Proper Footwear
Whether your workout involves running, walking, sports or gym equipment, a decent sport shoe is a necessity. Injury caused by inappropriate shoes can needlessly derail your fitness or weight loss attempt. Investing in a quality shoe can help you to prevent foot and ankle damage, and make your workout a more pleasant and comfortable experience .A variety of sport shoes are on the market for every type of exercise. Running shoes that have inbuilt shock absorbers are available for joggers, and lightweight walking shoes are available for walkers. Aerobic shoes are lightweight and shock absorbing to prevent foot fatigue and to cushion the ball of the foot, which is put under pressure from aerobic exercise. Tennis shoes have flexible soles to protect your feet from the quick side-to-side movements of tennis. Thick-soled, high top basketball shoes provide extra protection against ankle and foot injuries caused by jumping. Cross-training shoes are also available which are suitable if you perform a number of sport or exercise types in your workout. So how do you choose the right shoe for you?
How to Choose the Right Shoe
Try purchasing athletic shoes from a specialty store where the staff will provide valuable input on the type of shoe needed for your sport as well as help with proper fitting. This may cost a premium in price but is worthwhile, particularly for shoes that are used often
Try on athletic shoes after a workout or run and at the end of the day. Your feet will be at their largest so you will be able to tell if they truly fit.
Wear the same type of sock that you will wear for that sport.
When the shoe is on your foot, you should be able to freely wiggle all of your toes.
The shoes should be comfortable as soon as you try them on.
Walk or run a few steps in your shoes. They should be comfortable.
Always re-lace the shoes you are trying on. You should begin at the farthest eyelets and apply even pressure as you create a criss cross lacing pattern to the top of the shoe.
There should be a firm grip of the shoe to your heel. Your heel should not slip as you walk or run.
If you participate in a sport three or more times a week, you need a sport-specific shoe.
It can be hard to choose from the many different types of athletic shoes available. There are differences in design and variations in material and weight. These differences have been developed to protect the areas of the feet that encounter the most stress in a particular athletic activity.
Benefits of Finding the Right Shoe
Choosing a proper shoe can help to protect you against common injuries associated with your type of workout. Good shoes can lessen the impact of your step and cushion the foot from heavy landings. In addition, sport or exercise specific shoes can improve your performance, enabling, for example, quick direction changes. Improper workout footwear can cause a number of injuries. Besides the more obvious injuries, including ankle sprains and fractures, bunions and corns, some other lesser known injuries are common. Metatarsalgia, a condition which presents as pain in the ball of the foot, can be worsened by poorly fitting footwear.
In summary, finding the correct shoe for your feet is very important and can help you avoid many major injuries. Your shoes should be sport/exercise specific and should fit properly. Worn out sport shoes do not provide your feet with adequate protection during your workout. Judge the wear of your shoes by checking the mid-sole of the shoe which will show damage sooner.
Sources:
http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/how-to/footwear/Pages/Selecting-Athletic-Shoes.aspx
http://www.runnersworld.com/running-shoes/how-to-buy-the-right-running-shoes
http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/how-to/footwear/Pages/10-Points-of-Proper-Shoefit.aspx
http://www.livestrong.com/article/297024-why-is-it-important-to-wear-proper-shoes-while-working-out/
