What are the Best Athletic Shoes?

At Footcare Express, I am asked all the time “What is the best athletic shoe? It is a question that is asked daily and has many answers. The best shoe depends on fit, comfort, construction, and the type of sports activity.

The function of an athletic shoe is to protect the foot from the many stresses of running, walking or other high impact activities. This function of footwear will help the athlete achieve his or her maximum potential. While in some parts of the world athletes run and participate in sports barefooted, most of us require and benefit from the use of sport specific shoes. The forces and motions that occur in different sports vary greatly. The type of activity that you are using them for should determine shoe purchases. For example, you would not want to buy a basketball shoe for running and visa versa. Walking and running shoes function best in a straight line where a tennis or basketball shoe requires lateral or side-to-side movements.

The majority of athletic shoes are not well designed. There are many shoes that have inflexible soles. This can cause calf muscles to work harder and can contribute to Achilles Tendonitis. If the shoe is too flexible in the midsole or they flex before the point where the toes bend, a stretch in the plantar fascia can occur and contribute to foot strain. This can be commonly referred to as Plantar Fasciitis. There are many top name companies that are cutting out the midsole of the shoe to make it lighter, however, the long term or even in some cases, the short term effects, can result in strains in the feet. Other things to look out for are inadequate support in the rearfoot or lack of room in the forefoot and poor shock absorption. In general, the most important factor is feel and fit. The best time to shop for an athletic shoe is at the end of the day when your feet are somewhat larger from the day’s walking. Also, make sure that there is a finger’s width at the front of the shoe. This will help prevent runner’s toe.

When shopping for the perfect shoe, it is also important to go to a place where the sales representative has knowledge of the appropriate footwear that matches the foot type. A person with a low arch needs footwear with a lot of support and good rearfoot control. Whereas, as person with a high arch needs more shock absorption and footwear that has a narrower heel. A wide heel may cause the rearfoot to move around too much in the shoe. A person with a “normal” foot would probably work best with a combination of the control and shock absorption. Believe it or not, most of the high-end athletic shoe companies have various styles of shoes that will accommodate different foot structures.

Shoes are not made to last forever, especially with the rigorous activity we put them through. A shoe’s midsole only lasts so long. The soft materials the are used in the shoe normally compress over a period of time and wear out. Eventually, the materials breakdown and no longer serve the function they once had when they were new. Most doctors will suggest that running shoes be replaced every 350 to 550 miles. This means that if you are running 20 miles a week, you should consider changing very 20 to 25 weeks. Many people feel that if they don’t see the sole wear down, then the shoe is still in good shape. The materials can be worn down without the shoe wear even being noticeable.

So it is very important to wear the proper footwear, especially during sports. Sometimes even the best footwear will not solve or help each person’s condition. At FootLabs, we try to help with these types of questions and create custom inserts for solving those hard to answer questions. Everyone has different make-ups and unique biomechanics. The best athletic shoes are those that are the best for you.

Blisters

Blisters

Blisters are extremely common sports and foot injuries but should be quite preventable. The main cause of a blister is friction between the skin and the shoes or hosiery surrounding the foot. The repetitious rubbing causes the outer layer of skin to separate from the inner layers skin and fill with fluid. This fluid is known as lymph fluid.

The most common blisters are associated with new footwear and wearing them for long periods of time before they are properly broken in but blisters do not need to a part of life. Avoiding blisters is not that hard.

It may seem like a common sense approach but believe it or not the majority of people wear shoes that are not properly fitted for them. So ensuring that your shoes fit correctly is the first line of defense to prevent blisters. There are also areas of the foot known as hot spots where blistering is most likely to occur. When breaking in new shoes, especially athletic shoes, it is a good idea to apply some sort of buffering tape to reduce friction.

Always make sure the seems inside your shoes remain flat. Protruding seams will rub and leather shoes tend to shrink when heated so seams that don’t bother your foot could actually change position or size and begin to rub. The area inside shoes must also be kept as dry as possible because wet or damp shoes and hosiery will cause blisters very quickly. If you suffer from sweaty feet, foot powder works miracles when it comes to reducing blisters. If you suspect you are beginning to suffer from blisters you will notice inflamed or reddish skin near the heal,toes and/or instep.

When attempting to treat blistering make sure you practice proper and sterile hygiene. If you choose to pop a blister, use a sterilized needle to make a small hole to allow the fluid to drain. Do not peel away the skin because it will form a protective layer reduce the chance of infection. Dress the area with a second skin or sterile tape to reduce pain and chances of further blistering and infection.

Blister plasters are wonderful little treatments for blisters and hot spots. They can be purchased at any drugstore and applied very easily to the skin. For short term fixes, Blister Plaster is terrific. However, continually looking for short term relief of blisters is not the goal. If preventative measures do not keep you from chronic blistering problems, it is time to take a deeper look at the problem.

Many chronic sufferers have odd shaped feet with certain maladies. A trip to the podiatrist to assess your foot problems is a great idea. He or she may prescribe custom foot orthotics or arch supports to reduce the exposure to your hot spots. Orthoses in general will bring your feet into proper alignment and keep the foot from moving around inside the shoes. There is a good chance your feet are not exact replicas of each other let alone the standardized shoes you have chosen, so truly custom foot orthotics can make a dramatic difference reducing friction that causes friction.

Custom orthotics do not need to be prescribed by a podiatrist. Any qualified Pedorthist can analyze a mold of the foot and fabricate proper orthotic devices. What cannot be done is to expect that an over that counter arch support or insert will be able to address your specific foot problem. They may help provide some support and stability but if they are not customized to your foot, they will do little to correct a very specific condition.