Yes, You Can Find Your Perfect Running Shoe You may think you’ve heard it all before, but our guide will show you that choosing the right shoe is so much more than finding a cushy fit. By Bryn Fox Perhaps you’re one of the lucky few who are born with good genes and good alignment; but more likely, if you’ve done much running, you are no stranger to being unexpectedly sidelined by a shin splint, a bum knee, or Achilles pain. But what you may not know is that many such injuries can be avoided with something as simple as the right pair of shoes—because what worked for you last year may not be right for you now. With the help of two professionals—podiatrist to Olympians Dr. Amol Saxena and running-shoe designer Tuan Le—we learn what changes to look out for to sustain the running lifestyle we’ve come to know and love. The Problems Another frequent cause of changes is simply the endless pounding that your feet endure. “The longer you run, the more padding gets squished down underneath the bottom of the foot,” explains Dr. Saxena. “The heel padding is the most resilient padding on the body, but the ball-of-the-foot padding starts pounding down.” Eventually, it will wear down, causing your feet to spread out and become wider, leaving you less able to absorb the shock of striking the ground. This not only affects the size and the shape of your foot but can potentially even cause nerve damage if the pads are worn too thin. Another concern affects pronators (those whose ankles turn in when they run). “If you severely pronate,” says Dr. Saxena, “your foot is really collapsed in and you can wear out the tendons faster. Also, if you have a rigid foot, you can have more shock absorption problems.” Finally, if you have high arches, you will be more prone to arthritis in your arches if you don’t take steps to support them. Proper shoes will help prolong the health of your feet and ankles—even as far up as your knees and hips—but you need to keep up with the changes in your feet and ensure that you always wear proper shoes. There is no trick to knowing exactly when your running will start to take its toll. It depends primarily on two factors: mileage and genetics. “It depends what warrantee your parents got,” jokes Dr. Saxena. “Some people’s padding wears out in 50,000 miles; some people’s padding wears out in 100,000 miles.” You may be lucky and running marathons well into your seventies with few changes; but, more likely, if you are maintaining a training schedule of any kind of mileage, you will see some changes occurring over time. Whether it happens in your thirties or your fifties, it’s important to remember that every body is different, so just because your running buddy hasn’t had to change her shoe style in five years doesn’t mean the same will be true for you. Most important, even without any pre-existing conditions, simply wearing the wrong shoe can cause injury. “Too much support in a shoe can cause medial knee pain; not enough support can cause medial ankle pain,” says Dr. Saxena. “If the shoe is too stiff, you may get shin splints; if the shoe is too flexible, you may get plantar fasciitis. If the shoe is too low, you could have problems with the Achilles.” For these reasons, you’ll have to look carefully at your needs to ensure that you are wearing a shoe that will help you and not hinder you. The Solution “I always recommend any runner to know her type of gait, then to shop at a full-service tech shop to initially find her true fit,” says Tuan Le, running-shoe expert for Mizuno. “From then on you can stay true to what works for you.” To ensure that you’re getting the best running shoes for your body, when purchasing your first pair go through all of the basic fit and gait tests. These tests, which are relatively standard in running specialty shops, look for pronation, measure your foot with a Brannock device (a tool for measuring foot length and width), and determine arch type. Once the technicians properly analyze your feet, they can recommend the proper shoe for you. And because these characteristics change over time, you’ll want to recheck them every few years. If you severely pronote, you’ll need a motion control shoe to help keep your foot stable. If you have a neutral gait but chronic knee problems, you’ll want a cushiony shoe. “It is my belief,” says Tuan, “that if a runner sticks to this general method and rotates her running shoes regularly, she will enjoy a long life of injury-free running.” Dr. Saxena adds that it is unnecessary to go through these drills every time you buy new shoes, but it is important that you check for changes after any injury as well as after pregnancy. He also reminds us that “as women become more osteoporotic, they need more cushion in their shoes. Women after 35 or 40 begin losing bone density and need more cushion.” The Shoe “The problem I am seeing is that runners try to get too supportive of a shoe and then the muscles in their feet actually atrophy,” says Dr. Saxena. “If the shoes are really stiff and rigid, you don’t use the muscles in your feet; and when you don’t use a muscle, it gets weak.” So while severe pronators may benefit from a stability shoe, that much support isn’t good for everyone. The rule is to buy new running shoes every 300 to 500 miles—but why? The midsole of a shoe (the layer between the rubber bottom and the removable liner) is most likely made of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). “EVA is a foam material mixed with air during manufacturing to form its shape,” explains Tuan. “With every heel strike, the air bubble deforms and collapses bit by bit, and eventually the midsole shrinks in size.” Essentially, once your midsole wears down, you lose all protection from the pavement. Your foot will strike the ground harder, and your chance of injury is greatly increased. It has been universally established that the standard life expectancy of a midsole is 300 to 500 miles, so after 500 miles it’s time to head back to the shoe store. Once there, don’t feel pressured to buy the most expensive pair on the wall. “A good-quality running shoe with proper fit and materials can be had for $70 to $95,” says Tuan. “When you get to $130, you should expect features such as Gore-Tex; and anything more than $150 I think is more flash than dash.” “The market has been very focused on making shoes for support and stability, but we see that actually cushion is better,” says Dr. Saxena. Cushion helps the body absorb shock and prolongs the life of your footpads, yet it won’t be so supportive that the shoes do the work for you. Tuan balances the scale by saying, “There is no one perfect shoe for injury prevention. The running shoe should fit each individual’s foot and the type of running surface and tempo.” Most important, we need to remember that every body is different and every body changes. So don’t ignore your own when it calls out for help. After all, there are many miles out there to be run, and you sure won’t see them from inside a doctor’s office. the shoe for you Any running shoe will vary in the level of support or cushion that it offers, but most running shoes will ultimately fall into one of the following categories. Cushioned—for the underpronator (whose ankles roll out) with high arches; also for efficient or injury-prone runners who need the shock absorption Motion control—for the overpronator (whose ankles roll in) with flat feet; denser posts on the medial side of the midsoles prevent too much pronation Stability—for the neutral runner or mild pronator with normal arches Racing—for short or fast runs when the runner doesn’t need much help from the shoes and wants the lightest option possible Trail—for good cushion and an outsole (the rubber on the bottom of the shoe) that is built up to help runners navigate uneven terrain and avoid bruises from rocks |
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