Everybody is different and will need to assess there own specific needs when shoe shopping. We recommend that if you have foot pain or ankle pain you suspect might be caused by your shoes, you consult with a podiatrist before investing in fashion statements or exercise shoes that could possibly worsen your condition.
Buying the Right Shoes for Your Lifestyle
No matter what sport you play, if you’re not wearing the right kind of shoes, you could end up in a world of pain. It may seem like an easy task to buy yourself some sneakers, but it’s easy to go wrong.
1. Grabbing What’s Convenient: Don’t just reach into your closet and grab the first pair of sneakers you see to wear when you start an exercise program. There are a multitude of sneakers out there for every different athletic activity, so make sure you’re wearing the right pair.
2. Right Shoe, Wrong Workout: Like I stated before, you need the right type of shoe for your specific workout. There’s a different design for every sport out there from basketball to tennis. For example, if you are a tennis player, you will need shoes that can put up with your constant change in direction on the court. If you aren’t seriously into one specific sport, though, a cross-trainer shoe would probably work best for you. For a good pair, make sure it has the following:
- A firm heel
- Good support (hard to bend)
- Light weight
3. Too Much Love: I know you love your sneakers, but workout shoes are for athletics, not shopping. You’re going to wear them down pretty quickly if you have them on doing all of your day-to-day activities. If you’re running errands or heading to the mall, some casual tennis shoes will work just fine.
4. Loving Them Too Long: Your shoes have been loyal to you, but at some point you have to let them go and replace them. They may still look good after all of this time, but the longer you wear them, the less support they are providing for you. At some point you’re going to start feeling the pain in your knees, hips and back. You should replace them every 300-500 miles or every 6 months if you work out every day.
5. Doing It Yourself: Unless you are an expert on shoes, don’t just walk into a sporting goods store and just assume you know what shoes are best for you. The staff at the store is there to help you with everything. They’ll measure your foot, take note of what sports you’ve played, and then pick the shoe what they think will fit best for you and your lifestyle.
Getting Professional Treatment
It is always our express intent to recommend that you take no chances with foot pain, ankle or knee pain, or injuries. Professional treatment to relieve the pain is available from doctors such as Delray Beach’s Dr. Ian Goldbaum of Delray Beach Podiatry, who has provided us with this blog. If the pain continues, a podiatrist with Dr. Goldbaum’s experience should be consulted. You must get proper treatment to prevent permanent damage.
Our Staff writers are freelance writers with higher education related to, or experience researching and writing for, medical blogs; with education or experience equal to under graduate and graduate degrees in the fields of medicine.
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