setting out on the right foot

Tag : brand running shoes
When buying a new pair of running shoes, looks can be deceiving.History has shown time and time again that high fashions firstconsideration isnt always health and comfort.

But the ever-enduring stiletto isnt the first shoe proven toactually harm the foot. The running shoe, originally constructed toenhance a persons fitness needs, also has potential for damage.

The process of selecting a pair of running shoes involves more thandeciding on brand, color and price. Buying a pair of running shoesis a science that should involve individual customization andfitting. Failure to select the correct pair of running shoes canwreak havoc on the body and hinder athletic performance.

Southern Sole, a specialty running store in Tuscaloosa, uses videogait analysis to film customers as they walk or run on a treadmillto assess their foot type and any possible problems. Gait analysis,originally associated with capturing a horses movement to assessits way of walking, is commonly used to study human movement andmeasure and analyze a persons walking or running style.

Southern Sole owner Shawn Beitelspacher said people underestimatethe importance of the right pair of running shoes. When studyinghis customers gait analysis recordings, Beitelspacher paysattention to the persons foot type and their amount of pronation,which deals with the arch and the rolling motion of the foot fromheel to toe while walking, jogging and or running.

I pay attention to the types or amount of pronation andsupination, and depending on what level you are, we match your footwith a shoe, he said.

Understanding ones pronation type is crucial in getting the rightpair of shoes, according to RunnersWorld.com. The foots structureand shape are what determine a persons foot type, and the foottype causes different levels of pronation in the feet. The threetypical pronation categories include normal pronation,underpronation and overpronation.

In addition to ones foot type and pronation level, Beitelspachersaid there are several other important factors to consider whenselecting a running shoe. Making sure the shoe isnt too small andthat it isnt too wide or narrow is crucial to preventing injury.Bad blisters and loss of toenails are tell-tale signs that the shoeis too small.

Typically people freak out when they try on a shoe thats theright size. People really need to have an open mind when they gettheir shoes fit. A good rule of thumb is to go a whole shoe sizeup, Beitelspacher said.

While bargain prices and popular style often bait customers inpurchasing one pair of running shoes over another, lower pricesdont correlate with better shoes and can lead to injury.Beitelspacher advises athletes to avoid purchasing running shoesunder $75, since thats often the price range at which shoecompanies insert proper cushioning.

If you dont have a shoe with proper cushioning, your feet hit theground at four times your body weight. In my experience, if yourein a shoe and dont have proper arch support, everything in yourbody gets out of line. This can lead to arch, shin, knee and backpain, he said.

University of Alabama graduate student David Kilgo knows first-handthe toll a bad pair of running shoes takes on the body. An avidrunner, Kilgo was averaging five to six miles daily until he beganexperiencing a sharp pain in his leg that no amount of stretchingcould fix.

It was really frustrating not being able to run as far as I knew Icould, Kilgo said.

A visit to an orthopedist led Kilgo to the discovery that hisrunning shoes were causing him to run off balance. Although Kilgohad gone to Athletes Foot in the past to get his shoes fitted, hesaid he hadnt with his latest pair, and he paid the price. Now,Kilgo does physical therapy three times a week for two hours,involving electrode stimulation and other strength trainingtechniques, with Champion Fitness Therapy, formerly known asTuscaloosa Therapy, at the University of Alabama Student RecreationCenter.

Its very important to get your shoes fitted because if not, youface potential strains, Jennifer Appleby, the West AlabamaOrthopedic and Sports Medicine clinical coordinator said.

Marathoner Catenya McHenry Ashford said the right shoes meaneverything when running, especially for a marathoner who needs tobuy new running shoes frequently.

It could mean faster or slower times. It could mean comfort ordiscomfort. It could even mean long-term foot damage if the shoe istoo tight or too small or even too big or gaps in the areas whereyou need support, Ashford said.

After purchasing a pair of trail running shoes that didnt have aspring in the ball area and caused her feet to fall flat, Ashfordgot video analyzed and was referred to a new shoe that she lovesand caters to her foot needs.

I dont think you can cut corners when it comes to your feet, shesaid.

Southern Sole and Athletes Foot both offer in-store gait analysisfor their customers. Athletes Foot Fit Print system is similar indesign to Southern Soles video gate analysis in that it featuresboth a static and moving recording. The static recording evaluatesthe pressure points on the foot, and the gait analysis assesses theindividuals walking style.

Cortez Rice, manager of Athletes Foot in Northport, said fittingpeople with the right shoe is important to eliminating footproblems.

You dont pick shoes off color, Rice said. Unfortunately, youhave a generation of people who are deficient.