| You love running. It's one of your favorite | | | | |
| past times. If you're stressed out from a | | | | Edge Wear: |
| long day at work, you go for a run to relax. | | | | |
| If you're tired, a run will give you energy. | | | | Tread loss is concentrated at the outside of |
| Sometimes you run to clear my head or enjoy | | | | the shoe. In extreme cases, there will be |
| being outdoors. Other times you are feeling | | | | holes in the upper where the runner's foot |
| competitive. Whether you run for fun, | | | | has broken through. |
| fitness, or competition, appropriate running | | | | |
| shoes are essential. | | | | New Shoe Tip: This is the usual wear pattern |
| | | | of runners who don't roll their ankles inward |
| If you're running on old or ill-fitting | | | | enough and tend to strike the ground with the |
| shoes, you put yourself at risk of poor | | | | outside edges of their feet. High, rigid |
| performance, discomfort, or serious injury. | | | | arches that restrict the foot's inward roll |
| Some people (like your father!) like to stick | | | | are a common cause of supination. Landing on |
| with their worn out shoes. There is no | | | | the outside of the foot puts a lot of |
| reason to stand by your smelly, dirty, | | | | pressure on the leg, so these runners tend to |
| running shoes. Believe it or not, shoes | | | | be candidates for stress fractures. They |
| aren't sentimental. | | | | should look for well-cushioned running |
| | | | shoes, that absorb some of the pounding, and |
| To find a pair of running shoes that are | | | | they should avoid stability shoes. |
| right for you, why not start by checking out | | | | |
| the wear pattern on your thread-bare New | | | | Heel and Forefoot Wear: |
| Balances? They've seen you through 200+ | | | | |
| miles, over that killer hill in the desert, | | | | Significant wear in the heel and the ball of |
| and through that snow storm in New England. | | | | the foot extending to the big toe. |
| But it's time to make new shoe friends. Here | | | | |
| are a few tips on how your wear pattern can | | | | New Shoe Tip: Runners who roll their feet too |
| help you improve your running with new and | | | | far inward as they land, commonly show this |
| better shoes. | | | | wear pattern. They often have flat arches and |
| | | | a more flexible foot, so it rotates farther |
| Even Wear: | | | | inward on the ground. Too much rotation at |
| | | | the hip or knee can also cause this. Running |
| Treads across the heel and under the ball of | | | | shoes that provide a lot of arch support can |
| the foot are both worn, with additional wear | | | | help runners limit the inward roll and keep |
| marks underneath the big toe. | | | | their stride in line. Since they break down |
| | | | soles more quickly than other runners with |
| New Shoe Tip: These are the hallmarks of a | | | | the extra rotation on the ground, these |
| healthy stride, and Runners who show this | | | | runners should wear heavier shoes with more |
| wear pattern are okay in the shoe model | | | | durable rubber outsoles. |
| they're wearing, although heavier runners may | | | | |
| benefit from a running shoe with some | | | | Heel Wear: |
| stability.. Just keep an eye on the treads: | | | | |
| If they're worn smooth at any point, it's | | | | Heel worn down to the midsole, with some |
| time for a new pair. | | | | slight wear around the ball of the foot. |