Sam McCracken, manager of Nike's Native American Business program, holds up the new Air Native shoe.
/ AP Photo/Don Ryan
A fitting pair of running shoes not only makes a big difference in experiencing a pleasant or unpleasant running, but also in keeping feet healthy. Experts suggest that a suitable running shoe is the one that matches the running pattern of a person as well as his foot type. Other factors, which help people to choose suitable pair of running shoes, are pronation, stability, and motion control.
Choosing suitable running shoes
The recent patterns of running shoes are made to comply with various types and shapes of feet. The suitable pair of running shoes with apt pronation, stability and motion control can be determined based on the shape of the feet. The following are the three basic shapes of feet and guidelines to select an appropriate pair of running shoes.
Normal feet: A normal foot does not particularly have a high or low arch. When you observe at the footprint, a curve is visible along the inside of the foot with less than half the width of the feet at its greatest part. People with normal feet are recommended to select Stability running shoes with medial arch-side support, moderate mid-sole cushioning, and medial post of motion control. These shoes provide balancing support along with appropriate cushioning for a pleasant running experience for people with normal feet.
Flat feet: A flat feet has straight looking footprint from toe to heel, with almost no inward curve. People with flat feet are called over-pronators, as they are more likely to roll inwards while running. These people are recommended to select motion-control shoes with medial post, as they provide maximum rear-foot control with extra support on the arch side of their shoes. Thus, they prevent them from too much rolling inwards and overuse injuries.
High arched feet: People with high-arched feet are called supinated or under-pronators. The footprint of a high-arched foot has a very lean band of imprint between the toe and the heel. Under-pronators are recommended to choose cushioned shoes with dense mid-sole cushioning and medial arch-side support. Shoes must be flexible with soft cushion to support their under-pronation.
The size of the shoe also matters while choosing a suitable pair of running shoes. It is recommended to choose shoe size with half a thumb space between top of the longest toe to the end of the shoe. A little care while choosing the running shoes will help you to have a pleasant running experience without affecting the health of the feet.
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