03/21/2025
Shoes are a topic I’ve been geeking out over a lot over the last year and a half. Not just for running, but all shoes! Happy, strong feet translate all the way up your body and can prevent injuries to your calves, knees, hips, spine, you name it!
A runner’s top priority could arguably be having happy feet, which shoes make all the difference in. There is a long list of specs you can get into with running shoes but here are a few of the basics I would suggest to pay attention to purchasing your next pair of shoes.
Cushion (stack height)
The difference in cushion between running shoes these days is quite something! You can have a minimalist shoe that has next to no cushion at all, or so much cushion you feel like your walking on clouds and have no idea what the ground underneath you feels like. Maybe running on clouds sounds lovely and a way to avoid injury from “less impact”, but there are drawbacks to having too much cushion. First, more cushion may mean the shoe itself is less stable, which results in your legs working harder to stabilize, while losing efficiency in your stride. If you’re a long time, seasoned runner, you likely have the ankle stability that this may not be an issue, but for less experienced athletes, I wouldn’t suggest running solely with high cushioned shoes. Second, our feet are designed to feel the ground and respond to the stimulus that provides. Too much cushion takes away from this. Now I’m not suggesting to go completely minimalist, either. Sticking too a more traditional stack height is a good place to start, and then expand out accordingly. You may end up with a quiver of running shoes for all different scenarios!
Drop
This is the difference between the stack height of the heel of a shoe versus the forefoot, which generally ranges from 0 to 15 mm. There are many reasons why you want to choose a high versus low drop, including running style and current injuries, but what I want to caution you on is to not jump too drastically from one to the other. If you’re in the market for new shoes, research what your current shoes are and stick with something similar or within a few mm. Going from a 10 mm drop to a zero drop is just asking for a calf injury! If zero drop is a goal for you, take your time getting there.
Shape
If you’ve come to see me about foot problems in the last year, you’ve likely heard me talk about the toe box or shape of your shoes. Does your foot have room to splay? An easy way to assess this is by taking the insole out of your shoes and simply stand on them. Do your toes stay within the edges of the insole? Or do they splay over the sides? Most shoes, running or not, are not designed to fit the natural shape of our feet, and allow space for your splay when in motion or weight bearing. This restriction can not only cause problems in your feet (hello bunions!) but can translate up the body to other issues.
If you’re dealing with or have a history of running related injuries, it’s best to talk to a professional about what shoes are going to work for you, not against you. This could be a sales person at a reputable running shop (such as Crazy Soles in Invermere), a running coach () or a medical professional with specific training in running assessment (running assessments can be done at both Glacier Physiolab and Element Therapeutics).
