New York City is full of people, but in many ways, it’s a runner’s paradise. Whether you like walking the streets of New York or jogging in Central Park or Brooklyn, there are plenty of opportunities to get fresh air and exercise. Many New Yorkers love jogging on the west side highway, the east river, and along the water in Long Island City. After a long day of fighting highway traffic or taking public transit, running can be a welcome change of pace. Best Foot Doctor NY is here to help you avoid these common mistakes with your running shoes.
Are your running shoes looking a little worse for wear these days?
Maybe you love your current shoes so much that you want an identical pair. However, if you’re looking to switch things up, it’s important to choose your new shoes carefully. Running in the wrong shoes can cause ingrown toenails, stress fractures, blisters, numbness, and many more unpleasant consequences. In fact, pain in patients’ backs, knees, and other body parts can sometimes be traced to flaws in their running shoes.
You probably want your running shoes to look fashionable and sleek. You might also gravitate towards a particular brand–maybe because it offers superior comfort or performance, or maybe because of what the brand represents. Either way, it’s important to evaluate the shoe’s fit and construction carefully to avoid long-term health problems. Don’t let brand, color or style preferences influence you to make a decision you’ll regret down the road!
There are several classic mistakes runners should avoid when shopping for a new pair of running shoes good for heel pain. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common pitfalls!
- Too Much Of A Good Thing
If you’re already a fan of your running shoes, you might not want to go out on a limb and try something new. However, wearing multiple pairs of shoes can help you avoid injury. Researchers have found that wearing different shoes on different days can significantly reduce injuries. Each pair of shoes balances your weight in slightly different ways and rubs your feet in slightly different areas. Try rotating through at least two pairs at a time!
- Holding On When It’s Time To Say Goodbye
A good pair of running shoes can serve you well for some time, and it’s easy to get attached. After all, your shoes have seen you through miles and miles, over hilly terrain and smooth surfaces. However, continuing to run in worn-out shoes is a recipe for disaster. You can reduce your risk of plantar fasciitis, sprains, and other problems by tossing shoes that are past their prime.
How Do I Know If My Shoes Are Worn Out?
Brooklyn’s Best Podiatrist Answers
Not sure whether your shoes are ready to go? Check for worn-out soles that no longer absorb impact properly. Consider whether your shoes are stretched out of shape, which could cause blisters or chafing. If you’re experiencing pain that wasn’t there before, try a new pair of shoes and notice whether things change. You can hold onto the old pair for a while and rotate them back in, if it turns out they weren’t to blame after all.
Data Is Your Best Friend
One of the best ways to avoid running in worn-out shoes is to track your mileage. Replace shoes every 300-500 miles, as a rule of thumb. If you’re running on extremely rough terrain, you might get less mileage. Also, keep careful records of when pain starts and stops, and what shoes you’re wearing on each run. Keeping notes can help you find any correlation between your shoes and your symptoms.
- Relying On Shoes As A Cure-All
If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort while running, you have a complex range of factors to investigate. Your running technique, terrain, and underlying health conditions can lead to complications. These are just a few of the possible culprits!
Wearing the best shoes for heel pain can reduce your risk of pain and injury, but there are many problems shoes can’t solve. Even the best shoes for Achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis can’t always solve the problem on their own. Resist the urge to buy a new pair of shoes and push through the pain, even if it’s not stopping or getting worse! Keep expectations realistic–good shoes can reduce your risk of developing problems, but you should seek medical treatment for pre-existing issues.
- Ignoring Fit Problems
If you’ve worn the same shoe size all your life, you probably automatically reach for it when shopping. However, it’s still important to try on shoes before you buy, because not all brands and models are true to size. Even if a shoe technically fits your foot, it might not provide the support and cushioning you need while running. Make sure to give your shoes a thorough in-store test drive before buying. This is one of the biggest mistakes made when purchasing running shoes.
Avoid Buying Online If Possible | #1 Tip From Brooklyn’s Best Podiatrist
Buying online can be problematic, since you won’t be able to try on. Returning online purchases is a hassle, so you might be tempted to just make it work, even if your shoes aren’t ideal. Most of us are prone to the sunk-cost fallacy, at least to some degree. The longer you’ve owned a pair of shoes, the less likely you are to change your mind and take it back to the store. Buying online can end up being a huge mistake when it comes to running shoes. You need to try them on.
Resist Buying Shoes That Don’t Fit Perfectly
Don’t bring home a pair of shoes unless they feel good in the store. Some shoppers are convinced that their uncomfortable shoes just need “breaking in.” Most pairs do get more comfortable after you’ve been wearing them a while. However, you should always start with a pair that feels good enough from day one. Your feet will thank you!
- Settling For Cheap Shoes
Everything is getting more expensive these days, from groceries to plane tickets to homes. If you’re looking for ways to cut spending, cheap running shoes might sound like a great idea. After all, if you pass up fancy clothing labels, you can often find equally great looks at lower prices. However, the same doesn’t go for shoes.
When you buy cheap running shoes, you probably won’t get as much mileage as you would out of a good pair. Worse than that, you’re at risk of injury from poor shoe design. From stress fractures to blisters, the possible consequences of buying cheap shoes are serious. There are plenty of other areas where cost-cutting is a safer option. A cheaper pair of running shorts, water bottle, or sweatband probably won’t lead to long-term health issues. Passing up the cheapest shoe options will save you money and grief in the long run.
Depending on your terrain, cheap shoes can cause different issues. If you like running in New York, you may be hitting the running trails of Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Cheap shoes with flat, hard soles won’t be flexible enough and can lead to stretch fractures. If you’re running on the beaches of Jamaica, cheap shoes may not provide enough inner cushioning to avoid blisters as you push through sand.
Contact Our NYC Podiatrists Today With Your Questions
Do you have questions about your next running shoe purchase? Need to find the perfect pair of shoes good for heel pain? Get in touch with Best Foot Doctor NY today. Our highly trained podiatric staff can investigate any existing issues and help you make the best choice for your feet!