Do you need a shoe that cushions your foot or one that supports it?
If you want to select the right running shoe for you, the first concept you need to be familiar with is pronation.
Shock
Each time you hit your foot on the ground, either by running, jumping or simply walking, you apply a force to the ground. As we know from Newton's laws of Motion, the ground will respond by applying an equal and opposite force upwards towards you. This force is what propels your foot up and forward. This force is what makes you run.
The issue is that when you run, you apply a force that can be as high as 8 times your body-weight. This force then gets back to you through your foot, ankle, knee and hips. Not differently than a car, your body has natural suspensions to help you absorb the shock. The basis of this natural suspension system is a process called pronation.
Pronation is the natural rolling of your foot inwards during the running (or walking) gait. The arch of your foot collapses towards the floor in order to absorb the impact.
Pronation is part of the natural bio-mechanics of your gait, and is there to protect you from injuries.
Problems (injuries) can occur when you either pronate or supinate too much. Returning to the car suspensions analogy, problems happen when your suspensions are either too stiff or too soft.
Given this premise, we can differentiate three different conditions:
* Neutral Pronation when the foot naturally rolls inwards during the heel-to-toe transition of the gait. 20-30% of runners are neutral pronators.
* Over Pronation when the foot rolls excessively inwards and the arch collapses in a way that is detrimental to right shock absorption.
* Under Pronation (or Supination) when the foot does not roll inwards enough during the running gait, leading to insufficient shock absorption.
Knowing if you are a neutral, over or underpronator is the first step towards choosing the best running shoe for you.
Click here for a quick test to determine your running type (if you are a neutral, over or under pronator).
How to Choose the Right Running Shoe - Understanding Pronation and Shock Absorption Shock
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