Running and Walking Shoe Basics
It seems there are as many different types of feet as there are people, but in order to simplify things, the shoe industry has divided their shoes into three main categories: cushion, stability, and motion control. The answer to the question of which of those three categories will work best for you is determined by how much you pronate. Pronation is a function of shock absorbtion by which the body disperses shock across the foot. If a person's foot pronates correctly, then much of the force generated by running and walking is dissipated before it travels up the leg. If however, a person either does not pronate enough, or, as is most often the case, a person pronates too much, then problems like compression and repetitive motion injuries can occur. The following is a brief description of the three main shoe categories.
Cushion: Cushioned shoes are designed for people that either under-pronate (sometimes called supination) or have a neutral footstrike. This type of gait tends to occur in runners and walkers that have high rigid arches, or who are bow-legged and/or who are pigeon toed. Many people mistakenly believe that because they wear out the outside edge of the heels of their shoes, that they under-pronate. Unfortunately, where your footstrike starts out at is less important than where it ends up... If your footstrike starts out on the outside edge of your heel, and continues along the outside edge of your foot all the way to your little toe, or diagonally across your foot and off the end of your big toe, then yes, you might need a cushioned shoe. If however, you start on the outside edge of your foot and like most people, then transfer your weight diagonally across your foot and off the inside edge of your big toe, then you might be over-pronating, which brings us to our next category...
Stability: Many runners and walkers over-pronate to some degree and as such might benefit from the features found in a stability shoe. The process of over-pronation causes the leg to rotate medially which in turn can lead to repetitive motion injuries like IT Band syndrome and shin pain. In order to combat this, shoe manufacturers have developed shoes designed to stabilize that rotation. Stability shoes are characterized by a firmer material along the medial edge of the shoe, under the medial heel and arch. This firmer material, inhibits the movement of the foot off of its inside edge and guides it toward the end of the big toe. The amount and density of that firmer material determines the amount of control given by the shoe. It is important to know that despite the fact that a shoe is in the "stability" category and not in the "cushion" category that it still does have plenty of cushioning. Indeed, many of our stability shoes will actually absorb more shock than some of our "cushioned" shoes.
Motion Control: Some runners and walkers over-pronate to such a degree that the amount of control offered by a stability shoe is not enough. People in this category are what we call "severe over-pronaters," and to accommodate them, the shoe companies have created shoes that have even larger and more substantial amounts of medial support. Most, but not all severe over-pronaters have fairly flat feet, but this is not the only indicator. Being duck footed (the opposite of being pigeon toed), having tight calve muscles, and/or weak quads can also exaggerate the natural motion of pronation. Back when motion control shoes were first being invented, they tended to be both heavy and stiff, however, with the advent of more modern materials, many runners that need the support of a motion control shoe can now do so without the added bulk.
What else do you need to know? Well, how about...
Size/Fit: When picking out your new running shoe, it is important to know that you will most likely be buying them a half to full size larger than your dress shoes. This is done to accommodate foot swell and to prevent things like black toe nails and numb feet. To tell whether or not you are in the right size, tap your heel back into the back of the shoe and while standing, bend over and feel how much space there is in front of the longest toe on your longest foot. There should be a minimum of a finger to a thumb's width's room. Any less, and you risk bruising your toenails. Any more, and you risk blisters.
Widths: All of our shoes, unless otherwise listed, are available in medium widths. A women's medium is a B width, and a men's is a D width. Many models are also available in AA & D for women, as well as B & EE for men.
Durability: The average runner or walker can expect 300-500 miles or six to eight months, whichever comes first, out of a pair of shoes. Of course, an individual's weight, running/walking surface and individual characteristics will cause this estimate to vary. Keep in mind that your shoes don't care whether or not you are at the grocery store, at work, in the gym, or out training on the roads. A mile is a mile is a mile... Lifting heavy weights, lateral movement excercises or sports (not recommended), water and extreme heat will all decrease the life expectancy of your shoe.
Friction and Blisters: Cotton is great, until you start sweating in it. Running or walking distances in cotton socks is sort of like swimming in your blue jeans. The cotton acts like a sponge, soaks up your sweat, loses its shape and causes friction which can eventually lead to blisters. The solution to this problem is to switch from cotton socks to ones made of a wicking fabric. This fabric, when combined with the mesh in a good pair of running shoes will keep your feet dryer and cooler, thereby helping to prevent blisters. If this doesn't work, we recommend that you try using a lubricant like BodyGlide or BlisterShield on your skin beneath your new wicking socks. After cotton socks, the second most common cause of blisters comes from running or walking too much in a brand new pair of shoes. The insole that comes in a new pair of shoes is designed to mold to your foot. This molding process can take up to 30 miles which is why we recommend that you keep the first 4-5 outings in your new shoes to under an hour at a time.
When in doubt, please feel free to give us a call. We would love to answer any questions you may have. Happy running!
What else do you need to know? Well, how about...
Size/Fit: When picking out your new running shoe, it is important to know that you will most likely be buying them a half to full size larger than your dress shoes. This is done to accommodate foot swell and to prevent things like black toe nails and numb feet. To tell whether or not you are in the right size, tap your heel back into the back of the shoe and while standing, bend over and feel how much space there is in front of the longest toe on your longest foot. There should be a minimum of a finger to a thumb's width's room. Any less, and you risk bruising your toenails. Any more, and you risk blisters.
Widths: All of our shoes, unless otherwise listed, are available in medium widths. A women's medium is a B width, and a men's is a D width. Many models are also available in AA & D for women, as well as B & EE for men.
Durability: The average runner or walker can expect 300-500 miles or six to eight months, whichever comes first, out of a pair of shoes. Of course, an individual's weight, running/walking surface and individual characteristics will cause this estimate to vary. Keep in mind that your shoes don't care whether or not you are at the grocery store, at work, in the gym, or out training on the roads. A mile is a mile is a mile... Lifting heavy weights, lateral movement excercises or sports (not recommended), water and extreme heat will all decrease the life expectancy of your shoe.
When in doubt, please feel free to give us a call. We would love to answer any questions you may have. Happy running!
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