Running is one of the most popular activities among those who want to keep fit. But how do you choose the right shoe? here’s the answers

There are many models of running shoes and the latest release is always defined as revolutionary. The consumer is confused (especially if he is a neophyte). Each new model is always presented as the best of the previous ones, manufactured with materials, procedures and / or ergonomics capable of guaranteeing comfort and effectiveness for runners. And advertising risks making the choice even more difficult. But if you make the wrong shoe, you can’t run well and, moreover, you put your joint and back health at risk.

Some experts, confidentially, admit that around $ 130 or $ 150, all models are the same. However, you need to know which one best suits your expectations. Beyond the tastes and colors, which are not discussed, the choice of a shoe depends on very specific criteria that correspond to the morphological profile of the runner, his level of practice and the chosen terrain.

What are the criteria by which one must choose?

Fundamental rule: your running shoe must be suitable for your type of support. Whether you have a neutral support or a more or less slight pronation support (ie with the foot falling inside) there are many models on the market that are perfectly suited to your way of running. How to understand the way you place your foot? Specialized shops have treadmills, special platforms and above all a very long experience of feet and footwear: very simply I suggest when changing shoes to bring your used shoe with you because it is enough to look at the sole to understand where it is most worn and consequently how you place your feet.

Is it true that it also depends on the morphology of the foot and the weight of the runner?

I confirm. There are models more suitable for a wide plant or a narrow plant, a high neck or a narrow neck or the shape of your toes. Without forgetting that the most sophisticated running shoes have tires with different densities for male and female models, models that already differ in the weight and width of the sole. And a proposed weight: it is clear that ultralight shoes are perfect for performing athletes but are absolutely deleterious for newbies maybe even overweight. I always suggest as a first running shoe a very cushioned shoe as if it were an accident policy, then the time will come for lighter and more flexible models.

Does the choice also depend on the terrain on which you run? Because?

On the market there are trail running models (and brands specialized in this sector), shoes designed for running on unpaved terrain, with a often very sculpted sole and with strong grip and with a series of reinforcements to repair your feet that in case of climbs and descents need to be protected even more. In general, however, to run in city parks with unpaved but well-trodden sections, classic running shoes are fine.

How long does it take to change shoes and why?

In recent years, manufacturers have chosen the path of lighter, softer materials for shoes that are immediately ready for use: all this has led to a shorter product life. Going beyond 1000km of full reliability with a modern running shoe is now almost impossible if not in the case of very light athletes or with efficient biomechanics. Many take into account their mileage thanks to their loyal training companions or their GPS watches. If in doubt, you can easily do some empirical tests to understand at what point your shoe is. You can place it on the table and see if it hangs to one side (imagine the stresses to which the foot is subjected in that crooked shoe …). Or you can check the forefoot: if, by pressing with the thumb in the area where there are the notches for the flexion of the foot, the material gives as if it were ‘deflated’, it means that the shoe is now discharged.

To run efficiently, do socks also count?

Certainly. This is why it is always better to have at least a few pairs of specific running socks in your drawer. There are a thousand types (in terms of height, weight, material and of course color) and they are often a real concentrate of technology ad hoc for your foot. The right sock of the right size, better if differentiated right and left, with reinforced heel and toe, working in synergy with the right shoe, can protect against blisters, sores and mycosis. And forget about the cotton tubulars, a material that absorbs and retains sweat and humidity. It is best to choose technical and synthetic materials that allow the foot to breathe, expelling sweat to the outside and always keeping it cool and dry.

How to deal with the measure? Does the shoe have to be perfectly right, a little narrower or on the contrary wider?

The running shoe should always be bought half a point larger than the models you use daily. Because it is true that thanks to the new uppers, often without seams, the shoe quickly takes the shape of your foot. But it does so by widening, not stretching. And with the wrong number, the hated black fingernail of the marathon runner is lurking.

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