TYPES OF RUNNING SHOES

Wearing the right running shoes can make the difference in your success in running, both in performance as well as injury prevention. The best running shoes have nothing to do with cost, so you should stop thinking that you should buy the most expensive shoe you can afford. The best running shoes for you are the ones that fit your feet the best.

There are basically 4 types of running shoes that vary depending on your foot type and the way your foot rolls inwards as you step. Your foot type is mainly determined by whether your arch is high, low (flatfoot), or neutral. As you step during your running, your foot should normally roll slightly from the outside to the inside. This is called pronation. Unfortunately, many people are mild or severe overpronators.

1. Neutral/cushioned: Typically, the athlete with normal arches will have normal pronation. This athlete will need shoes that protect the foot without interfering with the foot’s normal movement pattern. Cushioned shoes will protect against forces from the ground, but are typically lighter and less bulky than other shoes designed to control on. Runners that wear cushioned shoes tend to be very biomechanically efficient. Instinctive midfoot and forefoot runners usually will fit well into cushioned shoes.

2. Motion control: People with flat feet or low arches will tend to overpronate when they run. Overpronation often leads to pain under their kneecap (patella), as well as many other injuries from the ankles to the spine. Motion control shoes are specifically built bulky to keep the foot from overpronating. The typical athlete that wears motion control shoes is very flat-footed.

3. Stability: Most people fall into this category. Stability shoes are for people that have mild overpronation but do not need a bulky motion control shoe. These athletes may have a slightly low to high arch but will not be completely flat footed.

4. Minimal: Minimalist shoes and footwear mimic barefoot running, are designed only to protect your foot against the environment. They offer very little support and cushioning. Even if you are extremely biomechanically efficient, such shoes will likely increase your risk of injury.

In reality, there are many possibilities for choosing running shoes, but it is important to know that there are a just a few different major shoe categories. You can read through the “Choose shoes” section to learn about how you can choose the right shoe for you. But first, you can check out the summary of shoe types with photos of what each shoe generally looks like.