7 Essential Tips for Buying Running Shoes

 

Here is another article written by Dr Low Wye Mun who is a sports physician.  To read his other article, see  http://sportzdoc.com

Know your foot typeA lot has already been said about this, but the bottom line is that the more you know about your foot type, the better your choice of running shoes is going to be.  Do your homework firstIf you know your foot type, find out more about the running shoes available that meet your needs BEFORE you go to the shops. You can get this information from running magazines, websites, and from talking to other runners. Armed with this information, some of the decisional time when faced with a bewildering array of shoes will be reduced. Visit a shop that has a large range of shoe brands and models. The more choice you have available, the more likely that you will be able to try on several shoes that meet your functional needs. Even if the store sales staff are impatient, don’t let them rush you into a decision. After all, it is your money, your feet, and your running that counts! Visit a shop that has staff who are trained to advise you on the right shoes. There are not many sports shops in Singapore who have staff who are trained to know about foot types in addition to product knowledge about the shoes they are trying to sell. If you are not able to find such a store, or you are buying from a warehouse sale, then go back to points 1 and 2! Match your shoes to your activity When you have made a decision to buy those new running shoes, do remember that there are 2 main types of shoes.  The type of shoe that is used by competitive runners (lightweight racing flats) should not be the shoe of choice for most people who are going to use them for their regular walk, jog, or even training runs for competition. Racing shoes have thinner outer soles and less cushioning and will wear out more quickly. They are fine for competition (racing) and even some occasional track work. But the preferred shoe for most people who run is simply called a training shoe, and most of the shoes you find in the shops fall into this category. Get the best fit possible for your new shoes How many times have you bought a shoe and later discovered that it was too tight or too loose after you actually used it outside the store? To save on this quiet agony, here are some shoe-fitting tips: If your shoe is meant for your health and recreational jogging or running, don’t go to the store after you have been sitting down for a long time or conversely been walking about for hours. Both these activities can cause your feet to swell and you may end up buying a shoe that shows itself to be too large for those morning walks. Conversely, if you intend to walk or run longer distances in your shoes, be aware that your feet swell as you exercise and as your socks soak up perspiration. It may be worth your while to buy your shoes just half a size larger if you are planning to run your first half-marathon or longer. For the ladies, try not to size your shoes during those times when you feel you may be having water retention in your body – as the rest of the month will see your feet less swollen. If you use insoles or orthotics to control your foot movement or support your arches, do bring these along to the store. Remove the insoles in the new shoes and fit yours in. This will allow you to gauge the way the shoes fits with your trusty insoles. Comfort is king … Another important thing to do is to create the conditions that you will be running in as far as this is possible. Things to think about include: To check on how much a new shoe offers your feet in terms of cushioning or support, wear your current (soon to be “old”) shoes to the store. As soon as you try on the new shoes, you will be able to have an instantaneous comparison with what your feet are currently being treated to! If you use socks when you exercise (as most people should), bring along the socks you usually use or intend to use. Wear these when you try on your shoes to get the best fit possible. The socks kindly offered to you in the shoe shop may have seen better days …and many others’ feet…. After lacing up the shoes, do walk around, hop a bit, and just generally move around to get a feel of how the shoes fit. This simple activity can tell you things about the shoes which you will not detect just sitting down and looking at them! Change your shoes on time You may have read a number of magical formulae that calculate the age of your shoes, or how many miles you have put into them as the way of determining when new shoes should be bought. These really are meant to be rough guides and there are many factors that may contribute to the aging of your shoes to the point that they need to be replaced. These include your body weight, style of walking or running, how often you use the shoes, and what kind of surfaces you exercise on. In Singapore, the high heat and humidity may contribute to earlier breakdown of shoe materials including the part of the sole that gives you cushioning and support. Other key thoughts: Your feet get larger as you get older. They elongate and get wider as you put as your ligaments get more lax, and especially if you start to put on weight. Your foot type and width may change over time. So be prepared that you may no longer be a US 7-1/2 D, and may have matured to a US 8EE. Don’t worry about this, and don’t take this personally. Enjoy the moment and don’t insist on forcing those feet into what you feel should be your shoe size! Beware of signs that your current running shoes are wearing out and in need to replacement: Obvious wearing out of the outer soles (usually black in colour). Once these are smooth and have lost the original pattern they first had, or when a lighter colour peeks through from under them (the mid sole), it’s time… You sense that there is less cushioning or support from the shoes. This may be felt as increased pressure, ache or even pain under the balls of your feet or your arches. And you may start to develop aches and pain (in your feet, ankles, shins, knees, legs, low back) which you don’t normally have – and even when you have not increased how hard or how long you are walking or running. Wishing you many miles of happy walking, jogging and running!