Guide To Buying Athletic Shoes

Guide To Buying Athletic Shoes

At the turn of the century, people all over the world have realized the need to have recreational activities in their lives as a form of relaxation.

Then the need for better equipment offering performance enhancing and protection features started to arise. In the early 50’s these types of activities eventually moved into the arenas like the gladiators were.

The rapid evolution on the development of athletic equipments particularly on the footwear area was on the mid 80’s. Before, athletic shoes were just made out of canvas with rubber soles.

The development of athletic shoes is parallel to the boom in professional sports. Nowadays, athletic shoes have all these mind boggling features that range from compressed air soles to materials used in Formula 1 racing.

The first thing you should consider when purchasing athletic shoes is the sport you will be engaging in when wearing them.

Different types of floor or court will yield to different types of traction. So if for example you will be playing football, you should use football shoes to give you more traction on the turf so as not to be wasting energy running on slippery moist grass.

After knowing the sport you’ll be using it for, know what type of feet you have as well as be aware of your body type.

Large / wide built
Buy athletic shoes that have a wide sole as a base. This will help absorb the shock as you land your foot on the ground when running and jumping. This will also help you with your balance.

Slender / lean built
Athletic shoes with a narrow sole as a base is best suited for this built. Since these are slender in design, the contact on the surface area is less thus giving mobility making the athlete move swiftly.

Size
Always keep in mind to buy athletic shoes with one size or two sizes bigger because the feet have the tendency to swell due to the pounding and stress while playing.

Also, athletes usually tend to wear thick socks and neoprene tapes to protect ankles and calves from bruises and sprains.

In general the main factor here is comfort. Ensure that the toes are not constricted so that blisters, bruises and calluses are prevented from developing.

The padding on the heels must be soft to avoid bruises on the balls of the heels which can be very painful. Avoid buying athletic shoes that don’t have any allowance or are too tight for this may result to injuries to the other parts of the body.

Important Considerations When Shopping For Shoes

The popular saying, “if the shoe fits, wear it” makes sense but how do we really get a proper fitting shoe? And what other factors are important when shopping for shoes?

The day is long gone when every shoe store in United States was equipped with a machine that x-rayed shoppers’ feet to see how close their toe bones came to the shoe edges.

Now we have to rely upon common sense and some time honoured techniques rather than irradiation to get a good fitting shoe.

The perfect shoe is always a compromise of what it is paired with, the rigours of not wearing brown with black, sporty styles with dress clothes and vice verse.

And then, the best shoe is a marriage of style and comfort. Here are some guidelines to ensuring this sought after comfort.

The first is to always shop for leather and natural materials when buying shoes. Natural materials ‘breathe’ they allow for air exchange and are healthier for your feet.

Plastic shoes are a closed system that retains heat and are a foot sized petri dish for bacterial and fugal growth. Save money buying cheap plastic shoes and you will end up spending a lot for podiatrist bills and anti fungal foot creams.

Next it is important to get the right sized shoe and measurement is one key component. For years, feet have been measured with something called the called a Brannock Device.

The Brannock Device, that metal thing with lines and numbers we all step into, measures three basic dimensions of the foot; the heel to the ball of the foot, the heel to the tip of the toes and the width.

Each of the measurements is used in combination to custom find the correct shoe size. The most important measurement is the heel to the ball of the foot.

The HB measurement most closely resembles how the shoe is designed to function and the all-important arch of the foot.

Although the heel to toe measurement may intimately decide the fit of the shoe, the heel to ball of foot measurement is what makes a shoe feel and function well.

It defines the position of the arch, the length of the shank and the location in the sole where the shoe will bend with each step.

If the heel to baal of foot measurement is incorrect, the shoe and the foot will never be in sync, and comfort will not be achieved.

Another consideration, together with proper measurement, is the type of sock you wear when shopping and the time of day, and how long you have been on your feet.

Shopping for shoe at the end of the day or after exercise or on a hot day is really not the best idea.

Feet swell with heat and exercise, UP TO 5%, and you may end up buying a pair of shoes that are too large on the following morning.

Also, be sure to wear the type of socks when shopping for shoes that you will be wearing when you wear them. Do not shop for athletic shoes wearing hose and for pumps when wearing thick socks.

Of course, most shoe stores have disposable socks but it is really the best idea to wear the type of hose you know you will be wearing when shopping for shoes.

What to Look For When Buying Athletic Shoes

You’ve finally had to throw out those cross-trainers. They’ve been your companions through miles of workouts and it breaks your heart to have to dump them.

It’s been so long since you’ve had to purchase a new pair, you don’t know where to begin. Here’s a short guide to help you decide which pair to buy next.

When shopping for athletic shoes, you should already know what sport you will be using them for. Will you be using them to train for a marathon, or will you wearing them to basketball practice?

Running shoes are designed differently than, say, tennis or cross-training shoes, and choosing the right shoe can help your performance and help you to avoid injuries.

Athletic shoes fall into different categories. For example, there are sneakers which are appropriate for running on a track or road, and they are those models which are designed to give you traction when trail running.

Likewise, tennis shoes are designed to allow the wearer to get the best traction while running and making those quick turns on the court. Baseball and soccer shoes, or ‘cleats,’ are usually spiked to let you run in soft grass and mud.

Once you’ve decided on which type of shoes you want to buy, it’s time for you to try them on. It is important to try on the shoes, at the end of the day, when your feet are their largest.

It may sound strange, but your feet swell during the course of the day, so if you want to get the best fit, you should try them on towards the end of the day.

It is also very important to remember to bring the type of socks that you will be wearing with them, to guarantee a proper fit. When you have them on, walk around.

This will give you a better idea as to whether they really will be comfortable or not. And remember, the shoe should not slip or slide on your foot when you are wearing them.

Purchasing your next pair of sports shoes should be fun and with a little bit of planning, they should last for a long time.

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