Chapter 2 - Proper Shoe Selection
Proper shoe selection is an important part of the prevention of injury. Forces greater than one to 1.5 times your body weight are placed on your feet and dissipated up your leg when you walk. The right shoes will accommodate your individual needs and can keep you walking comfortably.
Determining Your Foot Type
When you walk, after your heel strikes the ground, your foot pronates by rolling inward and flattening out. Your foot then supinates (rotates outward) after the weight is transferred to the ball of your foot. The foot then becomes a rigid lever so that you may propel yourself forward. Perfect walking styles are rare. Overpronation is more common than oversupination.
The Overpronator
· Feet roll inward too much when walking.
· Generally has low arches.
· Knees and kneecaps move toward the inside of the feet when you bend at the knees.
· More susceptible to Patela Femoral Syndrome, Iliotibial Band Syndrome, Tendinitis, Plantar Fasciitis.
The Oversupinator
· Lacks normal inward rolling of feet when walking.
· Generally has high arches.
· Knees and kneecaps move toward the outside of the feet when you bend at the knees.
· More susceptible to ankle sprains, stress fractures, pain on the outside of the shin and knee, Plantar Fasciitis.
Shoe Requirements
The Overpronator
· A board-lasted or straight-lasted shoe.
· Maximum rearfoot stability.
· Substantial medial and lateral support.
· Firmest midsoles possible.
The Oversupinator
· A curved, slip-lasted or combination-lasted shoe.
· Low or moderate rearfoot stability.
· Soft midsoles.
A Neutral Gait
· A semi-curved last.
· Moderate pronation control.
· External heel counters.
· Durable midsole material.
Guidelines to Find the Best Shoe Fit
· Shop in the afternoon to get the right fit.
· Try on both shoes with the same type of sock to be worn during activity.
· Try on several different models to make a good comparison. Walk or jog around the store in the shoes.
· Check the quality of the shoes. Look at the stitching, eyelets, gluing. Feel for bumps inside the shoe.
· The sole should flex where your foot flexes.
· Your toes should not be pressing against the end of the shoe when standing nor should there be too much room (a centimetre or more). Shoes too big or too small can cause injury to the toe-nails while running.
· The heel counter should fit snugly so that there is no slipping at the heel.
· Shoes should be comfortable on the day you buy them. Don't rely on a break-in period.
· Consult the staff at The Running Room/Walking Room for help in selecting the correct shoe.
Steps in Selecting the Best Shoe
As a fitness walker, do not steer clear of "running shoes". Shoes built for running will, in most cases, meet your needs very well. "Walking" shoes may not! If you find yourself looking at "walking shoes", check that they have not actually been designed for moderate hiking or for those whose profession involves a lot a time on their feet.
Look in the running shoe section and see what meets the needs of your gait. They will certainly be more numerous than walking shoes. Try several pairs, walk around in them. Evaluate them in terms of you type of foot and your athletic needs. For your regular fitness walking and power walking, a comfortable "training shoe" is what you need. If it happens to be called a running shoe, who cares?
If you are a Race Walker, your needs are more specific, especially if you are planning to compete. Genuine Race Walking shoes are quite rare. Some companies custom make them for elite athletes. There are other elite athletes who have raced in track shoes with the spikes removed. The rest of us look for "racing flats" or "lightweight trainers".
"Lightweight trainers" take advantage of advancing shoe technology to provide strength and stability without bulk. These days, you may find that your choice of lightweight trainers is more extensive than the selection of racing shoes. They are made for runners who do not need the ample cushioning which traditional training shoes provide.
For these reasons, racing flats and lightweight trainers work well for Race Walkers. The low heel lends itself to our typical roll from heel to toe. The flexibility accommodates the final stage of our foot drive and our permanently cocked toes. An eminent coach once said that if you couldn't fold your Race Walking shoe up like a wallet, it wasn't flexible enough! A slight exaggeration, but we take his point.
Your racing flats or lightweight trainers will last longer for Race Walkers because our impact is much less than runners'. But here's a tip from experienced athletes. When you find a shoe you really like, buy as many pairs as you can afford. The nature of the industry is such that the shoe may no longer be available when you go back for another pair a few months later.
The following are the Running Room's tips for shoe buying.
1. Spend Time.
Set aside an hour for your walking shoe purchase. Don't go if you are in a rush. There are lots of little problems which will often come out only when you have time to compare products. You must walk in the shoe. Do not be rushed into a shoe decision.
2. Don't Pick Someone Else's Shoe.
Just because it worked well for a friend does not mean it will work for you. The best shoe for one walker can actually be injurious to another. More than other sport shoes, walking shoes are designed to accommodate specific types of feet. You must find out what works for YOU.
3. Bring Your Worn Out Shoes.
Your current running shoes and socks will help your shoe expert determine wear and fit. Experienced shoe sales people can collect vital information from a pair of worn running shoes. They can "read" your wear pattern and determine how your needs have been met by your current shoe. You will need socks to simulate the exact fit you desire. If you wear orthotics or use a foot device of any type bring them along too.
4. Sales Questions.
Your store staff person should ask you about your walking history, upcoming goals, terrain, past injuries, etc. The more information gathered and processed, the better your chance for a good fit. A knowledgeable sales person can help you avoid problem shoes and cut down the searching time.
5. Foot Exam.
The staff person should examine your foot, for width and foot type. Whether your foot is floppy or rigid will determine what type of shoe will work for you. Shoes must be fitted to the shape and function of your feet. The care taken by a trained salesperson can result in a better shoe for you.
6. Fitting to the Shape of Your Foot.
Common sense will lead you to a good fit. Pressure places are susceptible to blisters which can produce pain while you are running. Avoid them! A loose fit, however, will allow the shoe to slip on your foot which can also cause blisters. When the foot slides excessively, you will lose energy on the push off.
7. A Snug Fit.
Your foot should feel secure on the heel and across the breadth of your foot (the widest part). It is fine to pull the laces so that the shoe is snug, but do not pull it until it hurts or puts pressure on any part of the foot. A snug fit will give your foot a feeling of security without discomfort. How and where you tie the shoelace will determine how snug it will fit your heel. You can adjust the laces on a normal shoe so that you can tie the shoe tight and yet provide room for your foot by loosening other laces. Many of today's shoes have an optional lace hole at the top which will allow you to pull the lace even tighter.
8. Selecting the Right "Last."
The shape of the shoe is determined by the "last" or form around which the shoe is made. The two predominant shapes today are the "straight" and the "curved" lasts. A perfectly straight right shoe will look the same as a perfectly straight left one. A very curved shoe by contrast, bends strongly to the inside. If you have a curved foot and you wear a straight shoe, you will feel pressure on the inside of your big toe and will tend to roll off the outside.
There are so many shoes with different configurations that your chances of finding one which matches your foot are excellent. Do not buy one which pinches or rubs against your foot. On the other hand, a larger size will not support your foot, causing it to slide around inside.
9. The Selection Process.
First, select two to three shoes which work best for your foot function, rigid or floppy. Once you have narrowed down the candidates, you are ready to compare the fit of each shoe. Finally, stand around, walk around in each shoe to see how it actually performs. Spend some time in the shoes and you'll tend to get a much better fit.
10. Walking in Crosstraining or Aerobic Shoes.
A common asked question is, "Can I walk in crosstrainer or aerobic shoes?" The simple answer is no. Shoes for walking are designed for the forward motion and cushioning impact specific to walking, whereas other trainers are designed for the specific use. Aerobic shoes are designed for lateral support and toe flexibility.
Walking shoes are built for a particular style of walking and cushioning. They are also built for forward motion and not for lateral motion. To use a walking shoe for aerobics is risking injury as the shoe is designed for walking, not the motion of aerobics which needs a full leather upper to give the athlete the lateral motion required.
11. Where to Start.
The very best way to determine what you shall require in a shoe is to do an analysis of the walker's gait and foot-strike.
12. How Do I Know When I Need a New Shoe?
The average life of a shoe based on the manufacturer's and the sports medicine testing is approximately 800 to 1000 kilometres. Many times the walking shoe upper will still be in great shape but the cushioning and supportive features have been lost. A good test is to drop in when you have 500 kilometres on your shoes and compare with a walk around the block in a new pair compared to the old ones. Good stores like the Running Room will let you do just that. The key to staying off the injury list is to keep your shoes in good shape so they can keep you in good shape. Happy, healthy walking!
Which Shoe Fits Your Style?
Terms Used By Shoe Manufacturers:
Arch Support:
Refers to the inside portion of the shoe directly below the arch of the foot. Most shoes don't have an arch support unless it is attached to the removable insole. If a shoe has an arch support that feels good, keep it. Otherwise you can remove it. Most walkers won't benefit from arch supports.
Board Lasting:
A technique for joining the upper, last, and midsole of a shoe. The upper of the shoe is pulled over the last, and the edges are glued to a piece of cardboard or fiberboard. The board and the upper are then attached to the midsole, resulting in a fairly stiff shoe that provides good stability but does not have optimal shock absorption.
Combination Lasting:
A combination of two techniques - board lasting and slip lasting for joining the upper, last and midsole of a shoe. Usually the back of the shoe is board-lasted for stability while the front is slip-lasted for flexibility. This combination gives stability in the rearfoot with flexibility and cushioning in the forefoot.
Curved-lasted:
Refers to the curvature of a shoe. Curve-lasted shoes have an angle between the rearfoot and the forefoot. Most people have moderately curved feet, and shoe companies work with lasts curved about seven degrees. This is comfortable for most walkers. But the average walker should stay away from severely curved shoes, which can cramp and blister the toes and forefoot.
External Heel Counter Stabilizers:
Supports that keep the heel counter from breaking away from the midsole under stress. They're usually designed to help control excess motion, and nearly all of the better made motion-control shoes have some heel counter support.
Heel Counter:
Stiff plastic material that is firmly attached to the rear base of the shoe. An extended heel counter that runs along the medial (inside) edge of the shoe will increase stability and reduce foot pronation and rotation.
Insoles:
Also called sockliners. These line the inside bottom of a shoe and are often removable. If a shoe doesn't come with a good smooth one, replace the insole with whatever insert you need for healthy walking.
Last:
The basic form on which a shoe is built.
Midsole Density:
Relates to the firmness of the midsole. A multi-density midsole has materials of different firmness in strategic locations, which can be a big advantage to runners with certain gait patterns. For example, a heavy pronator needs cushioning where the heel strikes, but still needs firmness for stability when the foot starts to roll inward. With a multi-density midsole, the lateral (outer) part of the shoe, where the heel strikes, is soft for shock absorption, and the medial (inner) side is firm for increased stability.