Running
Shoe Guide Written by Kathryn Wise MCSP
Why wear Running Shoes?
It's essential to invest in a pair of proper
running shoes if you want to run regularly. Shoes designed for runners serve
two main purposes:
1. Protect you from injury - by
absorbing the impact on your feet and body.
2.
Maximise
forward speed - by providing traction to grip the ground well.
The way
you run affects your choice of Running Shoes
When
most people run, their feet do not tend to hit the ground squarely, they usually
impact on one side of the heel and then roll forward diagonally. This action is
called "pronation" and can cause injury if you run long distances on
hard surfaces. To compensate for this, shoes can give extra support to help
reduce the rolling motion and encourage a better running action. Shoes fall
into 3 categories depending on the type of pronation:
a)
Motion Control Shoes
- for over-pronation (most runners)
b)
Cushioned/Neutral
Shoes - for under-pronation
c)
Stability Shoes
- for neutral pronation
|
Pronation Self-Test
|
|||||||
|
Make a print on the floor or piece of paper with
your foot when it is wet (for example when you come out of the shower).
See which of these patterns it matches most
closely:
|
|||||||
|
|
Over-pronating
|
|
Neutral Pronating
|
|
Under-pronating
|
||
How
often should I replace my Running Shoes?
To ensure that your running shoes continue to be
effective at preventing injuries and helping you achieve a good grip, you
should replace your shoes once they have been well used.
Road and trail
running shoes
should be replaced after 300-500 miles of
running, depending predominantly on your body weight, running style and the
surface you are running on. Racing Flats
will not last as long due to their reduced durability, and will typically need
to be replaced after 125-250 miles of use. Bear
in mind that heavier runners and runners who strike the ground harder than
average will tend to get less miles from their shoes.
If
you start to experience regular knee or shin pain this may be an indication
that you need to replace your running shoes more often.
If
you run a lot of miles it can be a good idea to have 2 pairs of shoes and to
rotate them so that each pair is 'rested' for longer between uses, allowing
them time to fully dry out.
Athlete Matters recommends good specialist running shoe shops such as Sweatshop, and Up and Running
where the staff are usually runners themselves and understand which shoes to recommend for your style of running.
