Submitted by: Salli Murphy

Your feet mirror your general health so if exercise is vital for your body then it is also vital for healthy feet. It is also very important to protect your feet from damage, by wearing the right shoes for your sport. An exercise shoe is designed specially to protect the foot from the stresses of running, walking, or other high impact activities.

The forces in different sports vary greatly. For example, walking and running shoes work best in a straight line whereas a tennis or basketball shoe needs to be able to make lateral, or side-to-side movements.

Remember also that your feet swell during exercise and this can damage the feet, as toes crowd to the front of the shoe. This means that it is advisable to always buy exercise shoes half a size larger than the shoes you would normally buy.

Stand to check proper shoe fit, as this will change the positioning of your feet. As one shoe may fit differently than the other, try them both, then pick the size that best fits the larger foot.

Once you have found a brand and style of shoes that suits your style, it is best to stick to that brand. Exercise shoes are one area where you do not want to try to save money.

It is also good to remember that exercise shoes do wear out; they take a lot of pounding, so you should replace them after 300 to 500 miles. This is because the shock-absorbing padding is usually ruined by that time.

A heavier person may need to replace their shoes more often. The materials inside a shoe can be worn down without the shoe wear even being noticeable, so you cannot wait until the shoe looks run down.

If you intend to exercise every day then why not invest in two pairs of shoes? Do not forget that you will need plenty of pairs of sports socks.

Never ever borrow other people’s shoes; athlete’s foot develops because of the sweaty atmosphere inside your training shoes. If you have two pairs, you can fully unlace the pair you have just worn and allow them to air and dry, before you wear them again.

An American study of 440 people found that only 25.5% of them were wearing correctly sized shoes. It is recommended that you have your feet measured once or twice per year to avoid this problem.

Width and length of shoes – shoes that are too narrow or too wide can cause blisters and callouses.

If the toe box is not high enough, it can worsen foot problems, like bunions and hammertoes. You should be able to wiggle your toes upwards.

Your shoes should always fit your arch type, because flat feet can add to muscle stress and joint problems – look for a shoe with motion control to help stabilize your feet.

High arches may mean that your feet may not absorb shock well, especially if you do a lot of impact, so choose shoes with cushioning, to compensate for the high arch.

Perhaps you now understand that there is much more to know about exercise shoes than how trendy they look.

The effort you put into getting the right gear on your feet can make your exercise much more comfortable and pleasurable.

About the Author: There is more information and some ideas at

squidoo.com/best-exercise-shoes

, so do your feet a favour!

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

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