Feet for thought...

For any exerciser the most important part of there kit can often be found on there feet. Whatever shoes you choose can often be responsible for dealing with all sorts of twisting and sheering forces as you run, jump and squat. As the first line of protection when your feet hit the floor its important you choose the right pair.

Demands on a trainer are vast and so there is huge variety between pairs. Some people will be looking for something to wear to the gym; others will be looking for a pair to run a 10k. Some people will be looking for a pair to run up and down hills; others will be looking for a pair to play tennis in. Whatever your requirements of a training shoe, its important you get the right pair for you!

With advances in science, there are now a fantastic variety of shoes to suit everyone and so there will be an abundance of choice, so how do you make the right decision.

Think about mechanics…
Regardless of what you want your shoes to be used for, the first thing to consider will be your own personal biomechanics.

When your foot strikes the ground it is likely to be landing on the outside of your heel. From here your foot will roll inward to be flat on the ground. This rolling motion, is called pronation, will absorb shock and give you balance as you run. It is common to have an imbalance in your footstrike, so to make your training more comfortable there are different shoes for different footstrikes.

To access your biomechanics it would be worth looking at your old running shoes. Place them on a level surface and take a look from behind the heel. If your feet over-pronate your shoes will shoes signs of an inwards lean. A common trait amongst many of my clients, over-pronaters tend to roll inwards as they run. Over-pronaters tend to need support shoes or motion control shoes. I will elaborate more on this as we go along….

If your shoes show signs of an outwards lean, there is a good chance you under-pronate. This means your feet don’t roll far enough inwards. For this you will need what is considered a cushioning shoe.

If your shoe shows no obvious signs of lean, then you are most likely to have good pronation and your feet are considered to be neutral.

Its important to note that if you already has specially selected shoes (available from a good running shop) and have had no injuries or discomfort and see no lean then they could be the right shoes for you. If you over-pronate with a support shoe and your trainer does not lean, it is probable that you do need a support shoe and that your over-pronation has been prevented in the past.

The Wet Foot Test…
Another way to find out which shoe you require is by doing The Wet Shoe Test.

On a dry hard surface with a damp foot make a clear footprint.

If you have a flat foot it shows you have a low arch. Low arches are an indication that your feet will over-pronate.

If you have a regular arch, the band between the ball of your foot and the heel is about half the width of your foot, there is chance you have good pronation.

If you have a high arch, you will only see a narrow band between the ball and heel, there is the likelihood of under pronation.

All things considered…
As you will be aware by now there is a variety of different types of shoes you can choose from. Above I have highlighted support shoes, motion control, neutral and cushioning.

All this being said my suggestion to you is to visit a good running shop like The Sweat Shop in Woking. As oppose to other so-called sports shops, the staff in their have good experience, and are suitably qualified, and will take a look at you feet and how you walk. They will listen to your requirements for your shoes and they will make the right recommendations.

Other things to think about…
Leave a small gap (a thumbs width) at the end of your shoe rather than going for a really tight fit. This will allow for swelling and movement within the shoe as you exercise.

Buy from the shop when it’s quiet. Saturday can be busy so it may be difficult to take your time and make a good decision.

Take along your normal exercise socks. Put them on when trying on your new shoes, this will give you a better feel for the fit.

It may be better to visit the shop in the afternoon or evening as your feet swell throughout the day

If you or your friends are thinking of investing in a good pair of training shoes please stop in a get a 10% discount voucher from me.