The Right Exercise Shoes

The Right Exercise Shoes

A sports podiatrist makes sense of the sneaker sweepstakes

Cross-trainers? Tennis shoes? Running shoes? Aerobic footwear? There seems to be a different kind of shoe for every activity on the face of the earth, and none of them are cheap, either. You are to be excused if you’ve been wondering whether all those different varieties really are necessary to conduct a proper workout. Leading podiatrists help separate the facts from the fiction.

The running shoes: This top selling style of exercise shoe is not only a suitable choice for running, but also good for waling and other lower-impact activities that do not involve repetitive lateral motion. But if you are looking for a shoe to participate in the kind of activities that do involve a lot of repetitive lateral motion, like basketball, tennis, and squash, or activities with excessive jumping, such as aerobics, watch out. Wearing running shoes for any of these activities practically invites injury, because they lack adequate support around the ankles.

Basketball ad tennis shoes: They should be judged on whether they offer good traction, good ankle support, and firm cushioning. The extra money you spend for shoes that fit these criteria will pay off in the medical bills good shoes help you avoid. Some new models that boast flared soles to enhance ankle support also help to prevent the kind of ankle roll-overs that result in painful torn ligaments and sprained or broken ankles.

The cross-trainer: A more recent addition to the athletic shoe panoply, cross-trainers are an economical alternative to purchasing different shoes for every sport Designed for maximum versatility, cross-trainers can be worn for running, walking, racquet sports, and aerobics, as well as some indoor-court sports such as basketball and volleyball.

Though cross-trainers are versatile, experts advise that serious runners are best off wearing real running shoes, because cross-trainers lack the sufficient amount of cushioning and ankle support required for regular jogging.

The walking shoe: These are designed for the serious race-walker. They are a needless and expensive investment for those who jog as well as walk for exercise, though. The majority of running shoes are better for your feet than most walking shoes anyway, because running shoes provide more wiggle room for your toes.

Shoes with air-cushioned soles: Air-cushioning sounds high-tech and therefore helpful, but it can cause more problems that it can prevent. Although air-cushioned athletic shoes provide helpful shock absorption, they lack a firm shank below the back of the foot. A firm shank and a slight heel lift prevent the arch of the foot from dropping down too far when the foot moves. If the foot drops too far, it can cause a shift of bones and the development of a variety of podiatric deformities.

Fitting a Running Shoe Properly

Forget fancy designs and high-tech gizmos; here’s what you really need for comfortable running:

Squeeze the back to find a solid counter: This is the stiff cup that keeps your ankle steady to help avoid sprains.

Check for a heel lift: Although flat shoes offer the agility necessary for lateral motion, shoes with a 1/2 to 3/4-inch lift in the heel provide the shock absorption needed to prevent shin-splints and other pavement-pounding-induced ailments. Look for a flared outsole. It promotes stability and makes the shoe more durable.

Check flexibility: Make sure that the shoe is flexible only up to the ball of the foot, which is where the toes attach to the rest of the foot. To test, use two fingers to exert pressure on the toe end of the shoe’s sole. If the shoe flexes beyond the ball of the foot, the shoe is too flexible. This flexibility puts stress on the ligaments and promotes heel spurs, the most common complaint of runners.

Be active, very active! Photo by Elena

Ten Tips for Protecting Your Feet and Joints

Runners and joggers can keep their feet happy by using a little common sense

• Buy new running shoes every 250 to 450 miles. Buy new waling shoes after every 400 hours of use. That translates into ten hours of walking weekly for 40 weeks.
• Remember that your feet aren’t identical. Fit the larger one when buying shoes.
• Always test new shoes before you buy them. Ask the sales person if you can jog around the block first. Good shoes should feel comfortable right away, not just when they’ve been “broken in”.
• Wear clean dry socks. You can get blisters otherwise.
• Avoid running on sidewalks and sand. When your foot hits sand, it keeps going because the sand gives. This can stretch the achilles tendon painfully. Concrete doesn’t give at all. It transmits shock through your legs, knees and back.
• Never begin a workout without first stretching. Gentle, regular stretching greatly reduces the risk of injury.
• Follow the 10 percent rule. Runners should increase their mileage by 10 percent a week, but level off every third week. Working out in excess of three to five days a week strains limbs and joints and can cause heel problems, shin splints, ankle twists and stress fractures.
• Don’t be a weekend warrior. Busy weeks leave little time, but it is dangerous to cram a week’s worth of exercise into a weekend.
• Stop exercising at the first signs of pain. Follow the mnemonic, RICE – which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation – to ease the discomfort.
• See a doctor if the pain persists. It is difficult to tell if a foot bone is broken.

Does Exercise Make Us Smarter?

We are constantly reminded of the benefits of exercise. Indeed, the fitness industry is huge, from gym franchises to fitness magazines. Fitness models and fitspiration motivate many to exercise more regularly. Most doctors advise healthy people to exercise more often, or at least to lead a more active life. As a matter of fact, today’s generation, especially in developed countries is quite sedentary. Even teenagers prefer their video games to going to play outside.

So what are the benefits of exercise? Exercise, according to doctors and scientists, makes us healthy. Cardiovascular activity and health is enhanced by exercise. Of course, to be fit it is not enough to exercise, one must also eat healthily… The Internet is full of advice on the subject from simple diet plans to bodybuilding tricks. All in all, going to the gym and doing what is called cardio for 20 minutes 3 times per week is considered enough, as a minimum. Strength training is also quite beneficial and involves doing sets of repetitions with weights and specialized machines. Many people also hire a personal trainer to achieve the results and fitness goals they want.

Exercising. Credit image: Elena

But what about the effects of exercise on cognition and cognitive function? In other words, does exercise make you smarter? Cognitive function refers to brain processes such as learning and memory. Many studies have been done on the subject.

For example, literature review academic articles show the scope of research studies done on the matter. For instance, mice who exercised regularly had enhanced performance on tests, and showed more neurogenesis and neuroregeneration than controls. Studies with human participants also revealed cognitive benefits on adults, especially in regards to the aging brain. One hypothesis states that cognitive function is enhanced because of increased blood flow to the brain, although as is often the case in psychology, some studies contradict these findings.