First off, this is meant as guide and only a guide. It is best if you go to a REAL running store and get your gait analyzed. A place like RunTex (Austin), Luke's Locker (Dallas), or Jackrabbit Sports (NYC). I'm not sure what places in Texas do video analysis on a treadmill, but if you can find a place that does, it is best. In certain instances, it is VERY hard to check for overpronation by simply watching someone walk or run. Slowing down a video of someone running is the best way to check one's gait.
I'll try to divide this up, so that it is easier to find sections you are looking for. I'll try to edit this post to add things that I forgot or issues that arise.
**INTRO**
Pronation is your body's natural way of absorbing shock. Most people are heel strikers. They land on the outside of their heel, their foot transitions flat, and then they toe off to the outside. Overpronation is when your foot continues to roll in once your foot comes flat on the ground. Overpronating can cause any number of running-related injuries (shin splints, stress fractures, tendonitis, ITBS, etc). Other people supinate, which is staying on the outside of your foot. There is not shoe to correct supination.
If you live somewhere that does not have a place that will analyze your gait, this can help you make an informed decision of what type of shoe to buy.
People with higher, more rigid arches tend to be neutral runners. People with lower, flexible arches or people with flat feet tend to be overpronators. Nothing is definite though. People who run on the outside of their feet are supinators (VERY rare).
**ARCH TEST**
To test your arch, you can use this test:
http://www.thefinalsprint.com/2006/06/your-foot-type-a-simple-test-to-find-out/
but the recommendations for shoe types aren't neccesarily accurate, just use it to check your foot type. However, the above link isn't 100% because someone could have a low arch, but a very rigid low arch. Another way to get an informed guess is to sit down and have someone put their finger under your arch, then stand up. If the person can feel your arch collapse on their finger (they feel pressure), then you have flexible arches, which means you are more likely to overpronate.
Without having your gait analyzed and using the above method(s) to test your arch, these are the following recommendations (which are not guaranteed without a good analysis):
high, rigid, or stiff arch (neutral runner): neutral shoe
flexible arch or flat foot (overpronator): stability shoe
VERY flat foot (severe overpronator): motion control
Now I will define the three types of shoes above:
**TYPES OF SHOES**
neutral shoe: the sole is made of all the same material. These shoes allow your foot to do what it does naturally.
stability shoe: stability shoes all have a medial post, which is on the inside of both shoes.
The medial post is made from a more dense material and is harder than the rest of the sole. The harder material prevents your foot from rolling in. The bigger the medial post, the more support the shoe has.
motion control shoe: VERY few people need motion control shoes. We are talking MAYBE around 2% of overpronators. These shoes will be bulky and often have an "orthopedic" look to them.
Once you know what type of shoe you need to be in, there are still quite a few factors that should be taken in, such as foot shape, mileage, distances, etc.
**FOOT SHAPE**
Getting a shoe that fits your foot can make a huge difference in comfort and preventing blisters and other annoying pains. Differet shoe manufacturers make their shoes in different shapes, which many people don't realize. Look carefully at the shape of your foot and fit the shape to a shoe that is shaped the same way. Again, nothing is definite, some people will be fine in a shoe that doesn't match their foot shape.
Narrow Shoes:
Nike, Mizuno, Addidas - shoes are narrow and straight. The heel and the toebox will both be the same width.
Straight Shoes:
New Balance - the heel and toebox are the same width, but they don't run as narrow as the shoes above. For this reason, many people say that NB run a little wide, which they really don't.
Wide(er) Shoes:
Asics - these shoes are actually hour glass shaped. They are narrow through the arch and wider in the heel and toebox, with the toebox being a bit wider than the heel.
Brooks - these shoes are "D" shaped. The inside of the shoe will be pretty straight, but the outside will curve out, forming the "D" shape. They also have a little more room in the toebox.
Saucony - these shoes are "V" shaped. they are narrow at the heel and then get wider toward the toebox. They "hug" your heel, but have quite a bit of roon in the toebox.
**OTHER FACTORS**
here are a couple other things to consider:
-do you like a more cushioned shoe (it'll have much more give and feel more "squishy"
or a more firm shoe (less cushion, less shock absorbtion, but might feel like you are more "stable"?
-what type of surface will you be running on? do you need a trail shoe? Most trail shoes are the same as their counterparts except that they have more traction on the bottom, the tongue is typicallly attached to the shoe to prevent dirt & rocks from entering, and some of them are water/weather resistant.
**SIZING**
wear socks that you would normally be running in when trying on shoes, as it can affect sizing.
length:
You typically buy running shoes a half to full size larger than your normal shoes. The reason for this is that your feet spread out or "Swell" when you run. The spreading of the feet also occurs over the course of the day, so if you typically run in the mornings, you don't need as much room as you would if you run at night. Also, the longer the distances you are running, the more room you will need. Typically, you want a thumbs width between the end of your big toe and the end of the shoe. CHECK BOTH FEET! Alot of people have different sized feet. You could think you are
fine and then run into problems later with the other foot.
Why should you care? Well, if there isn't enough room at the end of your running shoe, you toes hit the front of your shoe. When this happens, your toenail is lifted away from your toe, which is basically ripping off your toenail. The toenail will eventually turn black and fall off. This is also a good reason to make sure you keep your toenails trimmed.
width:
Your foot should not cause the shoe to bulge or expand over the edge of the midsole. This can cause pain, blisters, etc.
*Try to fit for shoes close to the time you normally run*
**common misconceptions:**
"I supinate because there is wear on the outside of my shoe" - very little can actually be told from the wear of a shoe. 99% of the time i hear this phrase it is b/c they are a heel striker and there is wear on the outside of the heel. if there is extensive wear along the entire outside edge of your shoes and you are in a neutral shoe, then you are probably a supinator. if you are in a stability shoe, it is likely that you are a neutral runner and the medial post is forcing you to the outside of the shoe, which causes the same problems as overpronating.
"I need orthotics." - no offense to any orthopedians, but the right shoe can almost always fix the same problems that orthotics do (assuming the orthodics are correcting for overpronation). People spend way too much money for nothing basically. HOWEVER, if you do have orthotics and are going to wear them in your running shoes, TAKE THEM WITH YOU FOR A GAIT ANALYSIS. If someone puts you in a stability shoe to correct your overpronation and then you put your orthotics in later, you
will be overcorrecting.
"I have flat feet." maybe you do, but i'd say at least ~40% of the people I hear this from are wrong.
"I overpronate." unless you know for sure through a gait analysis, you probably have no clue.
"I pronate." of course you do. everyone does. guess its not a misconception, but more of a pet peeve.
**SHOES**
I'll try and do some more thorough reviews of some of the shoes later, as I try on almost every shoe when it comes in, but this is a quick run down of some of the shoes I deal with. I'm sure I'll forget some, so I'll try and add more as I think of them. This is in NO WAY comprehensive.
Neutral Shoes
firm(er):
Asics Cumulus - the shoe feels quite firm. Gel in the heel and forefoot. Some people feel a "knot" or "lump" under the forefoot, they either love it or hate it. Some people don't feel the lump at all.
Saucony Trigon Ride - the back of the Saucony tends to be a little higher than other shoes, be sure that it isn't rubbing your achilles.
Mizuno Wave Rider - people seem to love or hate mizuno shoes. if you are light on your feet, you may not have enough pressure to compact the wave, so they might feel uncomfortable.
In-Between Shoes:
Nike MaxMoto
Nike Pegasus
New Balance 1060
Brooks Glycerin
Cushion Shoes:
Adidas Supernova Cushion
Mizuno Creation - again, comfort depends on runner.
Asics Nimbus - has more gel than the cumulus. also has sections of elastic material that allow the shoe to expand with the foot. tends to correct very mild overpronation
Saucony Triumph - VERY ventillated shoe. again, watch the back of the shoe rubbing your achilles. tends to correct some overpronation
Stability Shoes
I'll try and list these from lighter stability (smaller medial post) to heavier stability (bigger medial post)
New Balance 767 ST
Asics 2120
Mizuno Nirvana
Saucony Trigon Guide (firm)
Brooks Axiom
Nike Air Structure Triax
Saucony Hurricane (cushion)
Adidas Supernova Control
Asics Kayano (cushion)
New Balance 1222
New Balance 857
Brooks Adrenaline (firm)
Brooks Trance (cushion)
Motion Control Shoes
Nike Air Cesium
Saucony Stabil
Asics Foundation
Brooks Beast
------
I didn't get in to lightweight trainers, nike free, trail shoes, or racing flats. I'm sure there is a lot left out as I just typed this in my down time at my night job, so I'm not even looking at any of these shoes currently. I'll try and append this as things arise, and I'll try and add better reviews for the shoes when I can.
Feel free to ask questions.
[This message has been edited by AggieOO (edited 9/25/2007 9:21p).]
I'll try to divide this up, so that it is easier to find sections you are looking for. I'll try to edit this post to add things that I forgot or issues that arise.
**INTRO**
Pronation is your body's natural way of absorbing shock. Most people are heel strikers. They land on the outside of their heel, their foot transitions flat, and then they toe off to the outside. Overpronation is when your foot continues to roll in once your foot comes flat on the ground. Overpronating can cause any number of running-related injuries (shin splints, stress fractures, tendonitis, ITBS, etc). Other people supinate, which is staying on the outside of your foot. There is not shoe to correct supination.
If you live somewhere that does not have a place that will analyze your gait, this can help you make an informed decision of what type of shoe to buy.
People with higher, more rigid arches tend to be neutral runners. People with lower, flexible arches or people with flat feet tend to be overpronators. Nothing is definite though. People who run on the outside of their feet are supinators (VERY rare).
**ARCH TEST**
To test your arch, you can use this test:
http://www.thefinalsprint.com/2006/06/your-foot-type-a-simple-test-to-find-out/
but the recommendations for shoe types aren't neccesarily accurate, just use it to check your foot type. However, the above link isn't 100% because someone could have a low arch, but a very rigid low arch. Another way to get an informed guess is to sit down and have someone put their finger under your arch, then stand up. If the person can feel your arch collapse on their finger (they feel pressure), then you have flexible arches, which means you are more likely to overpronate.
Without having your gait analyzed and using the above method(s) to test your arch, these are the following recommendations (which are not guaranteed without a good analysis):
high, rigid, or stiff arch (neutral runner): neutral shoe
flexible arch or flat foot (overpronator): stability shoe
VERY flat foot (severe overpronator): motion control
Now I will define the three types of shoes above:
**TYPES OF SHOES**
neutral shoe: the sole is made of all the same material. These shoes allow your foot to do what it does naturally.
stability shoe: stability shoes all have a medial post, which is on the inside of both shoes.
The medial post is made from a more dense material and is harder than the rest of the sole. The harder material prevents your foot from rolling in. The bigger the medial post, the more support the shoe has.
motion control shoe: VERY few people need motion control shoes. We are talking MAYBE around 2% of overpronators. These shoes will be bulky and often have an "orthopedic" look to them.
Once you know what type of shoe you need to be in, there are still quite a few factors that should be taken in, such as foot shape, mileage, distances, etc.
**FOOT SHAPE**
Getting a shoe that fits your foot can make a huge difference in comfort and preventing blisters and other annoying pains. Differet shoe manufacturers make their shoes in different shapes, which many people don't realize. Look carefully at the shape of your foot and fit the shape to a shoe that is shaped the same way. Again, nothing is definite, some people will be fine in a shoe that doesn't match their foot shape.
Narrow Shoes:
Nike, Mizuno, Addidas - shoes are narrow and straight. The heel and the toebox will both be the same width.
Straight Shoes:
New Balance - the heel and toebox are the same width, but they don't run as narrow as the shoes above. For this reason, many people say that NB run a little wide, which they really don't.
Wide(er) Shoes:
Asics - these shoes are actually hour glass shaped. They are narrow through the arch and wider in the heel and toebox, with the toebox being a bit wider than the heel.
Brooks - these shoes are "D" shaped. The inside of the shoe will be pretty straight, but the outside will curve out, forming the "D" shape. They also have a little more room in the toebox.
Saucony - these shoes are "V" shaped. they are narrow at the heel and then get wider toward the toebox. They "hug" your heel, but have quite a bit of roon in the toebox.
**OTHER FACTORS**
here are a couple other things to consider:
-do you like a more cushioned shoe (it'll have much more give and feel more "squishy"
or a more firm shoe (less cushion, less shock absorbtion, but might feel like you are more "stable"?-what type of surface will you be running on? do you need a trail shoe? Most trail shoes are the same as their counterparts except that they have more traction on the bottom, the tongue is typicallly attached to the shoe to prevent dirt & rocks from entering, and some of them are water/weather resistant.
**SIZING**
wear socks that you would normally be running in when trying on shoes, as it can affect sizing.
length:
You typically buy running shoes a half to full size larger than your normal shoes. The reason for this is that your feet spread out or "Swell" when you run. The spreading of the feet also occurs over the course of the day, so if you typically run in the mornings, you don't need as much room as you would if you run at night. Also, the longer the distances you are running, the more room you will need. Typically, you want a thumbs width between the end of your big toe and the end of the shoe. CHECK BOTH FEET! Alot of people have different sized feet. You could think you are
fine and then run into problems later with the other foot.
Why should you care? Well, if there isn't enough room at the end of your running shoe, you toes hit the front of your shoe. When this happens, your toenail is lifted away from your toe, which is basically ripping off your toenail. The toenail will eventually turn black and fall off. This is also a good reason to make sure you keep your toenails trimmed.
width:
Your foot should not cause the shoe to bulge or expand over the edge of the midsole. This can cause pain, blisters, etc.
*Try to fit for shoes close to the time you normally run*
**common misconceptions:**
"I supinate because there is wear on the outside of my shoe" - very little can actually be told from the wear of a shoe. 99% of the time i hear this phrase it is b/c they are a heel striker and there is wear on the outside of the heel. if there is extensive wear along the entire outside edge of your shoes and you are in a neutral shoe, then you are probably a supinator. if you are in a stability shoe, it is likely that you are a neutral runner and the medial post is forcing you to the outside of the shoe, which causes the same problems as overpronating.
"I need orthotics." - no offense to any orthopedians, but the right shoe can almost always fix the same problems that orthotics do (assuming the orthodics are correcting for overpronation). People spend way too much money for nothing basically. HOWEVER, if you do have orthotics and are going to wear them in your running shoes, TAKE THEM WITH YOU FOR A GAIT ANALYSIS. If someone puts you in a stability shoe to correct your overpronation and then you put your orthotics in later, you
will be overcorrecting.
"I have flat feet." maybe you do, but i'd say at least ~40% of the people I hear this from are wrong.
"I overpronate." unless you know for sure through a gait analysis, you probably have no clue.
"I pronate." of course you do. everyone does. guess its not a misconception, but more of a pet peeve.
**SHOES**
I'll try and do some more thorough reviews of some of the shoes later, as I try on almost every shoe when it comes in, but this is a quick run down of some of the shoes I deal with. I'm sure I'll forget some, so I'll try and add more as I think of them. This is in NO WAY comprehensive.
Neutral Shoes
firm(er):
Asics Cumulus - the shoe feels quite firm. Gel in the heel and forefoot. Some people feel a "knot" or "lump" under the forefoot, they either love it or hate it. Some people don't feel the lump at all.
Saucony Trigon Ride - the back of the Saucony tends to be a little higher than other shoes, be sure that it isn't rubbing your achilles.
Mizuno Wave Rider - people seem to love or hate mizuno shoes. if you are light on your feet, you may not have enough pressure to compact the wave, so they might feel uncomfortable.
In-Between Shoes:
Nike MaxMoto
Nike Pegasus
New Balance 1060
Brooks Glycerin
Cushion Shoes:
Adidas Supernova Cushion
Mizuno Creation - again, comfort depends on runner.
Asics Nimbus - has more gel than the cumulus. also has sections of elastic material that allow the shoe to expand with the foot. tends to correct very mild overpronation
Saucony Triumph - VERY ventillated shoe. again, watch the back of the shoe rubbing your achilles. tends to correct some overpronation
Stability Shoes
I'll try and list these from lighter stability (smaller medial post) to heavier stability (bigger medial post)
New Balance 767 ST
Asics 2120
Mizuno Nirvana
Saucony Trigon Guide (firm)
Brooks Axiom
Nike Air Structure Triax
Saucony Hurricane (cushion)
Adidas Supernova Control
Asics Kayano (cushion)
New Balance 1222
New Balance 857
Brooks Adrenaline (firm)
Brooks Trance (cushion)
Motion Control Shoes
Nike Air Cesium
Saucony Stabil
Asics Foundation
Brooks Beast
------
I didn't get in to lightweight trainers, nike free, trail shoes, or racing flats. I'm sure there is a lot left out as I just typed this in my down time at my night job, so I'm not even looking at any of these shoes currently. I'll try and append this as things arise, and I'll try and add better reviews for the shoes when I can.
Feel free to ask questions.
[This message has been edited by AggieOO (edited 9/25/2007 9:21p).]