Are you wearing the Correct Shoe when Exercising??

Commonly I find myself having the same conversation with my patients and even my friends and family. We will be talking about exercising, or maybe sports that we play and someone will complain of their foot hurting. It might be arch pain, ball of foot pain, toe pain, tightness, or even just tired feet.

Most people do not realize that just because you are wearing a "name brand gym shoe" you may actually be wearing a shoe that is very wrong for your foot. I remember when I was younger, had not been to school and educated about different types of shoes I would walk into a shoe store and pick my new shoes by the look of the shoe or the color of the shoe. I would think to myself, I love purple I want that shoe.

Here is the problem:

All brands of gym shoes make shoes that are structured for different foot types. There are four main categories:
Neutral, Stability, Motion control, and Walking shoe.

Each shoe is made for a specific "foot type". Lets say you are wearing a asics shoe that is a neutral, but you pronate during the gait cycle... this could lead to a lot of foot issues.

You are probably thinking.. How do I know which foot type I have.

Most running stores now have trained people that are able to evaluate your gait and determine if you are wearing the correct shoe. If you are having pain in your back, legs, or feet your best option would be to see a Podiatrist. They are able to evaluate your gait cycle and your biomechanics and help you find the correct shoe for your foot type.