Finding The Right Running Shoe

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There are six categories that relate to classification of running shoes. The three major ones are associated with how the body moves with everyday activities. They include shoes for cushioning, stability and motion control. The three minor classifications involve shoes for the more specific tasks we perform. Consequently, these second shoes fall into either performance training, racing or off-road.

There are two ways in which you can establish your basic shoe needs. The first recommended one involves the use of an expert such as a biomechanics or authorized shoe fitter. If this is unsuitable, you can perform a ‘Wet Test'.

This test involves making a wet imprint of your foot on a piece of paper or dry floor. Armed with this you can determine how much support, stabilization and what features you require in your shoe based on whether your foot is normal, flat or high-arched.

A normal foot requires a shoe that is stable with reasonable restraint. This is because, as indicated by the wet impression, they have a standard arch ...
... and flare with a wide strip connecting the front of the foot to the heel. Motion manipulation is not required as the foot is competent in its shock absorption due to the small but significant inward roll after the heel has landed when walking or running.

A flat foot leaves quite a different impression; one that has a low arch with all the sole being visible on the indicator paper or floor. People possessing this type of foot require shoes that are highly controlling or stable with secure midsoles and other features to reduce the excess rolling inwards they experience. Wearing highly cushioned and curved shoes, which fail to provide stability, will result in many different types of damage linked to overuse.

A highly arched foot can be observed as the complete opposite of a flat foot. The narrow band, or in some cases, complete lack of a connecting band, indicates the foot does not roll inwards enough to effectively absorb the shock. The curved foot is corrected using flexible cushioned shoes, which promote foot movement. Motion control or stability shoes, which minimize foot repositioning, should be avoided.