,Test Your Shoe Flexibility
Twist them and Bend Them or Toss Them
By Wendy Bumgardner, About.com
Updated February 06, 2004
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review B
Walking is a natural rolling motion from heel to toe, your foot bending at the ball on each step. If your walking shoes are not flexible enough, your ankle and shin muscles end up fighting your shoes and you set yourself up for injury as well as tired legs and feet. Many shoes marketed as walking shoes are not flexible. Most running shoes are flexible, but may not bend in the right place.
Twist them: Grab the shoe with both hands and twist in opposite directions. It should twist a little.
Bend them: Try to bend the shoe in half, pushing the heel towards the toe. The shoe should bend at the ball of the foot. Some running shoes bend in the middle of the arch, which is not the right place for walkers.
Poke them: Place the shoe on a level surface. Poke the toe down, the heel should raise up off the surface. This natural curvature will help you roll through the step.
Other Things to Look For
Low Heel: Walking shoes should not have a high heel, it should be no more than an inch higher than the sole under the ball of the foot.
No Flare: Some shoes have a flared heel to give running stability. Avoid this for walking shoes, instead look for heels that are even undercut at the back to allow for good heel strike and roll through the step.
My thoughts
So, the key is flexibility. Your beautiful shoes should be flexible enough to bend and twist as you walk
Showing posts with label walking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label walking. Show all posts
Monday, September 21, 2009
a guide to walking shoes
Walking Shoe Guide
The Best Shoes for Walking
By Wendy Bumgardner, About.com
Updated June 16, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
Walking shoes are your most important item of gear. Our walking shoe gear guide will help you decide which to buy, where to buy, and reader reviews of shoes.
The Best Shoe
There is no one best shoe. The best shoe for you is the the one that fits you best, the one that gives you the proper support, flexibility, cushioning, and compensates for any stride problems you may have, such as overpronation. Each person's feet are different. Take all advice with a grain of salt and find a shoe fitting expert to help you find the shoe that is best for your walking distance, speed, style, and surface as well as your weight and stride.
Walking or Running Shoes?
Shoe manufacturers are putting the best design and technology into running shoe styles, while walking shoe styles are being designed primarily for market appeal rather than performance. Follow the tips on the upcoming pages to see whether that walking shoe you are interested really meets your needs, or if you should go with a running shoe design.
Essential Walking Shoe Qualities:
•Flexible: You must be able to bend and twist the shoes. When you take a walking step, your foot will flex as you roll through a step from heel to toe. If the shoe is too stiff, your foot will fight it with each step.
•Flat: Walking shoes should have a relatively flat heel.
•Heel Not Flared: Since walkers strike with the heel first, you do not want a big flared heel. In fact, a slightly undercut heel is preferred.
Boots for Walkers?
Many long distance walkers wear hiking boots. I noted over half of the walkers on half-marathon to marathon distance walks in Europe were wearing boots. However, boots do not provide motion control features that many people need, and may be inflexible and heavy. Walkers may discover that they need a boot for the trail but not for the street.
My thoughts
Had this article been available years ago, I could have saved my feet from a lot of pain. How may times have we hurt ourselves with the wrong beauiful shoes. We can wear beautiful shoes but we need to choose the right ones.
The Best Shoes for Walking
By Wendy Bumgardner, About.com
Updated June 16, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
Walking shoes are your most important item of gear. Our walking shoe gear guide will help you decide which to buy, where to buy, and reader reviews of shoes.
The Best Shoe
There is no one best shoe. The best shoe for you is the the one that fits you best, the one that gives you the proper support, flexibility, cushioning, and compensates for any stride problems you may have, such as overpronation. Each person's feet are different. Take all advice with a grain of salt and find a shoe fitting expert to help you find the shoe that is best for your walking distance, speed, style, and surface as well as your weight and stride.
Walking or Running Shoes?
Shoe manufacturers are putting the best design and technology into running shoe styles, while walking shoe styles are being designed primarily for market appeal rather than performance. Follow the tips on the upcoming pages to see whether that walking shoe you are interested really meets your needs, or if you should go with a running shoe design.
Essential Walking Shoe Qualities:
•Flexible: You must be able to bend and twist the shoes. When you take a walking step, your foot will flex as you roll through a step from heel to toe. If the shoe is too stiff, your foot will fight it with each step.
•Flat: Walking shoes should have a relatively flat heel.
•Heel Not Flared: Since walkers strike with the heel first, you do not want a big flared heel. In fact, a slightly undercut heel is preferred.
Boots for Walkers?
Many long distance walkers wear hiking boots. I noted over half of the walkers on half-marathon to marathon distance walks in Europe were wearing boots. However, boots do not provide motion control features that many people need, and may be inflexible and heavy. Walkers may discover that they need a boot for the trail but not for the street.
My thoughts
Had this article been available years ago, I could have saved my feet from a lot of pain. How may times have we hurt ourselves with the wrong beauiful shoes. We can wear beautiful shoes but we need to choose the right ones.
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