Exercising can do a lot to improve your health, there is always some form of exercise that you can do irrespective of your age and condition. What is equally important as the exercise you do is the shoes that you wear when you exercise. All sports and exercise shoes are not built alike, a big fancy price does not imply that the shoes are good for you. In this report we will broadly talk about issues and features that should be consider before, you pick a pair of exercise shoes.
Shoes To Fit Your Activity: Sports trainers talk about low impact and high impact exercises. Simply put, this refers to the degree of pressure and shock that the specific activity puts on your feet, ankles and knees. Walking is referred to as a low impact exercise, this because you will always have one leg (foot) on the floor during the walking action. On the other hand, jogging, running or playing a game of basketball, would come under the category of high impact exercises. There will be moments during the jogging or running rhythm during which, both legs are raised from the floor. Basketball follows the same action, you jump up to put the ball into the basket. Since both legs would be above the floor at some point in the case of a high impact activity, you will be landing on your feet and put pressure on the ankles, heels and even the knees. Another portion of the body that takes such shocks is the waist, back and spinal chord. The shoes that you choose for exercising will need to consider whether, the activity is of a low impact or high impact type.
Cushion Or Not To Cushion: When doing exercise that involves low impact activity like walking, there is no need for your joints to absorb shocks or landing impacts. Shoes for low impact exercise should not have a heavy cushioning inside, as it might make the shoes feel stuffed up and provide no benefits. On the other hand high impact exercises like running or jogging and sports like basketball and volleyball, need shoes that can effectively absorb some of the shock that the legs and waist will experience.
Consider Your Feet: To begin with check the arch of your feet. Broadly speaking you could have a low arch, a high arch or a moderate arch. The sports or exercise shoes that you choose need to cater to the arch in your feet, a low arch or flat feet should have practically no arch support inside the shoes. When you wear your exercise shoes, there should be no gap between the arch on the feet and the inside of the shoe. At the same, the arch support in the shoes should not put too much pressure on the arch of the foot. It is a good idea to have a look at the arch on your feet even before, you visit the shoe store. This will allow you to test a few shoes in the store and pick what's right for you. Choosing the right size for your sports shoes might seem like an easy decision but, here is something that you should know. Slide your feet into the shoes, keep your feet comfortably inside, you will need close to a half inch gap between, your biggest toe and the inside top of the shoe. Once worn and laced, your exercise shoes should allow you to wiggle your toes around.
The Shop And The Brand: Choose a shoe store that is stocked with a good variety and range of exercise and sports shoes. You also need to evaluate whether the staff at the shop can provide professional advice, some shops might hire bright sales staff with little knowledge about the product they sell. Be prepared to evaluate a few shoes stores, you don't have to force yourself to make a purchase with whatever is available in a store. Big brands are not the only providers of quality shoes however, they do have high degree of standardization. Once you have narrowed your choice to a single or a few pairs of sports shoes, wear them and do a bit of walking and spot jogging in them. Buying the wrong shoes can cost you dearly, not just in terms of money. Unsuitable shoes can cause injury and pain, this can demotivate an otherwise excellent exercise plan.
When shopping for exercise shoes, do your homework and discuss with professional sports enthusiasts that you might know before, setting out to buy your shoes. Remember that the shoes are as important as the exercise you do or the sports that you wear them for.
