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Thursday, March 13, 2008
Time for a new running shoe
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You know how misery loves company?
Well I’d like to hear that someone shares my angst when it comes to finding the right running shoe.
I’m buying new sneakers this weekend, and a shoe with both cushion and ankle support would be wonderful.
What about you? Have you ever altered your shoes for comfort? My editor says he knew a guy who sliced the bottom of his shoes with a razor.
I wrap my ankles in ace bandages before I run and always figured a custom-made shoe would be the smart way to go, but Dr. Alan S. Rothstein of Windy Hill Podiatry Associates , says to hold up on that idea.
“It’s not necessary to buy a custom shoe,” he says. “There are so many brands and models for every type of foot. It’s very rare that a person would need a custom shoe. Go to a running specialty store and get sized. [Try on] a half size larger than your regular shoe and wear socks that you run in.”
(Even before you buy a shoe online, check it out it in the store first, Rothstein says.)
Does how a show looks matter to you?
I bought my current pair of running shoes about this time last year - right before the ING Marathon.
It was an ordeal. I found a great pair of Mizunos. Well actually, they would’ve been great for someone who required less support. The store was nice enough to take them back after I ran in them and realized I needed a stronger shoe. Then the sales guy spent an hour, to no avail, trying to find a better pair.
I stopped in Sports Authority a few days later. A couple of sales guys spent two hours hunting through shoe boxes and calling other locations to check sizes for me. I finally settled on a pair of Asics and spent an additional $25 on inserts for better cushion.
It was worth it because I’m still running in them, but it’s time they retire.
ROTHSTEIN’S TAKE ON ACHY ANKLES AND JOINTS
The podiatrist says that when folks complain about their ankles, he usually suspects something else.
“Usually people are talking about joints that roll when they stand. That’s not ankle, that’s foot,” he says. And that could call for a stronger heel counter, [a device in the heel area of the shoe which minimizes pronation] or a different wedge that better supports the foot.”
Tendinitis sufferers sometimes use an elastic ankle support that wraps or slips over socks and helps to avoid pressure from the top of the ankle.
If it truly is an ankle (or foot problem, says Rothstein) an orthotic insert may be necessary. It’s made from an impression of the foot and gives flexible support.
When it’s time for a new sneaker, how easy is it for you to find the right shoe? Are you running and fragile feet?
MORE: State of the Art Marathon Training. USA Fit/Team Spirit Active Trainer. Peachtree Road Race. Road Rules. ING Georgia Marathon.
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