Running shoes, here's how to choose them

" introduction

Edited by Dr. Stefano Casali

1. Choice of the shoe in relation to the weight of the athlete

It is evident that the weight of athletes can vary considerably depending on the physical characteristics, gender and sports specialties we are going to consider; a shoe built and structured for light athletes would not be suitable for use by a heavy athlete as the materials used, the shock absorbing capacities of the antishock systems and the structure of the shoe are designed for use by a "light" athlete;

therefore it is not enough for the athlete to choose the right size of the shoe he likes best, but rather he should pause to evaluate the structural characteristics of the various models. Imagine a "heavy" athlete running on the asphalt or doing a training based on jumps and jumping with an ultralight shoe makes us easily understand how this practice can favor, especially with repeated training, overload phenomena of the joint and muscle-tendon structures involved in these actions, and this precisely because of the "structural impossibility, by the shoe, to carry out an effective stabilizing and shock-absorbing action in the various phases of support on the ground. All the main manufacturers have footwear in their catalog with different characteristics to adapt to the weight of each athlete who can thus easily orient himself towards the tool that best matches the your body mass and with the type of training you will have to do.

2. Choice of the shoe in relation to the training ground

Another important aspect that the athlete should consider when choosing a shoe is that relating to the bottom on which he will have to train; excluding specialist footwear, a classic running shoe has a moderately knobbly sole that allows a good performance on almost all surfaces (tartan, asphalt, grass, sand, linoleum etc.) but which loses its grip characteristics on dirt and muddy surfaces. Just like for the motocross rider who equips his vehicle with knobby tires, the athlete who is training on heavy surfaces requires footwear made specifically for this use: the salient features are to be found in a considerably more robust structure that is often accompanied by a greater weight and a strongly textured sole, which allows optimal grip on heavy surfaces. Therefore, if the athlete decides to carry out his training on this type of terrain, he must necessarily keep in mind that the use of these specific footwear can guarantee greater safety, as the better grip can protect him from slips and consequent possible injuries that they can affect the training session or even affect the entire preparation.

3. Choice of the shoe according to the type of arch support

Many practitioners, probably, after continuous use, will have noticed the signs of wear on their running shoes that often manifest themselves with wear in the internal or external area of ​​the heel, and, in some cases, with the failure of the upper in the front area. internal or external that can even tear. A bit "like when we happen to check the wear of the tires of our car realizing that we have worn them irregularly, perhaps due to a convergence" to be redone ", an analysis of the footwear at the end of the its "life cycle" can help the technician and the athlete to identify the support characteristics and, in the light of any anomalies, direct them towards the choice of a shoe with different characteristics. A useful aid is provided by the "baropopodometric examination that can be performed dynamically by walking or running on a" special platform equipped with special sensors, the athlete sends the data relating to his or her plantar support to a computer that shows on the display in real time how and measure it uses the foot in all phases of support. The data of the baropodometric examination are therefore very important because, in addition to being fundamental for the construction of a possible insole, they can direct the athlete towards the choice of a shoe that is really suitable for their own support characteristics. If subjects with a normal type of support or with a tendency to supination are directed towards a type of shoe with different "neutral" characteristics, it will be the choice that athletes who are classified as overpronators will make. a marked pronation of the foot in the dynamic phase, in fact, almost all the main manufacturers ici of shoes have in the catalog special models called "antipronation". The salient feature of these shoes is to present in the median internal area a special insert, usually in plastic material, which has the task of supporting the athlete's foot thus offering valid support during running and other dynamic actions. they are objectively assessable studies and evidences that put the plantar support in close relationship with the overall posture of the subject and that, both in the case of athletes and in that of "Sunday sportsmen", make us reflect on how this aspect should be taken care of and considered like others when we find ourselves working with them, whether they are adults or subjects in developmental age.

Other articles on "Running Shoes"

1. Fitness: training shoes
2. Running shoes

To learn more: Stretching before running To learn more: Stretching after running