In Short...

• Find out if your feet are normal, high-arch or flat
• For flat feet, the shoe should increase stability; for high-arch feet, it should cushion properly
• Don’t scrimp too much on price when it comes to the right shoe

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The increase in the incidence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, high cholestorol and heart problems has resulted in an increasing number of doctors advising a growing number of their patients to “get more exercise”. However, if you work out, or run, or jog, or walk in the wrong pair of shoes, you may be solving, say, your heart problem, but wrecking your legs.

While running or jogging, with each strike you will create impact forces 2-3 times your body weight: for a 70 kg jogger, that amounts to about 200 kg of force per strike. Now, taking a stride length at 2 metres, there will be 500 strikes per km, or 250 strikes per foot. So, you will be subjecting each foot to five tonnes of force per km. Even at 30 km a week, that is 700 tonnes of impact a month! A seminal 1978 study associated 238 types of injuries with running alone. Injury-prone areas are knees, ankles, shins and hips. The right footwear will help reduce the possibility of injury.

Foot size

When measuring your foot, do so standing and preferably in the evening, since your foot is marginally bigger after a day of standing and walking. If you are buying running or gymming shoes, go for something that is a half to a full size bigger than your formals so that there is enough space in the toebox for your toes to flex.

Foot type

This is determined by the height of the arch of your feet. Only about 10 per cent of people have ideal arches, the bulk have either flat feet or high arches. Check your footprint on a wet sheet of paper. For a “normal” foot, the wet area between the heel and the balls of your feet will be about half the foot width. If the print is wider, you have flat feet; if narrower, you have a high arch.

Running/Walking

Flat-footed runners are subject to “overpronation”, where the foot rolls in with every stride. They need shoes that improve stability, with a stiffer bit in the midsole. High-arch runners are prone to feet rolling outwards, or supination. They need greater cushioning.

The ideal surface to run or walk is a cinder track or grass. However, most of us jog or walk on concrete or tarmac. So, shoes need to cushion the impact there. Impact forces increase for heavier persons, and they should take extra care about cushioning. Running shoes also need to have sufficient flex, to match the flexion of the foot. Also, some shoes that may be good for walking may not be so for running. For workouts, thinner-soled shoes can suffice, but some cushioning doesn’t hurt.

At the shop

If you talk to salespersons about what you need, you will find quite a few who know enough to help you find the right pair. Carry your old pair, since by looking at the wear a trained person can figure out a proper pair for you. Jog a little in the new pair to see if you are comfortable. Do not scrimp too much: an extra thousand or two could save you much more in medical bills later. Finally, don’t buy shoes ONLY because they look good.

abhijitmitra AT outlookindia DOT com