Question About Shoes

jasmineruth · January 2015

So my company offered a gym membership starting this January. So I've been going for almost a month. Currently I wear crappy $35 dollar shoes I bought at wal mart. I told my husband I should probably buy better shoes and he insists he has heard 'experts' say that the kind of shoes you wear hardly matters. I am doing couch to 5 k, two days of strength training using the machines and a cardio class. I am not planning on running any marathons or doing anything too intense. However, I feel like I've seen people here say you need to have proper footwear. Do I really need 'good' shoes or are these cheap ones fine? If I do need different shoes do I need to get certain ones for running and certain ones for the class I'm taking and the strength routine I do?

MeanderingMammal · January 2015

There's been one recent article suggesting that shoe type makes little difference, and many barefoot runners claim that barefoot shoes make a big difference to them.

Personally I've found that the right shoes for running make a huge difference to my injury risk, with the wrong shoes leading to serious shin splintsand ankle pain.

I'd suggest that if you're enjoying the running it's worth investing in a pair of properly fitted shoes, and keeping them exclusively for running.

seltzermint555 · January 2015

I don't run, but I do a LOT of walking (indoor/outdoor) and hiking and I can tell you that for me, the difference between wearing shoes that fit me well and offer good support and "random shoes" is MAJOR.

For me, that means New Balance 'sneakers' and Keen children's sandals in a size equivalent to my ladies size. I can hike 10 miles in those, or walk all over town for six hours plus, with no back pain or soreness in my legs, feet, or ankles. At all. But when wearing expensive Nike shoes that just don't fit me well, or any cheapie sneakers, boots or shoes, I pay for it the next day with some level of discomfort in one or more of those areas.

If you feel great in the cheap shoes then I see no issue! Runners will probably chime in with better advice to that end :-) Good luck!

questionfear · January 2015

You need good shoes. You may not need or want to spend $100 on good shoes, but you need shoes that fit your feet and what you're doing.

And don't get swayed by the idea that you must have a certain kind of shoe (stability/neutral/minimal). Just go with what feels right. A good running store will usually have a generous return period (many will let you return shoes after treadmill runs if they don't feel good), so start there. But don't let anyone upsell you on inserts, etc., unless you're told to by a podiatrist. Trust your feet and trust your body to indicate what feels right/wrong.

Full disclosure: I currently run in super duper minimal shoes (Lems or Merrell Road Gloves) but I have tried and put 100s of miles in stability and neutral shoes too. When I was running 1/2 marathons I wore neutral shoes, now that I have less time and focus more on shorter runs I like my minimal shoes. If I want to recreate searing knee pain I wear stability shoes.

But if I walked into a crappy running store (like my local road runner sports) they'd take one look at my flat flat flat feet and point me at stability shoes. It's through trial and error that I learned what worked best, and you should do the same!

jemhh · January 2015

For me, running shoes matter. I got fitted at a running store for them and ended up with Asic GT-1000s. For weightlifting, I do it in socks at home and Chucks (Adidas) at the gym but if you are using machines you'll be fine in your cheaper shoes.

dougpconnell219 · January 2015

I was working out in a pair of cheap Walmart specials.

After reading the advice here, I went to a running store and was fitted for running shoes.

It is absolutely amazing the difference it makes. Running is so much more comfortable now.

Also, get running socks. I don't know why I've ended most days of my life with damp cotton socks, when moisture wicking ones exist.

JScottBldrs · January 2015

You need to get fitted for the proper shoes....Find your local running store and get fitted..Shoes are your tools of the trade weather you are running a marathon a 5k lifting weights or whatever you will notice a difference.... .I am partial to Brooks GTS shoes

arditarose · January 2015

I don't do much exercise that calls for more than chuck taylors, but yeah-I think running shoes are important. If your strength routine calls for heavy squats and dead lifts, don't wear your running shoes for those lifts. Go with something flatter and less squishy.

snarlingcoyote · January 2015

My urgent care/primary care is also a sports medicine shop. The doctors are all adamant that you need the right shoes. Go somewhere, get fitted, pay the price for good shoes. It is cheaper to buy the right shoes and inserts than it is to deal with injury because you didn't have the right shoes!

gothchiq · January 2015

Which shoes work for you depend on your foot shape. I am a flat footed person with slightly wide feet and I always liked the most basic style of Reeboks. I think it would be good to talk to someone whose job it is to determine the right kind of shoe for your feet, and shell out a decent (not crazy high) amount for supportive shoes.

LKArgh · January 2015

If you are running, shoes matter. You do not need expensive shoes, but you need to have shoes that properly fit and work for you, or you risk getting hurt.

Question About Shoes

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