Sizing up athletic shoes: how to pick them, how to fit them, how to buy them
Better Homes Gardens,
May, 1995
By:Gary Legwold
Athletic shoes have jumped over the competition to become today's hottest-selling shoe.
Experts agree this is more than run-amok, big-bucks marketing having its way with consumers. For starters, these shoes are extremely comfortable. It also may be that we are finally becoming mindful of our feet, giving them the comfort and protection they deserve. After all, athletic shoes are the footings of a fitness program that can help us feel better and live longer. Technology has made such an impact on design that different shoes built for different activities really can affect your performance.
But as appealing as athletic shoes are, the vast number of choices can be intimidating and confusing--and it's only going to get more complicated. In the next few years, aerobics and tennis shoes will be designed for different surfaces, and shoes may not always be sold in pairs. Some companies are developing lines of shoes to accommodate the differences between right and left feet, as well as age and gender.
Not to worry, though. Every sneaker should have some basic elements. They should all have good cushioning in the midsole and a sturdy heel counter (the cup that holds your heel), says Pamela Colman, D.P.M., of the American Podiatric Medical Association. Leather strapping on the top of the shoe and plastic support strips built into the upper arch also provide needed support.
Another basic ingredient is a replaceable insole. Insoles usually lose their cushioning ability about halfway into the life of the shoe. The average shoe life for aerobics, basketball, tennis, and cross-training shoes is six months or so if you do these activities three or more times a week, says Carol Frey, M.D., an associate professor of orthopedic foot surgery at the University of Southern California. Walking or running shoes have an average life span of about 500 miles.
The following tips and descriptions on how to get the best fit will help you track down the perfect shoe.
Aerobics. The constant pounding of aerobics means you need extra cushioning right under the balls of your feet.
AEROBICS SHOES
* Upper straps or support
* Molded midsole
* Heel stabilizer
Heel counters and molded midsoles provide side-to-side stability for all the multidirectional movements in aerobics. Some shoes have a plastic heel stabilizer and foot frame that support the heel and leather upper.
High-tops have value in aerobics and basketball shoes. You lose some maneuverability, but gain protection against ankle sprains. The added fabric around your ankle helps stimulate the nervous system to adjust quickly and avoid serious injury.
Running. Because running is a straight-ahead activity, running shoes do not require much side-to-side support. This shoe needs good cushioning in the midsole because the foot is repeatedly absorbing two to four times the body weight over miles and miles. Running shoes also need a good heel counter, flared heels, and heel stabilizers to minimize rearfoot motion and potential injuries. In the forefoot, you want flexibility so you can push off freely.
RUNNING SHOES
* Cushioned midsole
* Flared heel
* Flexible forefoot
Tennis. Straps on top of the shoe or internal lateral supports in the arch provide the needed side-to-side stability in tennis and other court shoes. These shoes also have good toe protection since many players drag their toes while serving.
You don't need as much midsole cushioning as with running shoes, but you want flexibility beneath the balls of your feet, which helps in repeated quick movements at the net. A roomier toe box helps feet grip during quick reactions.
TENNIS SHOES
* Upper straps or support
* Roomier toe
* Toe protection
* Flexible pivot point
Cross training. Cross trainers combine features from several different types of shoes and, some experts say, compromise those features in the process. The idea is the shoe allows you to do more than one activity per workout. For example, cross trainers have flexibility in the forefoot for running as well as side-to-side stability for aerobics.
Frankly, this is a shoe you probably don't need even if you cross train. Typically, cross training means running or aerobics, lifting weights, maybe hitting the exercise machines, and calling it a day. Unless you do this type of cross-training three or more times a week, your aerobics or running shoes will work just fine, says Frey. Many exercisers cross train, however, by doing a different activity or sport each day. In this case, shoes designed for specific activities would be more appropriate.
Basketball. The quick stops and starts and side-to-side movements so common to this sport call for a very stable shoe. Contoured midsoles, heel counters and stabilizers, a foot frame, and strapping in the uppers create stability. Rubber outsoles are stitched and reinforced at the toes, and basketball shoes should have a pivot point beneath the ball of the foot.
BASKETBALL SHOES
* Upper straps or support
* Pivot point
* Heel counter
* Contoured and cushioned midsole
Since your body can produce a force up to seven times your weight when you play, the midsole must have top-flight cushioning capabilities. Midsole material should be made from a compressed molded plastic called ethyl vinyl acetate and/or a tougher polyurethane. Some shoes may tout gels or air pockets in the midsole, which add cushioning.
Walking. Compared with a running shoe, walking shoes have a more spacious toe box, less cushioning in the midsole, and less flexibility in the sole. Most walking shoes have what is called a "rocker" sole. If you set it on a table, you will see that it slightly curves up at the heel and toe.
WALKING SHOES
* Usually leather uppers
* Roomier toe box
* "Rocker" sole
All but a few walkers have leather uppers (for moisture protection), while many running shoes are made of mesh for breathability. Walking shoes are light-weight because there is no need for side-to-side support.
The soles of walking shoes are made out of polyurethane or ethyl vinyl acetate. If you plan to do a lot of walking, get a shoe with a polyurethane sole because it is more durable. Ask the salesperson because it can be difficult to distinguish between the two.
Fit is it. To get the best fit, shop after your workout when your feet are largest due to swelling, says Frey. Wear the socks you normally wear during a workout, and try shoes on both feet. Right and left feet can be slightly different sizes. If one shoe fits, but its mate doesn't feel quite right, ask a salesperson if you can swap with another box.
There should be about a thumb's width between your longest toe (not always your big toe) and the end of the shoe. Don't insist on what has always been your size. Foot shapes change over time, and so do shoe sizes because of new materials.
Buying tips. Try to look at money spent on athletic shoes ($50 to $150) as money invested in "safety equipment," says Tom Brunick, director of The Athlete's Foot Wear Test Center in Naperville, Illinois. Adds Colman: "Don't get chintzy with these shoes. One way or the other you're going to pay--for quality or for going to your doctor because of foot problems." That's good advice. Other hints:
* Check for quality. The upper should be stitched to the sole, not just glued, and there should be no stitching irregularities anywhere. Put your hand inside the shoe. Does it feel rough at the seams? If so, don't buy it.
* Buy from people who know shoes, especially athletic shoes, and who truly know how to fit you. Fitting is not only a matter of length, width, and arch support, but also of knowing which company makes the best design that matches your foot.
Finally, there should be no break-in period. "Shoes should be comfortable the minute you put them on," says Frey.
COPYRIGHT 1995 Meredith Corporation
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group
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