[xAlanxEnglandx]

Some guy said its important to wear the right shoes when running... Why? is there some type of danger to your feet if your not wearing the right shoes?

 

[ed_m]

its worse than that.. there's danger of injury passed on all the way up your body!

primarily its to do with how your foot twists as it impacts & rolls across the ground. this twists the ankle joint which in turn means the lower leg has to twist to compoensate... this means tendons around the knee are out of position... quads in the upper leg have to compensate... muscles in the core & back also have to compensate and your back has to take the load.

ankle, calf muscle, knee joint, tendons & ligaments, quads, back & neck problems are all potential results.

now there's alot of if's and buts and personal variations on the above set of events.. the wrong type of shoe can exaggerate the effect whilst the right type will help minimise it.

you might get away with running in plimsoles, but you'd be a rare case if so.

 

[Granty]

At the beginning (a bit like you) never really understood the importance of 'correct footwear' but I have struggled with all sorts of leg related injurys most of which (touch wood) have disappeared since going to a running shop and getting a pair to suit my running style.

Best thing (running related) I've ever done.

 

[xAlanxEnglandx]

its worse than that.. there's danger of injury passed on all the way up your body!

wow i need to stop straight away and get some proper shoes...

but the impacts arnt deadly are they?

 

[ed_m]

stop straight away, buy some beer & fags and get yourself to the nearest sofa

deadly? not unless you have a 6inch nail lodged in the top of your spine (or something).

if you get anything other than straightforward muscle soreness, you're either pushing things too far too fast, or need to check your shoes.

 

[almost_no_specifics]

(hey, new member here!) But Amen to ed_m! I found I started getting problems after I'd been runing 5 months or so, my doctor (who just happened to specialise in sport science) told me to change my shoes... so I did... the problems kind of went away for a bit, but being a student, I'd skimped on going to a specialist shop because I knew they marked prices up quite a lot, but I was relatively comfortable (aside from a mile ache across the knuckle of my foot). Then I started breaking into higher mileage. From slight ankle twitches came problems with my hips and kness. Anyway, I bit the bullet and went to a specialist shop and low and behold, I was wearing asics that weren't made for over-pronators (I didn't think I was one...) and from the video footage of me on their treadmill they showed me I was over-pronating A LOT! So I tried on some shoes, tried them on their treadmill and ended up buying a pair of Brooks... Best decision I ever made. I felt no twinges what so ever, and as yet have never felt anything other than straight forward muscle ache. I no longer have to shy away from longer runs :d

Oh, and it's good to change your shoes every 300 miles I think they say. The cushioning can become degraded.

 

[JBBury]

I heard 500 miles was time to change shoes. I still think this is a bit excessive. I mean, do people who run 100+ miles per week buy a new pair of running shoes every 5 weeks? Who said running was a cheap way to stay fit?

 

[almost_no_specifics]

Yeah, I know what you mean. But some shoes are specifically designed to last longer, I know the Brooks shoes have some gel component that lasts forever apparently. All I know is, I started out with a pair of adidas shoes, and after having them a couple years, mostly using in the gym, and then for running, I started getting problems that, as mentioned above, my doctor attributed to "off" shoes. Then finally getting the right pair, it made sooooo much difference... it was quite unbelievable really.

 

[JBBury]

I've only worn New Balance running shoes, bought off the shelf. Never had a problem with them, so I just keep going back and buying a new pair in January sales.

 

[almost_no_specifics]

Maybe that was a lucky choice or you don't have any pronation or other such joint problems. Can't hurt to go speak to an assistant in a running shop! Besides you only have to do it once, then as you say, just buy the same type in a sale I think dorunning.com are really good, lots of cheap shoes all the time it would seem, and an awesome range, too!

 

[pedestrian]

I heard 500 miles was time to change shoes. I still think this is a bit excessive. I mean, do people who run 100+ miles per week buy a new pair of running shoes every 5 weeks? Who said running was a cheap way to stay fit?

Anyone who is committed enough to be doing 100 miles a week is likely to own several pairs of running shoes, thereby spreading the "workload" of each pair.

 

[pedestrian]

Besides you only have to do it once, then as you say, just buy the same type in a sale

...
... Unfortunately, it's not always possible to rely on a particular model remaining in production for year after year. Even if the name stays the same, the actual shoes often undergo various changes that can result in them being markedly different from the shoe you first "fell in love with".
On more than one occasion, I've resorted to buying more than one pair of the same model in case it's going to be discontinued or "improved" in the coming months.

 

[richardsimkiss]

very true... I run in Asics Gel Kayano's and they seem to bring out a new 'improved' kayano every 6months! Since joining a club though I can't see myself being able to afford running in Kayano's much longer

EDIT: How many times can you use 'Kayano' in a sentence? lol

 

[almost_no_specifics]

That's a good point actually... I may have to get on to dorunning and order a few pair of my Brooks... gts 7 adrenaline something or other... they're SOOO much cheaper on there!!

 

[richardsimkiss]

just keep an eye out in the magazines, typically one shop who's cheapest for a particular shoe one month, won't be the next month! :huh:

 

[Jason]

There's an Asics gait analysis roadshow type thing doing the rounds at the moment. Have a look here http://www.techtours.co.uk/ to find if they're coming near you and get yourself booked in. It seems to be a non-sales (non commercial) event so hope it's ok to post the link.

 

[sensible]

Think it probably is a sales tour as they have been doing it for a couple of years, same as Nike, Adidas,Saucony etc.They will analyse you and give advice on what Asics shoe would be most suitable but you don't have to buy that shoe, it simply gives you information on what type of shoe suits you.
Used to work for another brand for a few years doing a similar thing, would always recommend a suitable shoe from that brand but realised that not everyone suits that brand so would suggest alternatives from other brands

 

[richardsimkiss]

Indeed, it's very mucha brand based thing... it was the asics techtours that made me the asics man I am today! There's no real pressure to buy though, they just very much push the one brand.

On a related note, after tuesdays soaking wet run my trainers still weren't dry today, so I had to use my old trainers (ones recommended to me from my gait analysis). I ran 2-3 mins quicker than I normally do on the same route with no noticeable increase in percieved effort, felt much more comfortable though I could feel myself striking with the heel more - I tried a few short sections of forefoot striking and I was near silent! My current trainers make me sound like i'm stubbing my feet on the ground if I strike with the forefoot... How bizzarre!

(by the way, i'm pretty sure a fair part of the speed increase is owing to the fact that i'm tapering, so feel a lot more resting and raring to get out and run!)

 

[Jason]

I'm booked in for next weekend. It should be interesting, I have 2 pairs of asics shoes, one for pronation and the other neutral. Both bought on informed advice from running shops. Not sure which ones I should be in. The pronantion ones make my hips ache, the neutral ones make my knees ache.

 

[almost_no_specifics]

Perhaps you need something inbetween? On my latest trip to the running shop, I ran in 6 different pairs of shoes, 5 of which were for pronation, which from that, and previous, gait analysis I OBVIOUSLY overpronate quite a lot... but a couple of the shoes had TOO MUCH support, whilst others too little... in the end the ones I got were a perfect mid-ground... and thus far, still no complaints AT ALL :d

What I'm trying to say is that you need to run in the shoes aswell... walking in them is no good, so going to a shop with a treadmill is your best bet, because even a shop assistant can't tell you how they feel for YOU to run in.