Athletic shoes can be very confusing to buy, especially with the seemingly endless variety available in stores. Fortunately, athletic shoes come with a science, so you can find a pair that’s best for you and decrease the likelihood of foot injuries with some fundamental knowledge.
You must know your foot type before buying an athletic shoe. There are, of course, subtle differences between the feet of every individual, but in general, there are three main types of feet, and athletic shoes are specifically made for each of these types.
Foot Types:
- Neutral foot:
The neutral foot has a medium arch, which equally distributes the force and pressure during a run. Furthermore, a neutral foot has an appropriate degree of pronation, a movement that occurs during weight bearing where the bottom of the arch moves toward the floor. Therefore the arch gets lower and the foot is more flexible in a pronated state. Since a neutral foot has the necessary amount of pronation, this foot is flexible enough to absorb the pressure of running and walking and adjust to changing terrain. Moreover, a neutral foot has an adequate amount of supination. Supination occurs when the arch of the foot rotates away from the floor, creating a higher arch and a more rigid foot. Neutral feet are perfectly capable of pushing off the ground without suffering injury as long as they have an adequate amount of supination. Those with neutral feet should wear stability shoes.
- Over Pronated/Flexible foot:
When one walks or runs, the inside of the foot and big toe will experience more pressure as the arch is very low or flat. This usually results in a thickening of the skin on the inside of the big toe and ball of the foot. Additionally, this type of foot is more flexible than a neutral foot. When the foot is pronated, it is not rigid enough to push off the ground. Since an overpronated foot is more flexible, motion-control running shoes are recommended for overpronators.
- Over Supinated/Rigid foot:
Over supinated feet have a very high arch, which increases pressure on the heel, the outside of the foot, and the ball of the foot. Over supinated feet do not absorb forces as well as over pronated feet. They are rigid and the forces applied to them are not able to be absorbed as well. If you have an over-supinated foot or rigid feet, a cushioned running shoe is better.
Shoe Types:
- Motion control shoes:
The shoes are best for patients with a flat arch or excessive pronation. In a pair of shoes, a heel counter captures the heel and fastens the shoe to a foot. The heel counter of a motion control shoe is rigid to prevent excessive pronation that occurs with a flexible foot. Furthermore, the outline and shape on the bottom of the motion control shoe is straight and broad at the front. The shape is also designed to improve stability, like having a long wheelbase on a car.
Grab the heel counter with your hand and squeeze it to test a motion control shoe. When your hand is compressed, the heel counter should not deform.
You can also test for motion control by holding the front of the shoe with one hand and the back with the second hand and twisting the shoe. With the twisting motion, the shoe should not deform. Final test to determine how much motion the shoe has is to bend the front and back together like a book. During activity, the sole of the shoe should bend at the ball of the foot where the foot pushes off the ground, not in the middle.
- Cushion shoes:
Patients with excessive supination or high arched rigid feet should choose this type of shoe. Running in cushioned shoes reduces pressure on the feet by absorbing forces transmitted from the ground. The outline and shape of cushion shoes tend to curve at the front of the foot with extra padding at the front and middle. The middle part of the sole of cushion shoes tends to be narrower than the front or the back, and has an hourglass shape when looking at the sole. Cushion shoes are easier to twist than motion control shoes. Further, when bending the front and back of a cushion shoe together like a book, the bend is at the ball of the foot, but the amount of bend is greater and easier to perform than with a motion control shoe.
- Stability shoes:
A neutral foot type should wear this type of shoe. A motion control shoe and a cushion shoe combine in this shoe. At the front of the foot, stability shoes have an outline and shape that is semi-curved. Unlike motion control shoes, this type of shoe has a firm heel counter, but it’s not as rigid as motion control shoes.
General Shoe Fitting Rules:
- Measure both feet standing
- Try on shoes later in the day when feet are more swollen
- Try on shoes half a size larger to compare fit
- Leave one finger width from the end of the longest toe to the end of the shoe
- Wear the shoe indoors first for 10 minutes or more to make sure it is comfortable
- Shoes should not need a break-in period they should be comfortable when you try them on.
- Make sure nothing pinches you inside the shoe
- Do not wear a shoe for the first time in a race.
Replacing Shoes:
Running or walking shoes should be replaced every 300-500 miles or 45-60 hours of sport activity. New athletic shoes are needed if the shoe lining is creased. If the shoe is uneven when placed on a flat surface, this is another indication that it needs to be replaced.
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