How to choose the right running shoes?
Good day everyone, today we will put on shoes for a run!
To begin with, not every sports shoe is suitable for this. Keds, for example, will not work, just as sneakers for basketball, tennis, walking, etc. will not work. Each sport implies a specific load, and for an unprepared athlete, it is most important to compensate for it correctly so as not to get injured.
There are shoes designed specifically for running - running shoes and spikes, they reduce the risk of injury and help to achieve good results. We will not talk about spikes in this article, they have their own focus and are not suitable for beginner runners, consider sneakers.
There are a few common features for running shoes:
1) Running shoes (with the exception of some special models) must have cushioning. It should be in the heel part of the sole, it also happens in the toe. All manufacturers of quality running shoes indicate the presence and position of cushioning inserts.
2) The sole and upper of the shoe must be flexible and soft in its front part.
3) On the sole there are inserts made of abrasion-resistant rubber. Most often, they are located in the heel and on the outside of the toe of the sneaker, where the main load falls.
4) Running shoes are never made of leather or other poorly breathable materials.
5) Rigid elements of the top of the sneaker are allowed only in the heel part. But they should not be in contact with the leg, rub and put pressure on the Achilles tendon.
6) The lacing should ideally be placed asymmetrically on the shoe, closer to the inside of the foot.
7) It is better if the lacing loops are not united by a single rigid bar. They should be able to move slightly so that the sneakers can be pulled tighter along the leg. However, this need not be the case.
8) The insole must be removable so that it can be replaced with an orthopedic if necessary.
9) The weight of a pair of sneakers should not exceed 400 grams.
But that's not all. Just because running shoes are basically good for running doesn't mean they're good for you. There are several factors to consider.
Athlete gender
Men's and women's sneakers differ not only in colors. The woman's foot is more demanding on shoes, so additional technologies and other materials can be used in it. The main differences between women's sneakers:
1) The proportions of the female leg on average differ from the proportions of the male, which means that the block is different. Women's block is narrower
2) The heel of women's running shoes has extra height to reduce the chance of Achilles tendon injury
3) Women weigh less than men and therefore the cushioning of women's sneakers is softer than men's
An exception to these rules is, as a rule, competitive shoes that do not have any serious design solutions and technologies, but are also not suitable for long-term training.
Pronation, supination and arch height
If you are not familiar with these concepts, then you can read about them in the article pronation and supination. Here, I want to note that when choosing sneakers, the degree of pronation and the height of the arch of your foot is one of the decisive values - this parameter directly affects the likelihood of injury. Overpronators with low arches should opt for shoes with arch support (protection against overpronation) as this will increase cushioning and save your knees. While it is completely contraindicated for hypopronators to wear them, the likelihood of twisting the leg increases.
Wide and narrow foot, shoe size
The width of the pad mainly depends on the manufacturer. For example, Asics traditionally has a rather narrow last, Saikoni and Brooks have a wide last, and Mizuno has a narrow heel and a wide toe. When trying on sneakers, pay attention to how they sit on the leg - the sneakers should fit snugly on the leg, but at the same time not press anywhere. Always lace up your sneakers starting at the bottom loops to get the best fit on your foot.
The size of shoes should be chosen so that the thumb does not reach the toe of the sneaker at least 3 millimeters. This is due to the fact that when running, the foot increases in size, and if you took the sneakers exactly in size, the nail may be damaged while running. For the same reason, sneakers are best measured in the evening, when the foot increases from the daily load. It is worth putting on your running socks for the fitting and bring your orthopedic insoles with you if you use them.
Some types of sneakers are made small. Most often it is competitive shoes.
Type of training and weight of the athlete
The pattern here is simple, the more your weight, the longer the distance and the worse the fitness of your muscles and ligaments, the more desirable cushioning and support. Which one (in which parts of the shoe) depends on the structure of your foot, biomechanics and running technique.
Heel to toe drop and running technique
The value of the difference is selected depending on the technique of setting the foot when running. There are usually three types of running: heel stance and midfoot or forefoot stance. When running on the heel, it is made higher and there is usually decent cushioning in the heel to minimize the risk of knee injury. When running on the midfoot or forefoot, the sole is flatter and the cushioning is located predominantly in the front.
Just as described above, a higher heel reduces the risk of Achilles tendon injury.
There is an opinion that a drop can affect your running technique and change it. We are skeptical about this assertion. The drop may help or hinder you a little with your technique, but never will this interference be so strong that the technique will change.
Summer and competition shoes are made light and breathable, they get wet easily. Winter and autumn-spring sneakers are made of denser materials that do not get wet well and retain heat better.
Contrary to the hopes of many people, there is no running shoe that is both well ventilated and does not get wet. Even Gore-Tex fabric, designed to solve this problem, does not always successfully cope with it.
Coating
The sole of the sneaker primarily depends on the surface on which we run. For running on treadmills, asphalt and other hard, flat surfaces, a smooth, soft sole is suitable. For unpaved tracks and similar softer grounds, the outsole is taken stiffer and the tread is made deeper to improve rebound. Running through the forest and in bad weather requires even more tread, and sometimes iron spikes, so as not to slip on the trunks of fallen trees, ice, etc. Also, these soles are made even more rigid to protect the athlete's foot from all kinds of sharp stones and snags.
In addition to the outsole, off-road shoes often have lateral support that protects the foot from dislocations and a denser mesh that is harder to damage.
The difference between brands is observed not only in the pads. Each brand has its own technologies, and although they are all similar in meaning to each other, they still have differences. So Asics uses gel, saikoni and brooks, foam for cushioning, and mizuno uses a plastic plate. They all perform the same function, but behave a little differently, so it's best to try several options and choose the most comfortable one.
Also, some brands have their own focus. For example, salomon focuses mainly on off-road.
Most of the characteristics considered can and should be determined independently, however, the degree of pronation and flat feet, as well as the nuances of the technique, are best specified using special equipment. This can be done by passing
