What to Look for in a Running Shoe

What to look for in a running shoe

Every runner is unique - we each have different needs, with different feet, different training programs and different budgets. It only makes sense that the best running shoe for you is one that is designed specifically to suit your needs and considers the shape of your foot, your biomechanics and the amount of running you do.

To start with, runners should always choose a shoe designed specifically for running. Running shoes are superior to their cross training or tennis cousins in that they are designed to support the shock of 2.5 times your body weight that is created by the impact each time your foot strikes the ground and is repeated thousands of times throughout the course of your run.

The running shoe also has specific advantages over non-specific running shoes with superior cushioning, appropriate flexibility, stability and motion control and traction for roads and tracks.

You can significantly reduce injury and improve your performance with the selection of the appropriate running shoe. The first step in this process is to assess the shape and movement of your foot. The shape of your foot can generally be divided into three categories: high, low and neutral arches. People with a low arch that almost touches the floor tend to have stability issues like over pronation and their feet tend to roll in, these people need stable shoes. High arched people usually have the opposite problem and roll out or supinate and in this instance it's important to choose a shoe with midsole protection. People with neutral feet tend to be somewhere in the middle and are easier to fit.

Now that you've assessed the shape and movement of your foot, you also need to assess your weight, keeping in mind that your feet absorb 2.5 times your body weight with each step. Heavier people really need to invest in a little more cushioning protection.

If you're a beginner, it's unlikely that you'll be pounding out huge mileage, so to start with it's not as important to invest in a highly advanced shoe. However, if you have biomechanical problems, investing in a good shoe from the beginning could save you future medical bills.

For more information or to compare Australian running shoes side-by-side visit <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=http://www.healthycomparisons.com.au/mens_running_shoes.aspx>Australia's running shoe information website</a>