It can be confusing and overwhelming to figure out what kind of running shoes will be best for you, your feet, and your running style. Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do when trying on shoes to make the choice easier.
If you’re dealing with a running injury in Austin, you can request a free consultation with one of Carter Physiotherapy’s running-expert physical therapists. We can quickly figure out what’s causing your pain and limiting your mileage—without it costing you a dime.
The Complexity Of Shopping For Running Shoes In Austin
I recently asked one of our running injury and running shoe specialists his advice on how to pick the best running shoe. He answered, “If you go to a running store, you might find 50, 60, or 70 different options to choose from. It can be overwhelming even for me.” The reality is there are a lot of different options for a lot of different running forms.
Overpronation
One thing we often hear from our runner patients who have visited a few running shoe stores is, “I totally overpronate.” This concerns me because I’m not sure how the shoe store attendant is assessing overpronation. Are they properly trained to know how much pronation is normal and how much is too much?
Pronation is not a bad thing. We NEED to pronate … It’s appropriate and it’s how we transport forces around the body.
Just be cautious. Most people don’t need highly corrective, high-arch-support running shoes. When we overcorrect a runner’s feet, it tends to create a lot more problems. It can lead to new injuries as they run.
We should allow the foot to move appropriately and normally as possible. That is, we should utilize shoe correction and/or orthotics only as much as necessary.
Assessing running shoes
When you go to one of the many running shoe stores in Austin, they may suggest you assess a running shoe by jogging on their treadmill for a minute or two.
Unfortunately, that’s not really enough time to truly evaluate a shoe. You won’t know what it will do to your feet until you get home and start running 3, 4, 5 miles or more. However, most stores won’t take back shoes that were used on actual runs.
But there are a couple things you can do at the store to help choose the right running shoe. The shoe that makes you feel most stable and balanced during these tests is likely going to be the best choice for you.
- Single-leg balance: Balance on one foot (wearing the new shoe) for 30 seconds. If you’re all over the place and you can’t control your balance, it’s probably not the right shoe for you.
- Single-leg squat: While wearing the new shoe, do a squat using just one leg. If the new shoe helps you feel more stable than you feel with other shoes or while barefoot, it might be a good choice.
Other Resources For Runners In Austin:
Enjoy Trail Running? Click here to learn about our favorite 5 trail runs in Austin (includes descriptions of the runs, difficulty levels, and map locations)
Click here to learn some really important exercises for runners and how to prevent one of the most common causes of running injury
If you know you want to learn some of the most important running-injury prevention exercises, click here to check them out.
Request a Free Consultation
If you’re already dealing with a running injury in Austin, click here to request a completely free consultation with a running-expert physical therapist. We can quickly figure out what’s causing your pain and limiting your mileage without it costing you a dime.
