How To Choose The Perfect Shoes For Your Running Style

It’s all in the shoes! It is incredibly important to wear the right footwear when you run. Wearing shoes that fit poorly or are not suited to your running type can result in more aches and pains than normal, and put you at risk of serious injury.

So let’s hear it from the experts! The team at The Athlete’s Foot are all trained in helping customers find their perfect fit. Tennille Dumbell, a fitting specialist from The Athlete’s Foot, gives us her advice on how to choose the perfect shoes for different running styles:

If you’re an Over Pronator:

Runners who over pronate (roll in) typically have an overly flexible foot.  As a result, after the heel strikes the ground, the foot continues to roll past the mid-stance position.  This, in addition to the combined vertical shock associated with heel strike, can increase stress to the foot, ankles, knees and hips.

After going through our fitting process to identify the runner’s needs, and using our exclusive fitting technology, FITZI, we would generally recommend a Motion Control or Stability shoe for this type of runner.

These shoes offer support through the inside of the shoe by using a firmer density foam to slow down the rate of pronation, as well as features like full ground contact, which help to provide a stable platform for the runner to land on.

Recommended shoes:

The Adrenaline GTS 16 balances stable and reliable support with an unbelievably smooth ride. The colours featured in these images are available exclusively at The Athlete’s Foot.

adrenaline gts 16

Transcend 3 is Brooks’ most technically advanced shoe and provides an unparalleled soft ride, along with dependable, adaptable support to keep your body aligned.

transcend 3

Experience a fun, responsive ride with super-quick heel to toe transitions and great energy return in the Ravenna 7.

ravenna 7

If you’re a Supinator:

Runners who supinate (roll out) do the opposite to the rolling in foot type.  Unlike the flexible over-pronating foot which rolls inwards after the heel hits the ground, a supinator’s foot is extremely rigid.

Consequently, the foot remains on the lateral side after heel strike, and because it does not pronate at mid-stance, less shock is dispersed.  “These foot types are fitted into our cushioned category of footwear, which focus on providing maximum cushioning to assist in dispersing shock,” Tennille says.

Recommended shoes:

Featuring Brooks Super DNA adaptable cushioning, the Glycerin 14 has everything a neutral runner needs to cruise in supreme comfort.

glycerin 14

The Ghost 9 delivers an incredibly effortless ride – the result of soft, protective cushioning and an ultra-smooth heel to toe transition.

ghost 9

If you’re a Neutral Foot Type:

We then see the runners in the middle who have a neutral gait where there is very little movement from side to side. These runners will also generally be fitted into our cushioned category of footwear.

Recommended shoes:

The Launch 3 is lightweight and extremely responsive, and is optimised for energy return while giving you a whisper-soft-on-foot feel.

launch 3

Overall…

It is important that runners are fitted into shoes that match their running activities, as well as their biomechanical tendencies to ensure that they don’t cause injury or get unnecessary fitting concerns like blisters, black toes or calluses on their feet.

As runs become longer, runners may fatigue and their form can change.  This can alter their running biomechanics and affect the muscles the runner relies on to pull through the rest of the run. When true fatigue sets in, technique is lost and injuries are more likely to occur. Footwear can provide protection for this, if fitted correctly to match the runner’s foot shape, biomechanical tendency and activity needs and requirements.

At The Athlete’s Foot, our shoes are categorised so the runner will enjoy a personalised fitting experience to match their needs. Ranging from shoes best suited for motion control and stability to guidance and cushioning, each level of support can be matched to a runner and their training requirements.

Need new kicks for the big day? Pop in to your local The Athlete’s Foot store with 26 stores located across QLD.

Have you been busting out your Brooks gear while in training? Tag us in your pics!

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