What shoe type do you need?
There are two main things to consider when deciding upon what shoe type you need.
* One is the height and movement of the arch of your feet.
* The other is the amount of cushioning you need or prefer.
First lets consider the level of cushioning because pretty much every shoe type comes with loads of different options for cushioning so it is important to understand what you can get and why.
Cushioning
If you are doing high mileage or have a heavier frame or want additional comfort then you will want to choose shoes that have max cushion.
If you require a more normal level of cushioning because you have an average frame, do not do too many miles per week and would prefer to generally pay a little less then choose cushioned shoes.
If you want a shoe that is lighter and responsive because you only run short distances or because you have a very slight frame or just want a shoe for race day then choose a performance running shoe.
If you want a true racing shoe that is generally only suitable for short distances up to 10k, that is very light weight and offers the least amount of cushioning in favour of responsiveness then choose racing shoes.
The next steps are to check the height and rigidity of your arches. Take the following 2 tests to make your own assessment.
How high is the arch under your feet?
There are simple tests to determine the height of your arch. The first is to see how many fingers fit under your arch (on the inside of the foot). If you can’t get any then you have a flat foot, 1-2 a medium arch and 2+ a high arch.
The second is to just look at the sole of your foot. You should have hard skin where the foot makes contact with the floor and soft skin where it does not. Try to match up the harder skin with the diagrams below. You can also get your foot wet and then to step onto a surface that will show up the foot print.
The diagrams below show what different different foot prints look like to determine the height of your arch:
HIGH ARCH
If your foot print looks like this then you have a high arch.
Your foot is probably neutral (rigid) and in some cases
even supinate (roll outwards).
You may find harder skin on the outside of your sole under your little toes. Or wear in the same place on the sole of your shoes.
Available with all levels of cushioning.
MEDIUM ARCH (Most people have a medium arch)
If your foot print looks like this then you have a medium arch.
Your foot will probably pronate (roll inwards) a small amount.
You may find harder skin on the inside of your feet under your big toes. Or wear in the same place on the sole of your shoes.
Available with all levels of cushioning.
LOW ARCH
If your foot print looks like this then you have a low arch (flat foot).
Your foot is likely to be quite fleshy is prone to over-pronation.
You may find very hard skin on the inside of your feet under your big toes. Or heavy wear in the same place on the sole of your shoes.
Available with max cushion, cushioned and performance cushioning.
NOTE: This is not a precise science and we recommend you come into
our store for a full gait analysis. Our specialist running shop in Kingston, Surrey allows to check this for you and potentially we can use video analysis to check your running style. The running shop also allows you to try out different shoes to see which feels the best. The video analysis will allow you to watch this back so that you can make your own assessment and choice.
Click
here to return to top of Advice.
Click
here if you want to go back to the Homepage.