the end of the lace that is on the external side of the inner bottom eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the shoe wearer’s foot) through the other bottom eyelet straight across the shoe tongue (the outer bottom eyelet – the eyelet closest to the pinkie toe.) The lace should go outside in – it should start from the external side of the outer bottom eyelet (the side of the eyelet that faces away from the wearer’s foot), through the eyelet, and end up on the internal side (the side of the eyelet that faces towards the wearer’s foot) of that eyelet.
Pull both ends of the lace to balance the lace – to make sure both halves of the lace are of equal length.

Pick up one end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue – that is, go straight across the shoe tongue and go up to the eyelet right above (away from the shoe wearer’s toes and go up towards her shin.) Thread the lace through this eyelet. The lace should go inside out – it should start from the internal side of the eyelet, through the eyelet, and end up on the external side of the eyelet.
Continuing with the same end of the lace, go diagonally up across the shoe tongue again and thread the lace through the eyelet there. Once again, the lace should go inside out.
Keep doing this diagonally up (“criss cross”) lacing pattern until you have threaded the lace through an eyelet that is second from the top – an eyelet that sits just below a top eyelet. From that eyelet, instead of going diagonally up across the shoe tongue like before, go to the eyelet directly above. Thread the lace through that eyelet, going outside in. The lace will form a small loop across the top 2 eyelets.

Repeat the same pattern with the other end of the lace: criss crossing the shoe tongue until you have threaded the lace through the other eyelet that is second from the top. Then go straight up and use the lace to form a small loop across the top 2 eyelets.
Take one end of the lace, go across the shoe tongue and thread it through one of the 2 small loops you have just made in steps 7 and 8 above.
Take the other end of the lace, go across the shoe tongue and thread it through the other small loop you have made.

Pull tight. And you are done lacing.
When you tie the shoe, instead of doing just 1 loop between the 2 ends of the lace like most people normally do, make sure you do a second loop to secure the first loop you have made. Then you can tie the shoe as usual.

The second technique focuses on helping to balance your muscles surrounding your ankle and reduce the stress on your shinbone and surrounding tissues.

Lace up your running shoe. Suspend it by both ends of its lace.
Your goal is to have your shoe hanging in the air in a level way, pointing neither downward nor upward.
If your shoe is not even, try to come up with a way to make it even.

For example, if your shoe points downward when suspended, then unlacing the top 2 eyelets may return the shoe to an even position.
Each shoe is constructed a bit differently so the solution to restore balance to the shoe will be different. You would need to think out of the box and come up with a solution through trial and error.

Austin Barnett

Austin is the author of loveatfirstfit.com and a personal trainer with extensive knowledge in nutrition. Austin is passionate about helping others to find a suitable healthy lifestyle and feel good about themselves. Austin’s goal is to help people push their limits and achieve their physical performance.