Consider Use When Selecting Athletic Shoes

One of the major considerations when purchasing athletic shoes is what type of activity the shoes will be worn for. A runner, for example, should seek a different type of shoe than a tennis player. According to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), if you participate in a sport at least three times a week, you need a shoe specific to that sport.

Runners should select footwear that provides cushioning and support for the straight-ahead motion of the sport. Cushioning in the heel is also important. Tennis and basketball players should select court shoes that provide support for lateral, or side-to-side, movement. Because these athletes spend much of their time on the balls of their feet, cushioning of the forefoot is important. The same is true of people who aerobicize.

Cross-training shoes try to provide the best of both worlds without doing either very well. Buying a more specialized shoe properly fitted to your foot will provide greater comfort and more protection from injury. Furthermore, extremely lightweight racing shoes are meant only for competing; they should not be worn for training because they have sacrificed support and cushioning for speed. So-called "walking" shoes generally do not provide as much support and cushioning as running shoes; running shoes are thus preferable for walkers.

Another consideration involves the stability of the foot in the shoe. By checking the pair of shoes they're currently using, athletes can get an idea of how their shoes wear. Some people's feet roll or lean to the inside, for example. These people may want a thicker, firmer midsole on the inside of the foot to cradle the foot and keep it from rolling. For people whose feet roll to the outside or remain upright, more cushioning is recommended to absorb shock rather than transferring it up the leg to the knee and hip.

People with a higher arch may want to buy over-the-counter arch supports or insoles and replace the sockliner that is removable in most shoes.

An experienced salesperson can be a great help. He or she can help fit shoes properly to address the individual's concerns and explain about cushioning and shoe structure. Some brands are cut wider in the forefoot or narrower in the heel. Typically, the better cushioning, the more expensive a shoe will be. Weekend or casual athletes may actually need a higher quality shoe than those individuals who train a lot and whose bodies (and feet) are accustomed to exercise.

Be sure to try on both shoes as most people have one foot larger than the other. When you stand while trying on shoes, there should be about one thumb's width space between the tip of the longest toe and the inside of the tip of the shoe. When simultaneously holding the toe and heel and pressing them toward one another, the shoe should bend over the ball of the foot, not in the middle of the arch (except for racing shoes).

Be sure to wear the same type of sock for the fitting as you will when exercising. Try on your shoes when your feet are at their largest -- at the end of the day or after a workout. The shoe should grip your heel firmly without slipping. You should be able to freely wiggle all your toes when wearing the shoe. The shoe should be comfortable immediately.

Athletic shoes should be replaced after 300-500 miles of use. Note that a new pair of athletic shoes loses 50% of its cushioning capability just sitting in a box unused over a year's time. Some manufacturers imprint the shoe's date of production on the tongue or elsewhere on the shoe so you can be sure of purchasing a "fresh" shoe.

Chris Geiser
Physical Therapist and Athletic Trainer
Froedtert & Medical College Sports Medicine Center

Mark W. Niedfeldt, MD
Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Froedtert & Medical College Sports Medicine Center

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.