Shoe Talk: The 101 on finding your perfect running shoe.
Shoe Talk
Choosing the right running shoe is a personal journey. There's no one-size-fits-all solution, as everyone experiences sensation differently. Your perfect shoe depends on your unique mechanics and preferences. Let's dive into the key factors to consider when selecting your ideal running footwear.
Shoe fit:
To ensure your shoe is the perfect fit, here are a few things to do when trying on new shoes:
Remove the liner and stand on it: Take the insole out of the shoe and stand on it with your full weight. This helps you see how your foot fits within the shoe’s boundaries.
Check toe space: There should be a minimum of one pinky width, ideally one thumb width, between your longest toe and the front end of the liner. This accounts for how much your feet spread out while you’re running.
Put the shoe on and recheck: Ensure the spacing hasn’t changed with your foot in the shoe. Your big toe knuckle should line up with the rocker of the shoe.
Foot platform width: Your foot should be on the platform, not hanging over. If so, you need a wider shoe.
No rubbing around the ankles: Ensure there is no rubbing of the collar around the ankle bones or achilles.
Ideal shoe structure:
Strong heel counter: A strong heel counter provides stability and support to the rear of the foot. It helps keep the heel in place, reducing slippage and improving overall fit. This feature is particularly important for maintaining proper foot alignment during the gait cycle.
Reduced midfoot twist: A shoe with reduced midfoot twist offers better stability and support through the middle part of the foot. This feature helps maintain the foot's natural alignment and can be especially beneficial for runners who need more support or those with a tendency to overpronate.
Strong forefoot rocker (some runners prefer not to have this, but it does improve performance): A forefoot rocker is the upward curve at the front of the shoe. A strong rocker can improve running efficiency by facilitating a smoother toe-off during the gait cycle. It can help reduce stress on the forefoot and improve overall running economy. However, it's worth noting that some runners prefer less pronounced rockers, as individual preferences vary.
Heel-to-toe drop:
This refers to the height difference between the rear and forefoot of the shoe. A higher drop reduces tension on the posterior chain but increases stress on the knee and forefoot. A lower drop does the opposite. Most runners prefer a 6-8mm drop, but comfort depends on various factors including cushioning, stride, strength, and previous injuries. It also depends on the compliance of the shoe, as heel-to-toe drops are listed based on static non-weight-bearing measurements on shoe websites.
Cushioned vs firmer shoes:
Impact tends to be higher in cushioned shoes as people tend to land harder on soft surfaces while people running in firmer or more minimal shoes tend to be more careful of how they are landing. This does not mean one is better than the other, it means you perform differently under different conditions.
Firm or more minimal shoes result in more joint excursion, meaning your joints are going to move more. You are going to get more lengthening out of muscles and tendons because your body is trying to do more active shock absorption.
In a softer shoe, people will tend to have less joint excursion/move less because they are less stable, meaning they land “stiffer”. A stiffer landing can result in increased joint loading. This means we need to let go of the idea that a softer shoe means more shock absorption because it is not necessarily true. You have more joint loading and less active shock absorption but receive some passive shock absorption from the softer shoe.
What does this all mean? It is not better or worse to have a softer or stiffer shoe. Someone may have less pain wearing a softer shoe because they have less joint excursion, meaning less range of motion through the affected area. Where someone may feel better in a firmer shoe as it causes them to participate in more active shock absorption through their body. Some people react better to more load whereas some react better to less. One is not necessarily better.
Compliance vs responsiveness/resilient:
When a shoe is more compliant it is softer and compresses more but it may not have a significant bounce back feeling. A more resilient/responsive shoe feels like it is giving something back once you hit the ground, and it refers to how fast the foam rebounds from a compressed state.
Typically, more responsive shoes are workout and race shoes, whereas more compliant and less responsive shoes are daily trainers. EVA foams tend to be firmer, while PEBA-based foams tend to be more responsive, but this is not always the case. Let’s dive into the different types of foams we see in running shoes.
Foams:
EVA: The most commonly used foam, ethylene vinyl acetate, is light and has a cushioning effect and returns roughly 60-65% of the energy put into it from footstrike.
TPU: thermoplastic polyurethane is more durable and has better energy return than EVA (70-75%), but is significantly heavier.
PEBA (AKA Pebax): polyamide block elastomer is extremely light and has superior energy return, starting at 85%.The major critique of PEBA foam is that it is far less durable than EVA or TPU.
Proprietary blends are “secret foams” foams that are in most race shoes that many guess are some PEBA blend, but the methods of infusion and quantities of foam blends are unknown.
Types of shoe (speed vs long vs race shoe):
Daily trainer is what you will do most of your easy mileage in, most people use this for their long run as well. Some people may have another daily trainer for long runs and one for shorter daily runs. It is a versatile non-plated shoe that feels comfortable. Cushioning is usually compliant with moderate responsiveness. Foams tend to be EVA-based or sometimes a TPU blend. The upper usually feels comfortable, may have padding, and may be roomier.
Speed shoes typically feel more responsive or “snappy”. It feels like the shoe pushes back and allows you to pick up the pace. This type of shoe may have a nylon plate, a Pebax plate, a half-carbon plate, or carbon rods. The foam tends to have some form of PEBA blend or TPU speed foam from the company. The upper may be more streamlined and feel a bit tighter. This shoe is usually used for speed work, sometimes tempo, and typically shorter to moderate workouts, though some people will happily race in shoes like this.
Race shoes are very responsive and aim to improve running economy and efficiency. They are meant to be worn for the race, and for some workouts leading up to the race to make sure you are comfortable in them. Race day shoes must be broken in or you will get hurt, ideally 1 month before the race during some speed work. Most high-quality race shoes are a majority PEBA or some form of PEBA-based proprietary blend that is a secret. There typically is a full-length plate, and the plate may be slotted in a specific way to improve toe-off. The upper is usually very thin and there may be interesting cutouts along the shoe to reduce weight. General support from the upper may be reduced as well.
Why rotate shoes:
Research suggests that using a variety of heel-to-toe drops, and foam responsiveness reduces injury risk. The reason? Variety is the spice of life! Allowing your body to perform under different conditions can strengthen different structures rather than overworking them. In addition, allowing time for your shoes foams to decompress after use can help them feel better and last longer.
The best part of all of this is... the scientifically best way to know if a shoe is right for you is to try it. As long as the shoe fits, the feel to the runner is the current best way to know if you will perform well in it. You can have the top-of-the-line running shoes, but if they feel awful and hurt your feet then you can’t run in them.
