If the shoe fits

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If the shoe fits

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Have you ever heard that your big toe really is connected to your head?  If not, I am telling you now, your big toe really is connected to your head.  Everything within the human body is connected by fascia.  If you have ever looked at a raw piece of chicken, the stringy, thin, sheet-like, white stuff surrounding the meat is fascia.  Everything in the human body, including organs, bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels are surrounded by fascia.  The fascia is inter-twined within and around itself, and indirectly connects everything in the body. 

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Now, you may be asking why this is important for determining which pair of shoes is most appropriate for you?  When one part of the body is not functioning properly, or has an injury, the rest of the body is then affected.  Additionally, the same is true for the shoes that you train and exercise in.  Wearing the wrong type of shoes can put undue and improper stress on different joints and parts of the body, therefore causing pain.  Not only can this pain be felt within the feet and ankles, but also the knees, hips, back, and even within the shoulders. 

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A properly fitting pair of shoes enhances your specific anatomy and can help to relieve pain, prevent injury, and assist with performance.  To find the right pair of shoes for you, here are some questions that you should first consider. 

  • What will you be wearing these specific shoes for?
  • What is your specific, natural anatomy?
  • Do you have any pre-existing or previous injuries?
  • What is your walking pattern?  If you will be running as part of your training, what is your running pattern?   
  • What is the wear pattern on your current shoes?

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There are three basic types of shoes:

  1. Supportive shoes:  These shoes are typically better for athletes with a lower arch in the feet, or flat feet.  With this foot shape, athletes have a very flexible foot that lacks support.  Therefore a supportive shoe provides the extra rigidity that is naturally lacking. 
  2. Cushion shoes:  These shoes are usually better for athletes with a high arch.  A higher arch in the foot is associated with a more rigid foot that lacks the flexibility to properly absorb force and shock.  Therefore, a shoe with additional cushion is better for this athlete. 
  3. Neutral shoes are best for athletes with an average arch in their foot, and who also typically have a higher fitness level. 

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There are many variations within these three categories of shoes.  I highly recommend that you try shoes on before purchasing them.  Walk around the store, some specialty stores will even let you jog on their treadmill.  While wearing different shoes, what feels the best to you?  If you don’t like a specific shoe, what didn’t you like about it?  Knowing what you don’t like about a pair of shoes helps to determine what shoe may work better.  Taking the time to find the right pair of shoes that have the proper fit and right feel today will help to prevent injury tomorrow 


By:  J. Scott, DPT, ATC, CSCS, TSAC-F

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