A trainer must fit correctly, leaving room for foot swelling and movement.
Picking the right running shoes is dependent on many factors. One of these is your biomechanics, or how you run. The foot hits the ground and the foot rolls inward to cushion it and lift off again. This is called pronation, and whether you whether you over-pronate, under-pronate or do neither will help determine what types of running shoes are best for you. How the foot strikes the ground is another factor. You may be a forefoot striker or a mid-foot striker. Different types of shoes are also useful for different purposes; for example, a trail trainer is designed for off-road running.
Instructions
1. Stand your old running shoes on a flat surface. If your shoes show an inward lean, then you over-pronate. You'll need support shoes or motion control trainers. An outward lean indicates under-pronation. Cushioning shoes are needed to make sure you are protecting your feet enough from the pressure of hitting the ground. If your trainers don't lean either way, choose neutral shoes.
2. Wet your feet and stand with your foot on a piece of paper. A low arch will show a smaller space between the forefoot and the heel; a high arch will show a greater area. With a regular arch, the distance will be about half the width of your foot. A low arch means a greater probability of over-pronation and calls for the use of support shoes. A high arch means under-pronation and calls for the use of cushioning shoes, while a regular arch means a neutral pronation and shoe choice.
3. Run as you would normally do, taking note if you strike the ground with mostly your forefoot or equally with your forefoot and mid-foot. A forefoot striker needs more protection around the front of the shoe in the form of cushioning.
4. Choose a type of shoe according to how you exercise. Racers are good for running fast distances but have little support, for example in track work. Lightweights are also used in race work and provide little protection for the foot. Trail trainers are for off-road running.
Tags: arch means, arch will, arch will show, forefoot striker, high arch, off-road running