There Are Different Types of Running Shoes?!

I was just talking to another friend of mine who confessed that she really wanted to run, however, she always ends up with a hurting knee after a run that is why she switched to swimming instead.

I told her that it might be because of her shoes which she immediately refutes, declaring that she has a good pair of running shoes. I then explained that some people need to have a special kind of running shoe if they tend to overpronate or oversupinate. This brought a furrow to her forehead. I then realized that not all people who run actually know this. So here goes the different major categories of running shoes to choose from depending on what kind of a runner are you:

The Motion Control is said to be the most aggressive at preventing overpronation. The Stability helps to limit overpronation but not as much as the Motion Control. The Neutral is for the runners who also run neutrally. Lucky people! The Supinators are for the minority who oversupinate. You will not see the difference at first glance but the difference lies within. Those tiny details are built into the shoe which may be invisible to the eye but "visible" to the feet.

Yesterday, when my husband and I went into two Adidas stores to register for the Adidas King of the Road race, I asked whether they can analyze if I am a pronator or supinator. They pointed me to the Trinoma branch which they claim, does that analysis. Though I feel I am a neutral runner, I want to double check just the same because I am currently using NikeFree 5.0iD which has a really great cushion but I think is a Neutral shoes. I run as though I am running barefoot.

Though a good pair can cost quite a bit, the life expectancy of most mid-sole running shoes is somewhere between 480-960 kms. So it is also wise to log your distance to give you an idea when to change your shoes. Some people look at the bottom of the running shoes to see the extent of wear to the outer sole which is actually a common mistake. What is recommended in the book is to check the mid-sole, the spongy layer between the outer sole and your feet because this is the one that hardens and eventually reduces shock absorbency. So try to compress this with your thumb and if this is no longer compressible, you should replace your shoe. A new shoe is less expensive than physiotherapy. Other tips for care of your running shoe is not to put it in washing machine nor to use hot water to clean it.

Now you see, investing in the right pair of running shoes is just as important as having a good running program because this can actually make or break your knees... I mean your running performance. And I thought all along it was just a matter of choosing the right color that goes with my outfit or getting the one that is most comfortable on the foot. This only goes to show that indeed little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Overpronator or Oversupinator?

When I was still not into running, my friend Ciela mentioned something about having her feet analyzed in a sports store to know whether she overpronates or oversupinate. I never heard about such a thing as pronation and supination in running. I thought it was just a marketing strategy for shoe stores. However, after reading something about it in Running for Fitness, I saw how important it can be for you to know if you overpronate or oversupinate because it will help in the choice of your running shoes. Here's how...

How do you run? It involves two basic movement of the feet. The pronation and supination. Pronation is when the heel hits the ground and the foot naturally rools in from the outside. This helps to absorb the impact of running. On the other hand, supination happens just before the take-off phase of running when the foot rolls back towards the outside. Some people tend to overpronate, that is, their feet roll in too much which makes the knee bend in across the center of the body towards the other leg. In the same way, some people tend to oversupinate, however there are more overpronators in the population than oversupinators. Overpronation and oversupination can cause injuries like stress in the ankle and Achilles tendon, knee pain, hip strains, torn hamstrings, pain in the lower back and overuse injuries.

So how do you check for overpronation? Again, let me lift it right from the page of the book:

1) Stand in front of a full-length mirror, barefoot, on one leg, with your hands behind your back, and your toes facing forwards;

2) Keeping your pelvis level and your back straght, slowly bend the leg on which you are standing;

3) Your knee should go straight forwards, over your second toe. If it bends in towards the other leg, past the big toe, then you probably over-pronate when you run.

N.B. There is also a hi-tech way of doing this. I just recently visited an Adidas store in Trinoma and I asked if they can diagnose if I overpronate. They made me run over a huge tablet which was connected to a computer and that registered my foot imprint as it landed on the tablet. I am glad to know that I am one of the fortunate ones who run in a neutral way.

Now, how does this relate to your footwear? Would you believe that there are now different categories of running shoes depending on whether you are an overpronator or oversupinator?

Check out my next blog entry on There are Different Types of Running Shoes?!