- There are so many factors to consider when you're choosing
a new running shoe.
The market has a huge amount to offer with brands
promising that their shoe is going to help you run further
or make you more efficient, some even promising that they're
going to help you run faster.
So it can be a little overwhelming.
Well, today I'm going to be breaking it down and starting off
by having a closer look at the foot and how it moves
and then covering the options of trainers
that are out there so we can help you to choose
the perfect shoe for you.
Before we go into the biomechanics, there are several
things to consider when choosing a shoe and these are
going to help you narrow down that search.
So what type of terrain are you going to be running
on predominantly and are you going to be doing long runs
or short runs?
Do you want this shoe to be a training shoe
or a racing shoe?
Or maybe you want a shoe that covers both of those.
Also, then you need to look at yourself and consider
your style of running and your weight.
If you are on the heavier side or if you're someone
who runs quite heavy, then you might well want
to find a shoe that's got more shock absorption properties.
Those are probably the easier questions to answer,
but now we need to look at how you move
and what your foot does.
At heel strike, mid stance and toe off, the shape
of your foot, and also how your arches function
throughout that movement.
Well for this, we are going to be heading to our
local specialist store, Running Bath for a little
bit of help.
(upbeat funky music)
This is a specialist running shop and it happens to have
a foot plate which is great for analysing how your foot
moves and looking at your running gait, but bear in my
you still need to have a specialist to be able to interpret
that information and then help recommend what shoe you
need to buy.
And even if your running store doesn't have this equipment,
it's still really important to go to a store
because the guys working there sell running shoes
day in day out and so they know what to look for
and how to advise you.
But also, you can try the shoes on.
As tempting as it might be to go and buy them online,
trying on plenty of shoes is really important
but more on that coming up.
Now it's time to take a closer look at your actual feet.
Now a small amount can actually be ascertained
whilst in standing.
Obviously you can see the shape of your foot
and work out the size, you can also take a closer
look at the arch.
You might have heard of flat feet, well that's when
you basically have a collapsed arch, so the arch is
the middle part of your foot and when it's collapsed
or flat, then the majority of your foot will be in contact
with the ground.
The opposite of that is having a high arch when you
can see a gap between the arch of the foot and the ground.
Standing however only shows half of the picture.
Ideally, you want to have a dynamic assessment
so you can truly analyse how the foot moves
throughout the weight bearing phase.
Well, this where the arch plays a big role,
because it actually acts to elongate and flatten
and store potential energy that then is repaid
during the toe off phase of the running gait.
This is where if you've got very flat feet
or you over pronate your foot's actually going to struggle
to restore that energy and return to supination
at the end of the toe off phase, so as a result,
you're going to be less efficient because you're losing
energy, however, on the opposite end of the spectrum,
it's not really any better because if your arch is too high
or you actually have too much supination then you're going
to struggle for shock absorption because that's the role
of the arch.
And also with that, your foot's going to find it hard
to adapt if you're running on any uneven terrain.
(upbeat music)
You might have heard of some confusing running shoe lingo
and have to put my hands up yes I've already talked
about pronation and supination but these are probably
the two most common terms so supination is when
your underside of foot turns inwards.
I like to think of it as if you look down you're
almost trying to make a bowl shape for soup
with your feet, but that's just how I learn it.
And then pronation is the opposite when the inside of your
foot or the bottom of your foot turns outwards.
And then there's over pronation.
Now, I don't particularly like this term because it's
presuming that's there's a correct amount of pronation
in the first place, so that's one that I tend to avoid.
Once you know how your foot moves, you can in theory,
narrow down your search.
Comfort plays an important part when choosing a shoe,
and if you're currently not injured and you're not planning
on changing the type of running or the distance
that you're going to be doing,
then don't change anything dramatically.
You might want to consider wanting to get a gait analysis,
but it can dangerous, 'cause if you're running with no
problems, it still might pick up some abnormalities
which you could then try and change and as a result
could end up having problems from that.
And it is worth remembering that a shoe is not designed
to correct your gait.
It's there to support your foot in running,
and if you do want to change your gait,
I'm afraid that's going to involve some hard work
in the gym working on drills and doing stretches.
Sorry to disappoint on that one.
Good running shoes tend to come under three categories.
You have the motion control, for the over pronator,
you've got stability shoe for a neutral runner,
and then you've got the more cushioned shoe
for a supinator.
And the three components that make up a shoe,
or the three main components that you probably
want to be aware of are the upper which consists of the
toe box, so around the front, the mid,
and then the heel cup.
And then you've got the mid sole, so the bit in the middle
and this is where the cushioning and the stability
is built into a shoe.
And then finally you've got the outsole on the bottom.
And then the stack height is referring to the depth
of the shoe, so the distance from the ground to the top
of the insole in the inside.
And obviously that's going to be a bit higher at the heel
compared to the toe.
And this difference is known as the heel toe offset
and you'll find that that's much less in racing shoes
compared to training shoes.
Comfort really is key when you're buying a new pair
of trainers, so always have this at the forefront of your
mind and sometimes for no apparent reason you'll just
put on a pair and they'll feel more comfortable than others
so it's another reason why it's so important to actually
head to your local running shop to try them on first.
And once you are trying them on, a good tip is to make
sure you can fit a thumbs width between the tip
of the trainer and your big toe, just to ensure that
there's enough room for your foot inside the shoe.
I've touched on it earlier, but don't change anything
drastically with your shoe especially if you don't
have any problems at the moment.
I know it is easy to be influenced by marketing campaigns
or nice new bright shoes in the shop window,
but really you need to think about your biomechanics
and foot health because that at the end of the day
is far more important than what the shoe looks like,
but having said that, we are actually spoiled for choice
on colorways and things now with shoes so hopefully
you can need up ticking both boxes.
When you're going to a running shop, it's quite a good
idea to take your old pair of running shoes with you,
because not only will that then make sure that the shop
know what type and style of shoe you were using exactly,
if you're not quite sure, but also then they can have
a look at it and see the wear so they can determine
what type of runner you are
and therefore if you do want to change
a little bit what style of shoe will suit you.
And finally, talking of things that are normal for you,
make sure you take a pair of socks or even wear them,
the sort of sock that you'd normally run in because
it's amazing how the thickness of a pair of socks
can really change the difference in the feel or even the
tightness of a new pair of shoes.
Go with plenty of time and don't rush the trying on process.
So, even if the shop assistant gives you one pair of shoes
which you think fit fine straightaway,
please try on at least another couple of pairs
because you really do need that comparison.
And then once you've got a pair you think you like,
make sure you try them on,
and to have a little bit of a run,
whether that's on a treadmill in the store,
if they don't have one then even head out into the corridor
just to really get a good feel and don't be pressured
to buy there and then, if you need to go away and think
about it please do, as apparently there's evidence
that actually shows comfort plays quite a significant
part in finding a shoe that helps with injury prevention.
And then, also do your research.
Speak to specialists, and try and work out what brand
is best suited to your foot.
This doesn't mean your fixed to them, but having some
knowledge will at least help to make
that process less daunting.
And if you can, speak to your coach or physio
and hear their thoughts.
Now, sadly running shoes, or good ones at least,
aren't cheap, but please don't scrimp because your feet
and your body do need looking after.
So see it as an investment.
If you think about it, less trips to the physio
or the doctor because you've got good fitting shoes
are actually going to obviously,
save you money and reduce any levels
of stress and also discomfort.
And then finally, once you've found that perfect fitting
pair of trainers and you've bought them and you've gone
home desperate to go out for a run in them, just label
when you've bought them and try to record how many miles
you're running in them so you know when they need replacing.
And, if you're anything like me, once you've found that
perfect pair of trainers, it's just so exciting to lace them
up and head out the door to run.
I really find it very motivating having a new and decent
pair of shoes.
If you're anything like me and you share that thought
give me a thumbs up on this video.
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of our other videos here at GTN and if you do want to
know a little bit more of how to know when you need to
replace your running shoe, you can find a video made on
that just up here.
And if you're intrigued in the biomechanics of running
we've done video on bare foot running, and that one
can be found, just here.