Choosing the Right Shoe

You wouldn’t buy a nice looking house without considering how you like the neighborhood and you probably wouldn’t buy a sports car if you live on a dirt road.

Along the same lines, you shouldn’t buy a running shoe just because it’s pretty. Luckily, there are so many styles out there that you are likely to be able to easily find something that suits your needs.

However, the first thing to consider is your foot.

People obviously come in all shapes and sizes. So do feet. It goes beyond mere shoe size though. It is very important to know what kind of arch you have and what kind of shoe is best for your foot type. Consulting with an expert at a serious athletic shoe store can help. If you want to go out shopping on your own, consider the following.

Neutral Arched Feet

A foot with a “neutral arch” is neither too high, nor too flat. This means that your footprint should have a flare in the mid-foot with a relatively broad band connecting to the heal. The neutral foot lands on the outside of the heel and rolls inward slightly, absorbing shock. This type of foot is very efficient and can fit most types of shoes.

Mid Arched Foot

In layman’s terms, this foot is “flat.” Its footprint looks like the entire sole of the foot and runners with this type of foot tend to strike on the outside of the heel and roll inward. This is called “overpronating.” Runners with a mid-arched foot are prone to injuries in the feet and lower legs. If you have a mid-arch, a shoe with motion control or high stability, along with firm soles can reduce the degree of pronation. These runners should not use cushioned shoes.

High Arched Feet

The high-arched foot leaves a very narrow or no band between the forefoot and the heel in its footprint. These runners tend to underpronate, or supinate, thereby not effectively absorbing shock. Cushioned shoes are recommended for this type of foot and one should not use shoes that reduce mobility.

The foot and all parts of the body are a complex machine that works in symphony together. Professional physical training, such as that of SD PERSONAL TRAINER, can help new or experienced athletes get to know the harmony necessary for their body to perform properly.

Know Your Foot

The mechanics of every body is different and the way we run can vary depending on our body type and the shape of our foot. One of the main factors in determining running form is how the foot rolls from heel to toe in our stride. This movement is known as “pronation.”

Overpronation: This refers to a stride with impact mostly on the inside of the foot.
Underpronation: This occurs when the impact is on the outside of the foot.
Neutral Pronation: This is when the impact is even between both the inside and the outside of the foot.

You can tell which type of stride you may have by taking a look at a pair of your old shoes. If you have more wear on the outside of the shoe, you probably underpronate. If you have more ware on the inside of the shoe, you may overpronate. If the wear is relatively uniform, then you have neutral pronation.

You can also determine your pronation by looking at your arch. People with a low arch overpronate, while a high arch causes underpronation.

There may not be much you can do to change the shape of your foot, but you can find the right shoe to help compensate for any issue you may have. At SD PERSONAL TRAINER, we encourage our participants to have the proper equipment to enhance their workout and meet their fitness goals faster.