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Which shoe is right for you
By leading Sports Podiatrist Stewart HayesIf an average 70 year old walks over 110,000km (2-3 times around the world), then how many kilometer’s does a runner or triathlete cover in their lifetime??
It is a difficult question to answer, but it does illustrate the importance of your feet. There are a multitude of ligaments, tendons, muscles and a total of 28 bones in each foot. The feet are the foundation for your body and will influence knee, hip, pelvic and lower back function.
The correct sports shoes can dramatically help your overall posture, muscle efficiency, fitness/fatigue levels and reduce the chance of overuse injuries, which in the long run will result in improved performance/earnings.
So, which shoe for you? This all depends on your foot type. Generally, there are low, neutral and high arched feet. However, it is the mechanics of those foot types that is really important, ie; it is not the height of the arch, but what happens to that arch when you stand, walk or run. All types of feet can and arches be pronated (roll inwards), have a neutral motion or be supinated (roll outwards). The majority of the population has pronated feet to varying degrees (up to 85%) and the rest have either neutral or supinated foot mechanics.
All sports footwear companies make models to suit each foot type & mechanics. The following table will assist in choosing the most correct running shoe for you (there are too many models in the market to list them all, these are some that I regularly use with my own patients).
Please note that this is a general guide only and advice from sports podiatrist, physiotherapist, sports doctor or experienced shoe store attendant should be sought when choosing the correct shoe for you. Stewart Hayes Sports Podiatrist stewarthayes@yahoo.com
