Best Running Shoes – individual considerations (part 2)
In my last posting about individual considerations when looking for the best running shoes I discussed the last, which is the form around which the running shoe is built. I also mentioned the Jeff Galloway book that I was pulling some of my information from. In this post I’m using the same book, but I’ll be talking about the type of foot you have.
Jeff suggests that there are two types of feet, rigid and floppy. The rigid foot moves forward and backward with little lateral motion. There is less pronation and a tendency for supination in those that have a rigid foot. This can put strain on the supporting tendons and ligaments on the outside part of the foot.
The next is a floppy foot, which exhibits more side-to-side motion. You’ll remember from the Rich Harris video and interview that a typical movement in running is to land on the crash pad and roll inward slightly (pronate) and finally push off of the big toe. This movement can seem exaggerated in someone with a floppy foot, and there is risk that excessive rolling can result in knee and shin problems.
OK, so how do you use this to find the best running shoes? In his book he mentions some details of what to expect in terms of shoe wear and shoe type, but I can’t fit it all into this article. He does say that the rigid foot tends to show more wear on the outside of the shoe and needs a lot of cushion in both heel and toe. A rigid foot may benefit from a flexible shoe and doesn’t require as much stability as the floppy foot.
The best running shoes for a floppy foot runner are slightly more complicated, depending on the motion observed. As with the rigid foot, the wear pattern of the floppy foot runner indicates what type of motion and shoe will be most beneficial, but the wear patterns are more varied. Some of the factors that come into play include board or slip last, arch support and careful choice of the amount of cushion. A podiatrist may be able to suggest orthopedic devices in extreme cases.
A final point that influences your choice for the best running shoes is the amount of pronation you experience. Pronation is a natrual mechanical shock absorption mechanism and doesn’t necessarily indicate that something is wrong. To say that you pronate isn’t to say that you have a problem, and your body very likely uses pronation to your benefit. If someone has said you’re a pronator, don’t get the impression that you aren’t then built for running. The right pair of shoes will help you to maintain a healthy stride.
In the next post on individual considerations I’ll discuss shoe shape and shoe fit, continue to that article: Best Running Shoes – Individual Considerations (part 3)
