How To Choose A Sneaker.

The weather is getting nicer and people want to get outside and start being active. One of the most common questions that I get asked is, “What kind of shoes should I buy.” A good supportive shoe can keep you active and decrease the risk of injury. A good sneaker is crucial to someone overcoming chronic pain.

I summarize the characteristics of a good shoe in the video above.

1) The first thing to consider is the heel counter. You should not be able to push the heel counter in, and is should be snug on your heel.

The sides of the heel counter should be level also, and you should not be able to one side in. If you can then when you put pressure with your foot the shoe may collapse there.

A good heel counter is important because when you heel strike the calcaneus bone directs the motion for the rest of the foot. Making sure that this part is snug and supported is important. This allows the gait cycle to be effortless without issues going up the chain.

2) The next thing to consider is to make sure the the shoe bends at the toe box. This is the natural way that your foot bends when you’re pushing off your toes.

If you have one of those shoes thats really flexible it probably won’t give you the support you need. Especially if you’re recovering from an injury or chronic pain.

3) The next thing to look out for is some torsional rotation. When you take a step your foot goes from supination to pronation back to supination. All of this takes .6-.8 seconds. Making sure that your shoe allows this to happen is crucial.

Now lets talk about fit. The shoe should fit well right away. There shouldn’t be a break in period for the shoe. 

Thanks for reading let us know if you have any questions.

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