Running Shoes

In the past number of years, I have seen a significant number of people coming to me with injuries which they have incurred due to running. More and more people are turning to running as their form of exercise, which is great to see people getting active; however, it is essential that you are equipped with the proper gear to avoid injuries. 

The number-one thing when you decide to run is to invest in a pair of runners that are suitable for your foot type. Don’t underestimate the importance of good runners; by not wearing the correct shoes the runner could develop conditions such as Planter fasciitis, shin splints and Achilles tendonitis. Therefore, an activity that was meant to be a positive can now be a major negative.

Plantar Fasciitis – this is a painful condition resulting in symptoms of pain under the heel. One of the main causes of this condition is constantly wearing footwear that does not provide adequate arch support.

Shin splints – a condition which occurs at the front inside of the shin bone, there are numerous cause of this injury usually biomechanical (abnormal movement patterns) but the two most common are wearing inadequate footwear whilst running and constantly running on hard surfaces.

Achilles tendonitis – the Achilles tendon is the large tendon at the back of the ankle. It connects the large calf muscle to the heel bone and provides the power in the push-off phase when walking and running. It is estimated that Achilles tendonitis accounts for around 11% of all running injuries.

You may ask what type of runners I should get. In brief if someone has a hyper mobile foot, then they would require a runner that offers good support and stability. In contrast, those who have an immobile foot would need runners that will enable more movements of the foot.

I would strongly advise anyone who is starting or currently running to visit a sports shop that specialises in running shoes as they will advise you of the best runner for your foot type. The time and cost of doing this will be insignificant in comparison to incurring injuries and having to fix the injuries.