Choosing the right runners for your feet

Why is it important to choose the right runners for your feet?

There are many choices the consumer faces when purchasing a new pair of running shoes. Some factors that influence choice include cost and colour but some of the most important factors often get over looked. Support, comfort and optimising foot function are the most important factors when choosing a new pair of runners.

The importance of foot pronation

Pronation describes when the foot rolls inward. It is important at foot loading for shock absorption and to help reduce ground reaction forces. Too little and your feet become too rigid and wont effectively shock absorb. Too much (excess pronation) and your feet become unstable and function poorly, putting more strain on muscles and tendons.

When choosing running shoes its vital you get the level of pronation right.

Poor footwear choice can lead to injury

If you are in the wrong runners then it can severely impact on foot function and this can in turn increase the chances of injury.

So how do you know if you are in the wrong running shoes?

Some tell-tale signs include:

• Excessive shoe wear on the outside or inside of the shoe.
• Shoes wearing out too quickly.
• No shock absorption.
• Shoes that feel too rigid or uncomfortable.
• Feet rolling in too much or excessively pronating.
• Shoes that feel too flexible.
• Pain in the feet, ankle, knee or hip joints.

Which level of support do I need in running shoes?

Runners made by the big athletic footwear brands are technologically advanced. They use special design features to help support your foot or cushion your foot. Often the more technology and support features contained in a shoe the more expensive the cost.

Some shoes are designed for severe pronators and provide rearfoot control, whilst other shoes are designed to support the midfoot. Finally some shoes are solely designed to provide more cushioning.

It is often difficult to know what level of support in a runner your feet need. The only definitive way to know is to visit a podiatrist for gait analysis.

Gait analysis can help you choose the right runners

At our Melbourne clinic our podiatrists can perform computer gait analysis on your feet to determine how they function. We can then recommend what type of runners will best suit your feet, to help support and optimise foot function. This will help prevent foot injuries and even save you money in the long run.

Do you want the best runners to suit your feet? Then make an appointment with one of our friendly Melbourne podiatrists today!