Starting off on the right shoe

Tag : down shoe

Spence said she realizes it can be expensive to get the rightshoes, but if it's the only thing that you have to invest in to runor walk, it's worth it for your feet.

If you're going to (run or walk long distances), you have to havethe right gear, said Spence. It's worth the investment.

Finding the right shoe can be a little intimidating for some peopleas there are so many different types of shoes and brands on themarket.

Spence suggested visiting a specialty store to find out what kindof shoe best suits your foot's needs.

The staff can determine how your foot hits the ground when you takea step (pronation), and help you find the right shoe.

According to the Runner's World website, there are three types ofpronation:

Normal pronation
People with a normal arch are usually categorized as normalpronators. The foot rolls evenly from the heel and the impact ofstepping down is distributed evenly.

A running store will usually suggest a stability shoe that givesthe foot medium arch support.

Overpronation
People with flat feet are categorized as overpronators. The shockof the foot hitting the ground is not evenly distributed becausethe foot rolls inward more than it should, causing stability issuesfor the runner.

Overpronators put extra pressure on the big toe and second toebecause they are pushing off from them. A stability shoe with moremid-sole support is usually recommended for people who overpronate.

Supination
Also known as underpronation, this is how people who have higharches are categorized. The arch does not collapse enough when thefoot hits the ground, so the shock absorption is poor.

The result is that the legs end up absorbing much of the shock.Runner's World suggests a shoe that has neutral cushioning (softermidsole) to encourage the foot to pronate normally.

PAC recommends choosing a size of shoe based on the size of thelarger foot as most people tend to have two different sized feet.

As well, it is recommended that footwear should have 1/4 inch ofspace beyond the top of the longest toe and fit well around theheel, but not fit too tight.

Walkers require shoes that allow the feet to be cushioned so thejoints in the legs and hips receive minimal impact.

There are more shoes specially designed for walkers these days, andmany of the brands are available at most sporting goods stores.