Running
shoes are designed to protect your feet from the road, provided traction on
different surfaces, cushion the landing shock and support your feet. ... running shoes are designed to handle the shock of 2.5 times your body weight that
is created by the impact each time your foot strikes the ground.
A running
shoe should protect the foot and the runner from injury. It provides stabilization
of the foot and protects skin from damage. It should also limit potentially
harmful impact forces as the foot strikes the ground, while returning energy to
the runner.
Running
shoes are designed in a way that improves running efficiency. Science suggests
that if you can reduce the energy it takes to run, then in theory, you should
be able to run faster and for a longer period.
Every runner
is different: The design and engineering that goes into a running shoe is quite
heavily dependent on the runner, and their requirements. Each person will have
his or her own running style and, of course, every foot is unique. There is
never going to be a one-size-fits-all in shoe design.
-How to
Choose Running Shoes:
Here are the
key decision points to help you find a shoe that fits and feels good:
Consider
where you’re planning to run. Do you mostly hit the road? Or do you hit the
trails and gravel paths? Your choices are road-running, trail-running or
cross-training shoes.
Decide if
you want more or less cushioning underfoot. Do you want to feel like you’re
running on a cloud with maximum cushion or to feel the ground underfoot?
Cushioning—the thickness of material under the midsole and the firmness of the
foam—and heel drop are two factors to consider in the construction of a running
shoe.
Understand
whether you need a specific type of support for your gait. Most runners will be
able to choose a neutral shoe, but if your foot tends to roll to the far
outside or inside, there are shoes that can help you.
Make sure
the shoe fits. Your shoe should fit well from the start with no breaking-in
period.
How long
should running shoes last? In general, a pair of best running shoes
should last between 400 to 500 miles of running (3 or 4 months for regular
runners). Take a look at your shoes and check if the midsoles and outsoles are
compressed or worn. If they are, it may be time for a new pair.
-Better
Buying Advice
So if recent
scientific data and today's running experts are saying that shoe type doesn’t
really prevent injury, how has this myth managed to survive for so long?
"Trends
come and go," Walker says. "But none of them have been shown to
reduce injury."
He adds that
the research surrounding barefoot, minimalist, traditional and maxima list shoe
options has largely come to the same conclusion: It’s the runner’s mechanics,
not the type of shoe on his or her feet that cause or prevent injury.
Walker notes that for some runners with specific injuries, a gradual progression from one type of shoe to another can have favorable results, but only if overall running mechanics are modified in conjunction with the shoe change. Runners should avoid switching to a drastically different type of shoe and running the same number of miles with the same running form.
