RUNDOWN ON NEW SHOES
Buying a pair? Consider this
A wall of shoes to choose from and sales associates asking lots of technical questions are just a couple of the challenges novice runners face when buying their first pair of running shoes.
But it’s not just newbies who can be intimidated by the experience. Veteran runners aren’t immune to being confused by the ever-changing technology found in today’s shoes.
Even when looking to replace a pair of shoes with the same model, it’s often tough to identify the latest version, given the ongoing changes in look and feel that seem to be the hallmarks of almost every manufacturer in the business.
What makes a good running shoe? The first thing to keep in mind is that comfort, not style or technology, should guide your choice.
Injury rates have stayed stagnant despite the technological advances in running shoes — a phenomenon researchers acknowledge but can’t explain.
And despite the number of studies on running shoe design, there seems to be no consensus on what constitutes the ideal shoe.
The research is confounding in large part because of the number of variables to consider when evaluating a shoe.
Foot movement and gait vary between runners, as do height, weight, speed and training volume, which makes for a very different shoe experience from one runner to another.
There’s also an increasingly popular school of thought that every runner has their own preferred gait or movement pattern, and that the right shoe is the one that best supports the individual mechanics of the runner.
That said, most runners are looking for more than one thing in a shoe. Comfort, performance and ability to reduce the risk of injury are the top three considerations, though not everyone will rank them in the same order of importance.
In practical terms, that means finding as lightweight a shoe as possible, combined with the right balance of cushioning and stability.
Given that runners have high expectations of their shoes, a multidisciplinary team from the University of Calgary wanted to know if novice, recreational and elite runners all looked for the same things.
They reviewed hundreds of studies that compared types of runners with the types of features found in most running shoes, and came up with recommendations on what runners should look for when it’s time to put something new on their feet.
But before we go there, it’s best to become familiar with the basic anatomy of a running shoe, including some of the more popular features not always visible from the outside.
Upper: The fabric that encompasses the foot, preferably lightweight and breathable.
Midsole: Located between the upper and the outsole, this is
Keep in mind that how a shoe feels on your feet while in motion is what will ultimately guide your decision.
where you’ll find most of the technology, including embedded features that determine how much cushioning or stability the shoe offers, which can vary along the length of the shoe (heel, midfoot and forefoot).
Outsole: The rubber at the bottom of the shoe — the part that makes contact with the pavement.
Medial post: Found in the midsole, in line with the ankle bone, this is composed of denser material that increases stability by reducing the inward roll of the foot while running.
Shank: Found between the heel and forefoot, this provides the extra support needed to make sure the shoe bends at the toes instead of the arch, and reduces the amount of torsional flex (twisting).
Last: The last refers to the shape of the shoe, with some shoes curving in and out sharply at the midfoot (curved last) while others have a straighter profile from toe to heel (straight last). There’s also an in-between design with a less pronounced curve. The greater the curve, the lighter the shoe.
The straighter the last, the more stable the shoe. Heel-to-toe drop: The difference in height between the heel and the forefoot. Traditional running shoes had a higher heel, which meant a higher drop. Then came the call for a more natural foot position, which created a whole new type of shoe with much less of a drop.
According to the University of Calgary team, novice runners prefer thinner midsoles and a more cushioned heel. They also benefit from a reduced heel-totoe drop and have a wide range of preferences when it comes to the stiffness (or bendability) of the shoe.
As for recreational runners, who run for fitness and with specific performance goals in mind, they have a slightly different set of criteria.
“Recommendations for recreational runners included lighter footwear constructions that incorporate dual density midsoles with harder forefoot regions and softer rear foot parts,” said the researchers.
“Additionally, higher heel heights were reported to be beneficial for performance and reduced heel-to-toe drops may reduce injury risks.”
Whether you’re a novice or more experienced runner, keep in mind that how a shoe feels on your feet while in motion is what will ultimately guide your decision.
Still, with so much choice, it’s nice to know which shoes are more likely to support your running habit.