Let’s talk shoes for a second. How important are shoes for your bodies overall health and wellness. Well I think it can actually make quite a difference. It’s really unfathomable all the different types of shoes out there today. We have shoes built for style, running, lifting, biking, minimalist, basketball, ping pong, even boat shoes. I am specifically talking about shoes for working out, running, lifting, etc.. Some things we have to consider is that our feet aren’t meant to be congested and restricted of motion. Many shoes we use today prevent the foot from fully flexing, the big toe from extending, and the foot from rotating properly. When we are doing a movement pattern such as lunging or running, our foot needs free motion in order to move properly. If our shoes are too restrictive we may put more pressure on our achilles and knees than we think. For instance when doing a lunge, I need my foot to flex properly in order to prevent the achilles to stretch. Otherwise you may experience pain there. Anyone who knows me know I love my brooks running shoes, yes I love them, however not all of these are created equal and I like them mainly for high impact stuff such as running and jumping. The shoes you wear should allow free range of motion while offering some support depending on what the activity is. In an ideal world we would be able to walk around barefoot, however we know this isn’t the case. Here are a few things to consider on footwear.
- Is it actual anatomy or is your movement pattern wrong (If you have pain)-
One thing we are learning is proper running, walking, and crawling form starts with pressure on the outside and ball of your foot to create a “Natural arch”. Yes if I look at someone and their arches are collapsed we may think that we have to wear a shoe with better arch support. This may help alleviate the problem initially, but we need to work on proper running gait. Remember it shouldn’t hurt when you run or walk, as humans we are born to do this. No, “Im just getting old” is not a thing, its poor movement.
2. Wide toe box and less restriction is better for most activities-
As I mentioned above our toes aren’t meant to be smashed together and our forefoot needs the ability to flex in order for our whole lower half to function properly. Having said that, find some shoes that are less restrictive especially for activities that require a lot of lunging and jumping.
3. Support + functionality is the best way to go-
In my experience once I switched to a shoe with more support it really helped alleviate some of those lower limb aches and pains especially for the high impact activities. Recently I find that I also need less restrictions to allow my feet access to move. Kind of like sending your kids to school you have to let your toes “spread their wings”.
4. Walking and running gait is important-
Especially considering you may take anywhere from 3,000-5,000 steps in a day walking properly and with the proper support is very important. Knee and back pain can be attributed to poor walking and running patterns. Remember pressure on the outside and front of your foot as well as keeping your toes straight forward no duck feet.
Find that shoe with enough support but non restrictive for everyday activity. Once you get your shoes make sure to break them in to allow for proper foot pattern.
My personal favorite shoes-
For Cross Training-Brooks Levitates, nike metcons
For Running-Brooks Ghosts, Brooks Hyperion Tempo
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