Be Active

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b e a c t i v e

good for the so l e Athletic Footwear – The Definitive Guide

arched feet. These shoes typically offer a great deal of cushioning around the heel and through the forefoot and are usually identifiable by looking in the arch area of the midsole. The midsole of a neutral shoe will typically be all one colour indicating the sole is all one density (firmness). • Stability shoes on the other hand, will often have two colours through the midsole, with a firmer material under the arch. The placement and firmness of the material under the arch helps to prevent your foot from flattening too much or overpronating. Stability shoes are recommended for people with low arched feet or who have been catego- rized as an overpronator. • Motion control shoes are usually the heaviest type of running shoe. They often have additional reinforce- ment through the arch such as plastic, in addition to a firmer density material. Motion control shoes are designed for heavy runners or people with a very flat foot type or who excessively overpronate. Basketball shoes It’s easy to see that basketball and running are two very different sports! While running typically involves moving in a straight forward direction, basketball shoes must be designed to support you and your feet as you move up, down, left, right - in all directions! These sport-spe- cific shoes feature wide, flat outsoles (the part of the shoe that contacts the ground) and may even have a stickier feel to them to help you stay stable on the court. The wide,

Running, walking, tennis and aerobic classes are all different activities with different footwear requirements. Before you panic at the thought of spending hundreds of dollars on several pairs of “activity specific” shoes - don’t fret! Read on to discover the differences among the many types of ath- letic shoes on the market and if/when you should invest in activity specific footwear.

Running Shoes Running shoes will have fairly similar features to a walking shoe since the motion and high impact areas of the foot are similar. The biggest difference between running and walking shoes is weight. For runners, ounces equal seconds, so a lighter weight shoe could translate to a quicker race time. Running shoes are typically made with mesh uppers to keep the shoes breathable and lightweight. Some companies also opt to remove material from the waist of the shoe ( under the arch) to decrease the weight. Running shoes come in three major catego- ries – (1) Neutral, (2) Stability and (3) Motion Control. If you are considering starting a running program or training for a race, it is highly sug- gested that you learn about your foot type and shop for your shoes accordingly. • Neutral shoes are made for people with neutral or high

Walking and Running Although running and walking may seem like the same activity just at a different pace, there are some significant differences between walking and running shoes.

areas of the foot include the outside (lateral side) of your heel where you land, the arch where you pronate and the toes where you will roll off into your next step. These are the areas in which your shoes should be cushioning and sup- porting. Walking shoes are typically made of synthetic or natural leather on the uppers to make them durable and should have a thick, high density EVA (Ethylene vinyl acetate) foam mid-sole, with cushioning along the outside of the heel. Walking shoes should have a rockered fore- foot so your toes can roll at the end of each step and not have to flex too much.

Walking Shoes Walking is a fairly straight for- ward motion, literally! If walk- ing is your preferred mode of exercise, the high impact

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