Running shoes: getting it right

Choosing a pair of runners is not just about style and money: it's as much about pronation as it is about what the shoe looks like.

JOE

By Leo Stiles

Regular exercise is vital for maintaining a healthy heart and keeping those love handles under control. Getting exercise is dependent on time, money and other resources and can be as comprehensive as a full gym work out or as simple as a regular run.

Among the most fundamental pieces of exercise equipment that you will have to buy are your running shoes. Your choice can mean the difference between an enjoyable and productive exercise regime or one filled with discomfort and possibly injury. Whatever your budget, being too thrifty on your footwear is a bad idea and you particularly need to consider your ‘pronation’ of your feet.

Pronation is the natural movement of the foot as the heel hits the ground. With each stride, the foot absorbs the impact by stretching or flattening the arch as it rolls inwards. The level of flattening and the degree to which the foot turns inward is how the level of pronation is measured.

While a certain amount of pronation is quite normal, excessive rolling of the heel or flattening of the arch stops the foot from absorbing the impact of a stride and can cause significant damage to the ligaments, muscles and tendons of the foot. Common ailments that are caused by over-pronation are Achilles Tendonitis, shin splints, ankle sprains and disgusting things like bunions and corns.

Serious conditions

While none of these conditions are life threatening, they are an indication that you need to take steps to correct your level of pronation before you start developing serious conditions such as injuries to your knees, hips or back. There are a couple of ways to find out the extent of your foot pronation…

The first test is pretty straightforward and is called the Achilles Heel test. All you need to do for this is to stand straight with your back facing a mirror. Looking at the back of your heel you should be able to see the Achilles tendon which runs from the back of your calf to your heel. If the tendon is visibly twisting outward then you can see your level of pronation in the severity of the twist.

The second test, called the Wet Test, is just as simple, but gives you more information and is a better guide for choosing your shoes. To do the test, wet the soles of your feet and stand on a piece of paper. The footprint will show you your level of pronation though the height of your arches and how much of your weight is supported on the inside of your feet.

Both tests are useful, but are not absolute guides and are no substitute for getting advice from a podiatrist or aÂ shoe store assistant with a reasonable amount of expertise.

Once you have got your level of pronation sorted out, then you can start shopping for your shoes. The range of shoes available is staggering but they can be categorised into normal, moderate or severe pronation.

Normal Pronation

The main concern in this category is stability and cushioning to enable you to get the best out of each stride. Support is also a factor if you have high arches.

Best Shoes

Nike Air Pegasus 26

Brooks Ghost 2

Moderate Over-pronation

Stability and cushioning are joined in this category by some form of motion control to stop your foot from rolling inwards too severely.

Best Shoes

Saucony Pro Grid Omni 8

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10

Severe Over-pronation

This category is all about motion control and if you have a bad case of over-pronation then putting on a pair of these will not only give you a big performance boost, but it will add greatly to your comfort too.

Best Shoes

Mizuno Alchemy 9