Running Shoes
Getting the
correct type of shoes is critical to running without injury. However,
unless you're a podiatrist it's hard to know what
shoes to buy. Choose wisely,
because wrong shoes are one of the most common causes of running
injuries.
Cost
Be
prepared to pay close to $100 (or more) for your shoes. You'll probably be running 400 or
500 miles per pair of shoes, and your body will take a lot of pounding.
Each step subjects your body to a shock of 2-3 times your body weight. Your shoes are your main protection against that pounding. Running is
a relatively low-cost sport, and your shoes are probably your biggest expense.
How to Buy Shoes
Dr.
Weisenfeld in The Runners' Repair Manual (available at
Amazon) has a chapter on "How to Buy Shoes"
Let's take a look at what he says:
Personally, I believe you shouldn't
have to have an engineering degree to buy a pair of running shoes.
Beginning runners and experienced
runners sometimes get very worried about whether they'll pick out the
right shoes....But you can learn, in about fifteen minutes, how to buy
the right shoes for you. -- The Runners'
Repair Manual, copyright 1980, chapter 3, pp. 19-20
Here are a few points made by Weisenfeld. Read his
chapter for more information.
 | Look at the heels of your present shoes. If they are worn more on one
side than on the other, you need shoes that will give you correction.
|
| You want about 1/2 inch of space between the ends of your toes and the
toe of your shoes (toe box).
|
| You want the width to be snug but not tight.
|
| Buy your shoes in the afternoon or evening because your feet swell
during the day.
|
| Put the shoes on a flat surface and look at the rear of them. The
counters (the rear part that wraps around your heel) should sit square and
straight on the shoe.
|
| Get good cushioning and flexibility at the ball of the foot and in the
heel.
|
| Get good arch support in the shoes.
|
| Overweight runners, and runners with arthritis or knee damage, need
extra cushioning from liners.
|
| Runners with Achilles tendonitis need extra lift in the back of the
shoe.
|
| For shin splints, be sure the shoes are flexible and have good heel
lift ability.
|
| For corns on top of your toe, or black toe nails, get more room in the
toe box. |
Three types of Shoes
Because
of the ways a runner's foot moves when it hits the ground, shoe manufacturers
make three types of shoes to counteract that movement. During running,
most runners land on the outer side of
their heel and then their body weight shifts towards the center of the
shoe. Many runners have the correct amount of shifting of body weight, and those
runners have a neutral gate. Some runners suffer from pronation,
where the weight shifts too much and your shoes have excessive wear on the inner
side of the heel/sole. Other runners suffer from supination, where the weight doesn't shift enough and
you get excessive wear on the outer side of the heel/sole.
Here are articles about buying shoes.
http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/getfit/sportsacts/articles/0,,258_171135,00.html
http://www.locorunning.com/dummies.php
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/184.shtml
Runner's World magazine has a yearly "shoe issue" that gives
recommendations for shoes, and the RW
web site has good information about shoes.
Shop for Specials
When you buy your
first pair of shoes, go to a reputable running store so you will get the correct
type of shoes for your feet. These stores usually have clerks who are trained in
properly fitting shoes. The clerks usually watch you walk so they can observe
the movement of your feet (some stores take videos of you walking). After you
have selected a a brand and model of a shoe, walk around the store for 10
minutes to be sure the shoe feels comfortable and doesn't allow your feet to
slip inside the shoe. Ask about the return policy of the store. When you go
shopping, wear the same stockings you will use during your runs, and shop in the
afternoon, if possible, because your feet swell during the day.
When you buy your
second pair of shoes, try and get the same brand and model of the shoes you've
been wearing (assuming they have worked fine for you). By doing this, you will
have an assurance that the new shoes will work for you since the shoes you are
replacing have done so. And, you can now shop for specials, locally as well as
on the Internet, because you know the exact brand and model that you should use.
Your Shoes are Collapsing
As
we run, our bodies are subjected to heavy shock and pounding. A number
of years ago, I had surgery and couldn't run for about six weeks. I
had been running an hour during my lunch period, so I used that hour
to walk. After my recovery period, I resumed my running. On the first
day that I ran, I had knee pains. The pains weren't serious and didn't
lead to injury, but they helped me realize that running really does
pound our bodies!
Running
shoes are built to cushion our bodies from that shock and pounding.
However, after many miles of use, shoes lose their cushioning and
should be replaced. In my case, Runners typically replace their shoes after about
500
miles.
Following
is a statement I gleaned from a running newsletter that gives a
suggestion about reducing the collapse of the material in the soles of
our shoes.
A runner who
runs daily should alternate a minimum of two pairs of shoes. Why?
Because each time you run, some air cells in the midsole collapse. If
you look at the midsole material under a microscope, you'll see
material similar to a sponge, with round air cells throughout it. As
you run, some of these cells will collapse or flatten out. If you
allow the material to recover, by alternating your shoes, many cells
will return to a round shape filled with air. If you run daily with
the same shoes, these air cells will flatten and remain flat
permanently--hence, you experience midsole breakdown, especially if
you are a heavier runner. -- George Lecours,
Striding Along, February/March 1996, A Publication of the Gate
City Striders, Nashua, NH
Shoe-collapse is probably the main reason why runners only get
400-500 miles on a pair of shoes.
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