Double Loop Medial Lacings

The pedorthist that I saw today showed me a different way to lace my shoes that will help stabilize my foot while running without the need for expensive orthotics. This lacing used in conjunction with tape in several key places will help to keep my foot neutral as I run. I'll make an attempt to explain both...first the lacing.

He unlaced both shoes so that the top four eyes or loops were exposed. At that point the lace that is on the outside (nearest your little toe) is taken across to the fourth eye on the medial side (nearest your big toe). In the case with my NB shoes this is a loop. Thru that loop and instead of crossing back over to the other side again, this same lace is run thru the third eye on the medial side, then it crosses over to the opposite side third eye, back again to the medial side to the second eye (from inside out) then up to the first eye (outside in) and back to the opposite side first eye. What you should have now are two loops (double loops on the medial side of the shoe. The lace that is left (should start from the medial side 5th eye that was not unlaced. This crosses over to the 4th eye on the outside of the shoe, thru that eye, then back to the medial side. Instead of going into an eye on the shoe, run the lace thru the loop that was created earlier between the 3rd and 4th medial eyes. Then back over thru the 2nd eye on the outside of the shoe, thru that eye and back to the medial side. Again, instead of using an eye, run the lace thru the loop created between the 1st and 2nd medial eyes.

Now lace the put the shoe on and tighten the laces from the bottom. When you get to the loop area between the 3rd and 4th areas of the medial side, pull this towards the center of the foot and hold with one hand, while continuing to tighten laces up the second or upper most loop. By using these loops you pull the shoe tighter into the arch area giving more support to the foot in this area.

Repeat on the other shoe, remembering that the medial side of the shoe is nearest the big toe. The loops you create will always be on the big toe side of the shoe.

The taping that he showed me involves atheletic tape. The first taping is a horseshoe tape that runs from just below the big toe, along the side of the foot, to the heel, back around the outer edge of the foot to just behind the little (pinkie) toe. Then using strips of tape he taped my arch area, starting again on the medial side, anchoring the tape on the bottom of my foot, pulling the arch up and securing the tape over the top of my foot and just under the outside edge again anchoring under my foot. This was done either 3 or 4 times, overlapping the previous area covered by half of the next strip of tape.

The taping along with the change in lacing allows me to get totally away from any orthotics at this point in time and helps keep my feet in a neutral running position and should, over time, help with soreness that I occasionally felt in my ankles, as well as my shin pain.

Eventually I'll probably switch to the Brooks Beast shoes that build up the medial area and may be able to eliminate the taping. The Double Loop Medial lacing though will help stabilize my feet regardless of the shoe I'm in.

There is also a Single Loop Medial lacing that only involves creating the loop in the 1st and 2nd eyes, but the Double Loop system gives more of an overall fit for the arch.

I'm sure my explanations are as clear as mud. I had to sit here and truly study my lacings to figure out what he had done. I'm still learning about tightening them up in the best fashion, but one thing is true, you have to get to a point where you can hold the lower loop area with one hand while the second hand works out the slack up to the upper loop then the lower area can be released. This makes a totally comfortable shoe lacing for me that fits better than the standard lacing that I was doing.

I thought about photos and may still have to do one or two if this is too confusing to everyone.....let me know.