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Running shoes - what makes them so special
Running is possibly the simplest, most flexible sport that you can take part
in. You don't need anyone else, you don't need to be at a certain place and the
only equipment you really need is a pair of Running Shoes.
You might say but I have a pair of tennis shoes, somewhere, surely I'll be OK
with them, or maybe even the Astroturf boots I use for five a side football.
However, ask yourself, you wouldn't try to play tennis with a hockey stick,
would you? Well running shoes are not a marketing gimmick; they really will
make a difference, to both your comfort, enjoyment and maybe even how fast you
run. Once you have run in a pair you won't want to run in anything else.
Unlike generic trainers or sports shoes designed for other specific sports,
running shoes are specially designed to help protect your body from the impact
forces that are involved with running as you literally jump from one foot to
the other. As you run, with every stride, there is up to FOUR times your body
weight going through your feet, whether you are six stone or sixteen stone,
four times your body weight is potentially a lot of stress on your joints.
Also very few of us have perfect feet, I'm not talking about expensively
pedicured tootsies, but how the arch of your foot works during each stride.
Your foot should land on its outer edge of the heel, then as your weight comes
forward, your foot will roll in towards the inside. This action is called
PRONATION, and is how your body absorbs shock. But, most people's feet OVER
PRONATE, this is where your arch collapses in too far, this is not necessarily
linked to high arched or flat feet, but it is more to do with how flexible your
arches are.
The photographs show the same person running in two different styles of running
shoes, the shoe in the picture on the left is causing the man to over pronate;
the red line on the back of the shoe should be going straight up and down,
perpendicular to the treadmill. But as you can see the foot has collapsed right
over, causing a severe bend in the Achilles tendon and all the muscles in the
leg will have to work harder to stabilise the unstable foot and tendons and
ligaments will be stretched longer and harder as well, which can lead to all
sorts of problems. The correct style of running shoes will help to guide your
feet through the proper movement, supporting the arch of the foot. As you can
see in the picture on the right where the correct running shoe is being worn,
the foot and ankle are now much straighter and everything is much more
balanced, this makes running much more comfortable and helps to minimise the
risk of injury.
A decent pair of running shoes will cost about £70.00 to £85.00, depending on
how much extra stability and cushioning the shoes have, the more technologies
involved, the higher the price but in terms of avoiding injury and comfort,
this is definitely an investment worth making.
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