- Runners, Get Fit for Shoes at Running Store - Josiah MacKenzie/flickr, Creative Commons
Wearing the right shoes helps ensure an athlete’s safe and healthy participation in running, speed walking, or fitness walking. But finding the best running shoe take more effort than pulling out the nearest pair of grubby sneakers from the closet and hitting the pavement.These recommendations also apply to fitness and speed walkers, whose shoes are designed to work differently than running shoes or general cross-trainers.
Running Stores and Proper Shoe Fit
The best shoe for a runner depends on a number of things: foot type, pronation, gait, mileage, preferred racing events or surfaces, the size of the athlete, and health conditions or concerns. With so many factors, getting professionally fit for running shoes makes sense as one of the most important steps in the sport.
Runners should visit a specialty running store at least once to be fit for shoes – and preferably once a season, as conditioning, aging, health, and goals change. Employees at running stores, unlike many who work in general shoe or sporting-goods stores, have expertise fitting people with running shoes.
Foot Types and Running Shoes
Being familiar with common terminology for foot types and running shoes, although not absolutely necessary, can be useful when visiting a running store. The knowledge can provide a comfort level for new athletes and help more seasoned ones understand the biomechanics of running and running shoes.
Runner’s World is good resource for learning about running. Its magazine and site offers articles and videos on such basics as arch type, foot pronation, and running shoe categories and types (e.g. motion control, stability, cushioned or neutral). Runner’s World also publishes running shoe reviews, which can help illustrate concepts and assist in making choices.
Tips for Being Fitted for Running Shoes
A running-shoe salesperson is a resource for learning about the sport. Come prepared to discuss running experience, mileage, upcoming events and running surfaces. And be sure to inform the salesperson about any concerns or past problems.
Likewise, ask the specialist questions about proper fit, shoe recommendations, or even exercises to strengthen weak areas as well as for any explanations or clarifications. The more information, the better the shoe will feel where it matters most – on the road.
Other tips for getting a good fit:
- Shop for running shoes at the end of the day, when feet are slightly swollen.
- Bring along the old running shoes, if any. Doing so will reveal wear patterns and held identify runner’s needs in a shoe.
- Wear the same socks worn when running. Also try shoes on with orthotics if they are worn during exercise.
- Always try on multiple pairs of shoes, being guided by feel rather than appearance. Running shoes that clash with one’s outfits but fit well are far more appealing than those that clash with one’s feet.
Guidelines for Choosing Running Shoes
While running-shoe specialists can help select a number of appropriate choices, ultimately it's the runners who choose the best shoes for their feet. What follows are considerations in terms of fit.
- The shoe’s widest part should fall across the ball, the foot’s widest part.
- The toe box should offer ample room, about a finger’s width, at the front. It’s common to need a larger size in running shoes, by between ½ and a full size, depending on the brand.
- Look for a snug heel.
- Check the shoes’ balance and support by moving around. Consider how the shoe fits when striding, walking, stretching, jumping, balancing on one foot, and – absolutely necessary – by actually running in them.
Runners should always take their shoes out for a “test drive,” a short run on the store’s treadmill or around the block. Also make sure the specialty running shoes allows for returns or exchanges after a shoe has been tested in real-world conditions, just in case.
When to Replace Running Shoes
Also important is recognizing when a running shoe needs to be replaced. While there’s no hard and fast rule for replacement,in "Selecting a Running Shoe", Dr. Stephen M. Pribut of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine suggests between 350 – 550 miles, if the shoes are dedicated solely to the sport.
People who wear their shoes all day, carry more weight, are heel strikers, or who have marked wear patterns may wish to replace their shoes earlier. Doing so will help prevent overuse injuries, joint pain, shin splints, and other problems.
While it’s tempting to buy a cross-training shoe to do double-duty between running and other activities, resist. A running shoe meant for the sport will last longer and do its job better. Plus, properly fit running shoes are an investment in an athlete’s health and overall well-being. It’s worth the time and effort to invest not simply in running shoes but in the right running shoes.
Related Articles:
- Categories of Running Shoes Help Runners Choose Best Fit for Feet
- Running Shoes: What Flat Feet, Overpronation and Supination Mean
- How to Choose the Best Running Shoes for Flat Feet
Debra Peterson - A freelance writer and scholar, Debra Peterson specializes in Disney Studies, with particular interests in Walt Disney World and ...
