Exercise is an essential part of leading a happy and healthy lifestyle. Whether you’re into playing a team sport, lifting weights at the gym, or going for a run outside, anything that gets your body moving and your blood pumping is great.
If you’re going to exercise, however, it’s just as important to look after your body and listen to what it’s telling you. If you’re experiencing intense fatigue and stiffness after a hardcore session, maybe take a break the next day. If you’re in any kind of pain, seek medical attention.
However, as we always say, prevention is better than cure, and if you’re a runner, there are many things you can do give yourself the best chance at running without getting injured. You can stretch and follow a training program, but the best thing you can do is get yourself running shoes that are perfect for you.
Here are the most important factors to consider when you’re buying new running shoes.
Your Foot Type and Shape
This may sound odd, but everybody’s feet come in different shapes and sizes, the latter being more obvious than the former. Some may have what are considered “standard” type feet, while others may experience other types of issues, such as dropped arches.
Luckily, no matter what your foot type and whatever ailment you may suffer from, you can find just about everything to suit your feet these days.
These best thing to do is to go to a sports store where they have specialised running shoe experts. They will be able to listen to your needs as well as assess your feet to help you decide which shoes you should take home. Getting the right shoes can also depend on your gait, so some experts may even ask you to walk or run on a treadmill to get a better idea of what they’re dealing with.
What Kind of Running You’re Doing: Distance and Terrain
Contrary to what we used to be believe, running shoes are not all the same. These days, footwear has advanced so much that you can get different running shoes depending on the average distances you run as well as your preferred terrain.
That is, a marathon runner will be looking to purchase different shoes to somebody who simply likes to go for a casual short jog once or twice a week. Likewise, trail runners and road runners will also require different types of shoes. The former requires more support, stability and grip, whereas you may find that road running shoes will be slightly more lightweight and have more subtle grip.
What’s Comfortable?
Most importantly, running shoes need to be comfortable. You could be wearing the newest, to-of-the-range sneakers, but they still may not comfy. Do some research just like you would when looking for Breeders Cup odds before deciding on what shoes to get, and you won’t regret it!
Your body will tell you when it’s uncomfortable and when damage is being done. So listen to your body!