Lightweight Vs Cushioned Shoes
Highly cushioned shoes tend to feel softer and squishier on your foot than shoes with less cushioning. But, more padding may cause more impact loading, which is the amount of force exerted on your foot when it strikes the ground. Impact loading is associated with a variety of running injuries including stress fractures and inflammation of the heel.
A small 2018 study, published in Scientific Reports, of 12 healthy men found that when compared to conventionally cushioned shoes, those with maximum cushioning increased impact loading. That’s because running shoes with extra cushioning interfered with normal “spring-like” running movements, causing participants to run more stiffly, the researchers reported.
Additionally, the study found that impact loading increased with faster speeds for runners wearing highly cushioned shoes. At slow speeds cushioning actually reduced impact loading. Therefore, if you’re a sprinter, you might want to especially avoid all that extra cush.
Another study, published in 2015 in Sports Health, found that running efficiency improved in 15 experienced runners when they ran in minimally cushioned shoes or even barefoot when compared to normally cushioned shoes.
Lemoncello says there may also be a mental benefit to running in lightweight shoes: “Switching from heavier running shoes to lightweight ones can make your feet feel like feathers, and that’s going to have a really good effect on your mind when you are running.”
How Can You Use This Research To Find The Right Running Shoe
All of this leads us to a profound but rather unsurprising conclusion: wearingcomfortable shoes are your best bet. For some reason, nobody has bothered to replicate Benno Niggs study of shoe insert comfort and injury risk with shoes themselves, but Id be floored if such a study found contradicting results. From the studies weve reviewed today, its pretty clear that the traditional methods of assigning shoe types based on foot shape or walking gait are outdated, and that comfort is the best method to pick out shoes as of today.
So where does this leave you, the aspiring runner, when you are staring at dozens upon dozens of shoes mounted on the wall at your local running store?
Well, theres no better way of finding the right shoe than to try them out! I recommend trying out a lot of shoesperhaps six or eight pairs or more if you cant find a pair that feels great on your feet. Lace up a pair, walk around in them, and take them for a spin in the parking lot . If they dont feel phenomenal, try on another!
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Top 3 Running Shoes For Underpronation
Saucony Triumph ISO 4
The full-length cushioning and continuous tread on these shoes by Saucony makes for a smooth ride for those who tend to strike on the outside of their feet. Theres even built-in guide wires on the upper portion of the shoe to keep your foot from sliding around. You can find it here.
Adidas Ultraboost ST Shoes
This shoe by Adidas is all about cushion, cushion, and more cushion. Why? If youre a severe underpronator who constantly lands on the outside of their foot, you wont have much shock absorption. But you will with these. You can find it here.
New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v8
While youll have lots of cushioning with this New Balance shoe, youll also have the added bonus support on the upper part to keep your foot in place while you run on what feels like mini clouds. And if you still feel like you need more support, the shoe also comes with an additional insert to add an extra layer. You can find it here.
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How To Find Out Your Type Of Pronation
So are you neutral, an under or an over-pronator? While there is a range of professional services available on the high street, it’s quite possible and easy to work it out for yourself.
Below, we’ve put together a succinct guide to help you find your type of pronation, looking at how the foot strike differs for each of the three main pronation styles.
Check out the below video for a quick technique to deducing your foot strike, and see the diagrams below for yet more information on how you can find your pronation type. Better still, use Wiggle’s completely free gait analysis service for guidance from run experts. More details below…
Determine Your Shoe Size
The first step to ensuring a good fit is to determine the correct shoe size, including length and width.
Running shoe fit is a combination of providing enough space for the foot to have room in the shoe and enough support so that the foot is not moving or sliding within the shoe, explains Patrick Maloney, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Mercy Medical Center.
Its also essential to get a good measurement of shoe length and width with your socks on and be sure to wear the type youll use for running.
For proper length, allow for at least 1/2 to 1 inch between your longest toe and the shoes end. To get a feel for the proper width, you should be able to pinch some material at the sides or top of the shoe.
Running shoe size is typically a half size larger than your typical shoe size.
So, after determining the length and width and your true shoe size, try a running shoe thats about a half size bigger than your standard shoe size.
Alice Holland, DPT, of Stride Strong Physical Therapy, says this leaves room for foot expansion during and after your pounding of the pavement.
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Ensure They Fit Correctly
The main benefit of a proper fit, says Maloney, is good stability and support for your foot, which will allow your desired level of running and activity. A running shoe thats too big can cause damage to toes, and one thats too small often causes damage to toenails.
Holland says the right fit will allow for the following while youre testing out the shoes:
- Your toes should have ample room to spread wide.
- Your toes shouldnt feel constricted or touch the end of the shoe.
- Your heel should feel comfortably cupped in the back of the shoe, which ensures that your foot wont slip out from the back of the shoe.
Holland also points out that the shoe shouldnt alter your foot angles to extremes of supination or pronation.
Typically, physical therapists like to see subtalar neutral when standing in the shoe, which means that the ankle is neither tilted too much to the right or left, she says.
How To Pick The Best Running Shoes
A lot goes into a good run — the right shoes are one of the most important factors.
Once upon a half-marathon, I wore cheap running shoes and ended up with a naked toe. My right big toe became toenail-less, that is, because I wore shoes that I knew didn’t fit me properly. The inexpensive price tag duped me even though I’ve been running for years and know the importance of good kicks.
I walked around with only nine toenails for months, during sandal season of course, and vowed to never buy ill-fitting shoes again for any reason, not even if they were 50% off. Don’t make the same mistake I did: Avoid blisters, bunions, bruises and naked toes by choosing the right running shoes for your feet. By doing so, you’ll also avoid stunned looks from a pedicurist when you venture in for some help.
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Pronation Vs Neutral Vs Supination
Pronation is a process that we hear a lot about within the running community. Usually referenced negatively, pronation is actually a perfectly natural process that is critical for helping our bodies absorb the forces of striking the ground. While running or walking, our arches collapse inward when our feet hit the ground, distributing the energy of the impact safely throughout the body. This collapsing of the arch is what we refer to as pronation. Although pronation is necessary for running, it can occur at vastly different levels in each runner, the extremes of which can be problematic.
Runners whose arches barely collapse are referred to as supinators, while those whose arches collapse excessively are called overpronators. If your arch collapses within a normal range, then you are said to be a neutral runner. As you can see by the visual below, the level at which someone pronates has a major influence on how the foot and ankle progress through the gait cycle. Unfortunately, the excessive collapse of the arch can lead to the development of pain and discomfort in other parts of the body: like the ankles, Achilles tendons, shins, outside knee, outer hip, arches, and heel.
Barefoot Running Is A Technique You Learn Not A Shoe You Buy
Like all sports, running has a number of contrasting approaches to the same problem. That problem is impact especially as the majority of runners move on concrete. One way to get around this problem is through insulating the foot from impacts as covered above. The other approach is to use minimalist footwear.
Minimalist footwear removes the vast majority of the cushioning. The argument is that when our shoes are less bouncy, we cannot run in the same way. Removing the padding forces us to take shorter strides, places the landing on the forefoot and absorbs lots of the energy through bent, soft knees, not unlike skier.
As good as this sounds it is important to understand that minimalist footwear is not just a purchase it is a completely different way of running, one that can take time and effort to develop. Furthermore, over the often rocky and rooted ground of a trail, minimalist footwear offers little protection.
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What Does Cushioning Mean In A Running Shoe
Cushioning is by far the most frequently used term to describe a running shoe. Even as I wrote these reviews, youll see cushioned scattered all over. In short, cushioning is a measure of how soft or firm a shoe feels when running.
There are many factors that affect how a runner interprets a shoe cushioning level, like how thick the foam or midsole is, the durometer of the foam, and the type and placement of the outsole.
Even then, cushioning levels will vary from runner to runner based on the runners weight and gait characteristics. A shoes cushioning level will even change over time as the midsole breaks down.
The runner is the best expert on what they have experienced, what theyre looking to do, and what fit and feel have worked best in the past. Its a wonderful time to be a runner because there are many excellent running shoes from most brands. So dont pigeonhole yourself into one style or brand.
Three Types Of Running Shoes
Now that you know your foot type, its time to find the right shoe. Shoes are generally placed into three categories. These categories are not always clearly labeled on the shoe or box, so be sure to ask a salesperson or do your research online. Most brands have this information on their website.
Stability Shoes
Stability shoes are best for runners with normalarches and only mild control problems. The extra stability these shoes offer comes from extra arch-side supports and high-density foam. Stability shoes are typically built with a gentle arch from front to back that provides rear-foot stability and forefoot flexibility.
Motion Control Shoe
Motion control shoes are great for flat–footed and heavy runners who tend to overpronate. These shoes typically have rigid devices made out of plastic, fiberglass, or high density foam. The arch area on motion control shoes is filled in for increased stability which is why there is a different color at the midsole. The extra rigidity in these shoes prevents the heel from turning out and the foot from overpronating.
Cushioning Shoes
Cushioning shoes support people with higharches and rigidfeet who tend to underpronate. This highly flexible shoe is built on a curve and made of lightweight materials that provide minimal rigidity with optimal cushioning.
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Shock Absorption Is A Good Thing
Unless you are an experienced fore-foot runner then you will probably wish to have a shoe with a modest amount of cushioning, especially around the heel. Classically the sole of a running shoe will be thicker around the heel and thinner around the toes as the majority of runners land on their heel which absorbs the impact.
Larger runners, beginners and people heading out on seriously long runs would do well to select a shoe with a decent amount of cushioning. This can help prevent injury, reduce fatigue and keep you comfortable.
The change in height between the heel and forefoot is known as the drop as the height of the shoe drops. However, greater levels of cushioning do not necessarily mean a larger drop. Shoes can have lots of cushioning in the heel and forefoot, but with a very small drop and visa-versa.
Motion Control Running Shoes
These shoes can be a great choice for runners who exhibit moderate to severe overpronation. Motion control shoes have extra built-in support and flatter outsoles. This combination can help combat excessive pronation to help stabilize the foot.
There are a few ways to figure out which running shoe may best fit you. This includes the arches of your feet, your gait type and the tread of your shoes.
For more guidance on how to choose the right type of running shoe, check out the DICKS Running Shoe Finder. Answer a few quick questions about your running habits and preferred fit, and the Running Shoe Finder will point you towards the perfect pair.
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Our Favorite Neutral Shoes
The Brooks Glycerin 19 was billed by Runners World as a shoe that gives the popular Ghost a run for its money. The shoe has a 10-mm drop, a rather high stack height, and a wide sole that gestures ever so slightly toward a platform . One tester, who wore a womens size 8 , said she felt fast and strong in these. They reminded me of what I like about the Ghosts, but I felt a little faster and more comfortable, especially during longer or harder runs. Ingrid, who wore a womens size 13, thought the cushioning felt like memory foam and found that it put a spring in her step during a 5-miler. A generously padded tongue and collar contribute to the Glycerin 19s plush feel. The laces attach at the middle of the tongue, and in our testing they stayed put.
A tester who wore a womens size 9 also noticed the ample cushioning, noting that the pressure of each of her steps was well absorbed. Fit wasnt an issue, though the shoe rubbed the back of her heel a bit after about 3 miles. Another tester, who wore a mens size 11½, found the toe box to be a little cramped when running downhill. He didnt find the shoe to be clunky, however, writing: When I wanted to pick the pace up, I did not feel held back. He also noted that the Glycerin 19 shoes provided a stable ride and certainly inspired confidence on my runs, even though they were heavier than some other shoes in his rotation.
How To Check Your Shoe Fit
| A properly fitting running shoe should feel snug in the heel and midfoot, with wiggle room around the toes. |
| While standing, check for proper length and width by pressing your thumb down next to the ball of your foot and around the toes. A good fit should allow for half to a full thumb’s width of space. |
| Hold the back of the shoe and try to raise your heel. There should be little to no movement. |
| Check the eyelet rows on either side of the tongue. These rows should be close to parallel with each other. |
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Our Favorite Stability Shoes
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 21 is a softer stability shoe that delivers a more-controlled ride than a neutral shoe would provide. The shoe reduces pronation with the help of two pieces of foam in the heel area that coax a foot into position. Runners World recommends it for runners with flat feet, noting, however, that the pronation mitigation is subtle enough to work well for a variety of runners. We found that to be true. The shoe has a 12-mm drop , but its equal to that of the Ghost 14. The Adrenaline GTS 21 has a roomy toe box with enough stretch to give toes wiggle room on a run. The shoes upper is supportive, and its laces tie securely and are plenty long enough to facilitate heel-lock lacing.
Size range: 5 to 13 , 7 to 15 . The Brooks shoes come in narrow, medium, wide, and extra-wide widths in both womens and mens.
Gear Up With The Right Running Shoes
Find the right fit and try our five shoe-buying strategies that wont leave you tied up in knots.
Finding the best-fitting shoe among the numerous choices at your local running store isnt always easy. To ensure you walk out a happy customer, you need to make sure the shoe fits properly from heel to toe and that it feels comfortable with your regular running stride. The same goes for shopping online. Most retailers will offer a risk-free trial period so you can still lace up your shoes and head out for a test run, like you would at the store. Whether youre buying your first pair or your fiftieth, browsing online or in-person, were here to help.
Before you even put your foot in a new pair of running shoes, its helpful to know all the little details of the shoes that will be with you over the next several hundred miles, along with what to expect during the shoe-buying process. Finally, take a look at our favorite shoes right now in your favorite categories, from most cushioned to the best for the trails.
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