good
for the so l e
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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.
Walking Shoes
Walking is a fairly straight for-
ward motion, literally! If walk-
ing is your preferred mode
of exercise, the high impact
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.
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.
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
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,
Athletic Footwear –
The Definitive
Guide
b e a c t i v e
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