Find Your Fit

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Different colors and designs of athletic shoes line the walls of every shoe department store. The mass number of sneaker diversity can make shoe shopping an overwhelming and stressful experience. And even if there is a great looking pair, is it really what’s best for your foot or workout routine? According to one professional, the type of shoe in relation to your foot and workout really does matter.

“In general, walking shoes are very supportive, cushioned and have a low degree of flexibility, but the real difference is in the type of running shoes,” says Andrew Chaddick, Downtown Athletic Club executive director and trainer. “The choice really depends on the goal of the client.”

According to Andrew, running shoes are broken down into five categories: motion control, support, neutral cushioned, performance, and barefoot. On one side of the spectrum, the motion control shoes are highly supportive, highly cushioned, fairly flexible, and generally heavy in weight whereas, on the other side of the scale, barefoot shoes have basically zero support, little to no cushioning, and are extremely lightweight.

“Running shoes are going to be lighter and more flexible than trainers, but break down faster if used for gym work or everyday wear,” Andrew says. “If you only use your shoes to run, they’ll last quite a bit longer.”

Another great way to increase the life expectancy of an athletic shoe is to purchase a pair of insoles.

“A client would want to make sure to choose an appropriate insole based on his or her arch support, pronation control, cushioning, and, ultimately, the goal of the shoe,” Andrew says.

In order to keep feet healthy and in good care, Andrew suggests stretching the muscles of the lower leg and rolling out the bottom of the foot on a daily basis with a golf or lacrosse ball. This movement helps massage and decrease the likelihood of soreness and inflammation of the tendons in the foot. These movements and replacing shoes every three to six months will help cutback the possibility of a foot related injury.

“After an injury has occurred, “Andrew says,” following the RICE principles (Rest, Ice, Compression, Evaluation) will help, and consulting a medical professional if the injury is not improving will help get you back on your feet.”

by Maddy Cunningham

Maddy is a senior at Randall High School where she is the co-editor of The Silver Streak, president of the National Honor Society and an actress in the varsity Productions Theatre. She is passionate about writing and loves striking conversations with others.