In a previous post I talked about being having accessory navicular syndrome (ANS) and running. In the post I talked about how I discovered I had it, and how it explained the pain I was having in my arches and my inner ankle.
I thought I would again address this issue, but this time talk specifically about what footwear and other products I use that have helped to ease the pain caused by my extra bone.
Foot Chair insole
Having ANS causes you to have flat feet, which is why shoes that don’t provide enough arch support, can cause you to have sore/painful arches. You can seek out the best shoes for flat feet, but if you are a distance runner, even those won’t provide ample support. If you are looking for shoes to wear while walking, or running 10-13 miles or less, than wearing shoes for flat feet may do the trick. If you are doing something more strenuous, than I recommend using an insole. I love the Foot Chair insole. It isn’t very cushiony, but it has the most amazing arch support!
Ankle compression sleeve
When I am running long distance (10 miles and up basically) I always wear an ankle compression sleeve. I wear the Zensah brand and they work wonderfully! They help with that inner ankle tenderness, as well as the arches. I am so glad I started using them, because they have been a lifesaver. When my ankles are sore for non-running reasons they also come in handy. Such as when I drove from Utah to southern California, the last few hours were stop and go traffic so I couldn’t just put it in cruise control. The next day my right ankle was sore from it! I wore the compression sleeve though and it helped ease the pain.
Arch sleeves
When I am running shorter distances, or if I am doing a lot of walking in just regular shoes, I will wear arch sleeves. Zensah also makes these, but I also have a pair of the cooper ones I use. These just go around the arch and aren’t visible. They help a ton though especially if you live in a city where you walk a lot.
Trigger point ball
The last tool I use, is a trigger point ball which I roll on my arches. I keep one by the couch, and in the evenings while watching tv I will roll it under my foot-feels so good!
Ice
Icing a problem area is almost always a good idea, and with accessory navicular it certainly helps. If that area is sore, there’s a good chance it’s inflamed. I ice my feet and ankles more than any other part of the body, especially when I am running high mileage.
Supportive sandals
If you have ANS pain, you probably have noticed that walking barefoot on hard ground makes it feel worse. Because of that, I never walk around the house barefoot. I always wear Oofos, or Hoka One One recovery sandals around the house and when I’m out and about.
Shoes
As far as shoes go, ones that I use without an insole are Brooks, Mizuno, Hoka One One Ahari and Nike. Mind you, I don’t wear these shoes for anything longer than 13 miles or so. But if you are just walking, or running less than that, then these should do the trick. I have also heard that Hoka One One Clifton’s are great for ANS. I have yet to try those ones yet though, so I can’t personally give them my seal of approval.
For those wanting to read more about shoes, check out my post for best neutral running shoes, best stability shoes and best running shoes for flat feet.
Ultimately, I feel like you can choose which ever shoe you prefer, which one is the lightest, has the best colors, has the traction you want, laces that stay ties, a toe box that is the best width for your feet, ect. Don’t worry about if it has enough arch support, because you can just put the insole in anyway.
I hope anyone dealing with pain caused by having an accessory navicular bone find this post helpful! If you are reading this because you know someone with it, they would love getting any of these items as a thoughtful gift from you! Here are some other gift ideas for runners!
Do you have ANS? What has helped you? Have you had the surgery to have it removed?
