If I’m honest, there are plenty of training accessories out there that we can simply just do without. A good pair of training shoes on the other hand is essential. Good shoes that are correctly fitted not only protect us from injury but also allow for better training efficiency. With so many different shoes on the market you’re probably wondering how on earth you pick the right one. Hopefully this article will give you enough information so you can make an educated decision and find the perfect fit.
Know Your Feet
Imbalances in your feet can lead to imbalances elsewhere in the body and as a result can lead to plantar fasciitis as well as knee, hip, back and neck pain. Having shoes that provide the appropriate support can help to ease or even eliminate pain both in your feet and throughout your body, this will allow for better movement. Part of understanding your feet is identifying your arch shape; do you have high, normal or low arches? A wet floor test can help you distinguish which arch shape you have. With a wet foot step on the floor so you can examine your footprint; low or no arches will leave a flat footprint with a wider straighter print indicating a lower arch, high arches typically leave a print that is narrow, curved and in some cases the ball and heel may not connect, prints where the ball and heel connect are indicative of a normal arch shape. Determining your stride is another essential part of understanding your feet and the wear on your current shoes is a good benchmark. Overpronation (rolling inwards) will result in excessive wear to the inside of the ball and heel of each shoe, the more you pronate the more severe the wear. A neutral stride (which is ideal) will result in even wear across both the heel and ball of each shoe. Supination (rolling outwards) leads to wear on the outside of the shoe. You can also place your shoes on a flat surface to see which way they lean, this will help you better understand the alignment of your feet. Whilst this can be used as a good guideline, I do recommend you seek the advice of a trained professional. This will ensure you get a shoe that provides you with the support you need.
What’s Your Activity?
The next step to choosing the right shoe is to assess the type of activity you will be doing. For weight lifting and strength based training you want a shoe that has raised high density heels for better ankle mobility, hard dense soles to allow for maximum drive force, supportive uppers and a wide forefoot for stability. If you tend to participate mostly in HIIT style workouts then you need a shoe that provides strong lateral support to help stabilise your foot and cushioning for better shock absorption. Look for a shoe that is firm, low profile, light and flexible so you can perform agility work whilst maintaining natural foot flexion. For people more inclined to get out and pound the pavement having a running specific shoe is imperative. Running is high impact so understanding your stride becomes increasingly important. This is because imbalances in your feet become even more pronounced under high impact stress, for this reason I would greatly recommend you seek the assistance of a trained professional. As you can see different activities require different styles of footwear so I wouldn’t recommend making your shoes multitask, this can have a less than favourable outcome.
Tips for Making a Purchase
If you’re smart you’ll choose a shoe with your head not your heart. To do this choose a shoe that fits right and feels comfortable from the get go, this means making sure your heel is secure and there is a thumbs width of room between the end of the shoe and your longest toe. A shoe that fits right won’t place pressure on any part of your foot. Feet swell throughout the day so for the best exercise specific fit try shopping for shoes towards the end of the day. Be sure to test the shoe in store before you buy, don’t just assume the most expensive shoe will be best suited to your foot.
Looking After Your Shoes
To keep your shoes in good condition for as long as possible there are a few simple things you can do. An obvious one is to keep your shoes clean especially if you train outdoors. Make sure to clean off any mud, dirt or debris and make sure they dry completely before storing them in a dry environment away from direct sunlight. Lacing and unlacing your shoes properly each time you put them on or take them off also goes a long way to keeping your shoes in good knick. Once your shoes begin to show visible wear (for runners this is roughly after 3-4months) it’s time to replace them.
I know it can be hard opting for functionality over style. However selecting shoes that provide your feet with the support they need ensures you can stay pain free and safe during your workouts. This means you can enjoy your training now and we’ll into the future.
xx Tara
Comments