The Right Shoe For Your Workout

Running and working out becomes easier when your feet are not in pain, and the right pair of sneakers can prevent leg, knee, hip and foot pain. There are so many choices for workout foot wear: running shoes, walking shoes, tennis shoes, cross trainers, Vibram 5 fingers, Jordans to name a few. With all these shoes it makes choosing the proper pair for your needs a tough task. Each type of shoe has a different function and it can be confusing to find the right shoe for your workout.

Don’t let advertising and marketing lead you to believe that the more expensive the sneaker is or the best looking the shoe is, the better it is for you. Buying a pair of Air Yeezy may be a good look but its not such a good idea if you need to run a 5km.

The following are some tips to follow when shopping for a pair of shoes:

1. Buy shoes made of materials that are soft, supple and breathable. Shoes of this nature include: leather, canvas or a nylon mesh. Plastic doesn’t allow sweat to evaporate, and it may cut into the skin and start smelling after you have warn them a few times.

2. Shop for walking/running shoes in the afternoon, when feet are larger because they tend to swell as the day goes on.

3. When trying on running shoes, wear the kind of socks that you will normally be wearing to work out. This way you are getting the proper fit and you are less likely to get blisters from the shoes if they are fit to the type of socks you normally wear.

4. If you are unsure that the shoe is a proper fit, visit a store like the running room. They do a mini gate analysis to put you in the proper shoes for your needs. They assess if you have a neutral foot, pronate, or supinate.  Its always a good idea to bring your old shoes with you so that the sales person can asses the wear pattern to see if the shoes were working for you.

5. Remember that not all shoes are made the same. Each manufacturer uses a different type of cushioning. Sometimes this cushioning works for you and sometimes it doesn’t. Nike uses air in some, and eva foam in others. New Balances uses a grid, Aasics uses gel and so on. Some brands have shoes in different widths and if you have a narrow foot a wide shoe will not work for you.