I've been wanting to start a running program, but I have a few concerns I want to deal with before I go in so as to avoid injury down the line.
1) Joint problems run in my family, and I'm sure there will be some in store for me. In fact, I already have occasional weakness and soreness on either side of and below my patella on my right knee (probably from running around at work so much). What I'm wondering is if I should get some kind of neoprene support, even even a total brace, to help preserve my knees.
2) Finding shoes is proving to be a bit difficult, as I have high arches and wide feet (size 11.5-4E). Should I put some kind of arch support in my running shoes? Also, how do I find a decent running shoe considering these foot problems? There's a custom shoe store near where I live, but it would cost me at least $250 for a pair of runners there, and I'm trying to keep this in the $50-$100 range.
Thanks.