Be Active

h e a l t h • l i f e • w e l l – b e i n g

flat outsole helps you stay stable as you move side to side and the midsoles are made of very cushioned materials to help absorb the shock as you jump up and down. The biggest distin- guishing feature of Basketball shoes is that the uppers are made of leather and go up to ankle height to provide some extra support in case you roll over on your ankle.

support for any activities that involve side-to-side motions such as tennis or aerobics. Cross trainers do not typically offer extra support for people who are over/excessive pronators. If you are a “jack of all trades” athlete who plays squash once a week, goes to kickboxing class and does a daily lunch time walk, cross trainers were made for you! So many sports… not enough shoes! So when can one pair of shoes get you through your weekly routine and when should you be investing in activity specific footwear? Generally, you shouldn’t need more than one or two pairs of athletic shoes. If you stick to a gym routine of cardio machines, weight training and the occasional aerobics class, a good pair of running or cross training shoes will suffice. Once you pick up a specific activity more than twice a week (running, basketball, squash, volleyball) it is worth the investment in specific footwear. For more information on spe- cific types of footwear for your foot type or activity, consult with your Canadian Certified Pedorthist - a biomechani- cal specialist who can assist you with selecting the most appropriate footwear for your activity. Your BioPed Pedor- thist will complete a verbal history of your lifestyle and medical history, perform a gait assessment and make specific recommendations based on your lifestyle, foot type and medical/injury history. He/ she will also provide you with a copy of a very informative “ Selecting Footwear” infor- mation sheet that includes suggestions specific to your needs.

Court shoes ( Tennis, Volleyball, Squash) Court sports typically involve a good deal of side to side movement, during which you want to stay on your feet, not slide around and definitely not roll over on your ankle. Court shoes are designed with this in mind and are made with wide, flat soles to keep you stable. The uppers are usually a combination of synthetic or leather for durability as well as mesh for breathability. Cross Trainers Cross trainers are a category of shoe that are meant to bridge the gap between several sport specific shoes – essentially a hybrid or multipurpose shoe. Cross trainers are often made with a combination of leather and mesh uppers, to keep the shoes flexible, lighter weight and still durable. The outsoles are wider than a running shoe, so will provide lateral

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