Finding the right running shoe for you
We are often asked about what the best running shoe options are. Despite what marketing and advertising tells us the choice of shoe will not make you faster or a better athlete.
Shoes cannot make up for individual weaknesses, decreased joint mobility, or poor movement patterns. We advise people to wear the minimal amount of shoe that feels good to them. Putting as little shoe between you and your running surface will alter your running form and mechanics as little as possible allowing for improved body awareness and proprioception.
Pronation is a natural movement pattern of the foot. The biggest concern is wearing a heavy, motion control shoe that does not allow any pronation which will cause increased stress.
Experts believe that motion control shoes are only necessary in 1 in every 1,000 runners and most people should wear a neutral shoe or below. Run in the least/most minimal shoes possible, this will allow the foot to do its job and to maximize efficiency. Overly supportive shoes tend to cause the smaller muscles of the foot to shut down and weaken over time. Finding the right level of shoe for you takes time and patience. A lighter shoe will maximize running economy.
Regardless of what anyone tells you, the shoe must feel comfortable to you. When trying on shoes be careful to distinguish between short term and long term comfort.
That soft ‘squishy’ feel is the short term 10 second feel. How will these same shoes feel after a 5 or 10K run? Run around a little bit in the shoe to truly assess the long term comfort and how the shoe assists your ability to move.
The shoe should feel smooth, allowing you to land where you are supposed to land, bend where it should bend and allow you to push off easily.
GOOD FIT IS ESSENTIAL
Length: Your toes should be a thumbs width away from the end of the shoe.
Heel: should fit securely to prevent the heel sliding up and down when pushing off.
Width: Take the instep of the shoe out, stand on it and your foot or toes should not splay over any part of the instep when weight bearing.
A 2012 report by the Sports Medicine Research Laboratory in Luxembourg showed that those who run in a variety of shoes had fewer injuries.
For this reason we encourage people to wear a variety of shoes. Try lighter more minimal shoes for faster runs in comparison to longer runs. Try a little more supportive running shoes for recovery run days when your legs are fatigued. Have a trail running shoes for off road running days.
Finally, we encourage people to wear minimal shoes on a daily basis during the regular work day to allow the achilles to lengthen under low impact conditions and encourage a buildup of foot strength.