Did you know that 80% of runners are wearing the wrong shoes?
With running and walking among the most popular forms of exercise for women in Ireland it's time to get it right!
While running is one of the easiest sports to take up, it can also be one of the toughest when it comes to looking after your body - no one wants an injury to stop them in their tracks. A quick win to prevent injury can be wearing the right shoes. Finding running shoes that are perfectly suited to your body type and running style can set you up for a lifetime of running and not just a few months.
Running shoes are designed for different types of people, strides, feet, and types of running. What may be the 'perfect' shoe for someone else, may be completely wrong for you. This is where ASICS step up. For years ASICS have been front runners in helping discover what support and style are right for you, so you can run safer and better. Research by ASICS has shown that 80% of runners are wearing the wrong shoes. Around 4 in 5 runners risk injury if they wear shoes that don’t suit their running style. That's why ASICS are committed to new technology to help runners prevent injury.
If you are just joining the world of running, finding the right type of running shoe is vital for your enjoyment and comfort in the sport. ASICS recommend you ask yourself these questions first; How far do you want to run? What terrain will you run on? What’s your pronation type? What’s your budget? From this ASICS can help you find the perfect fit for your running ambitions.
What makes running so popular? Research indicates that over two-thirds of runners are motivated to lace up and go for a run because of the mental health benefits.
ASICS’ latest global brand campaign is transforming the way we view movement and happiness. “Live Uplifted”, showcases the impact of movement on both the body and mind. ASICS champion the philosophy Sound Mind, Sound Body and strongly believe that by pushing yourself you can become happier. Sport goes beyond just a competition; it can inspire and transform you. ASICS research into the effect of spots on wellbeing found that just 15.09 minutes of exercise can significantly impact our mental state!
Answering YOUR Questions
At Her Sport, we asked YOU what questions you have in relation to finding the right running shoe. We received a lot of questions but three of the most common ones related to:
- Developing blisters and calluses on feet from shoes.
- Shin splints from footwear.
- Pronation - what is it?
We asked Callum Linger, Brand Lead Expert at ASICS to help us answer your questions, check it out below!
Blisters:
Blisters are probably the most common injury for runners of all abilities but also one of the most frustrating because there’s so much movement that happens in the foot. There are many reasons why you can get blisters on the foot and it doesn’t just have to be the sole of the foot either, most of the time blisters are either caused by a shoe or by a sock and then slightly less common Are foot conditions which make the feet more prone to blisters. The good news is there are lots of ways to help prevent blisters and we will look at some of these below.
Running socks, just as important as running shoes and are specifically designed to help reduce friction thus reducing the risk of blisters, most of the time running socks will be seamless or flat locked on the seams to ensure a frictionless experience in those more likely areas along with moisture wicking properties all of which will help reduce the risk of blisters.
The next most important thing to consider is your choice of running footwear Incorrectly fitted shoes can lead to hot spots rubbing and eventually blisters, not just from a supportive aspect for pronation if need but also for space to allow your feet to swell but also enough room in them so your toes don’t hit the end and rub as such the general rule of thumb….. is a thumb/ thumbnail width of room between the end of the shoe and the end of your toe giving adequate room for the above-mentioned reasons. If you have further issues with your feet such as bunions and heel spurs, it’s always worth checking out the wider shoe options to these will help reduce the chances of hot spots and potential rubbing too. A few other points to help you on your way.
Make sure your feet are dry but not too dry. Moisture wicking technical running socks as mentioned above will do the job here. If you have particularly dry feet you may want to look at some kind of moisturiser to help here.
Use some tape most medical supply shops or running shops will have foot tape available to buy this also helps to prevent the risk of rubbing especially if you’re starting to feel or see the start of a blister this option can really help to reduce and further blistering occurring.
Shin Splints:
Also referred to as the sharp pain up the front of your legs. This is again something that can affect most runners and is extremely common but with some helpful tips and tricks it should help to bring them under control and eventually eliminate them. Shin splits can also affect any one of any fitness level however most shin splint relate issues occur with those that are less experienced and may have increased their weekly frequency / mileage.
There are many different factors to look at when addressing shin splints the following of which will increase the risk of them occurring; shoes without the right amount of adequate cushioning, running on hard surface or in actual fact pronation can also play a part. So how can we prevent shin splints? Listed below are a few handy tips to help you get back to running pain free.
- Increase mileage gradually - slow and steady and build up no more than an additional mile a week maximum and if you do feel pain starting ease back a little bit adjust your training plan until it has gone.
- Stretching calves can help reduce the pain taking hold - there are lots of useful stretching techniques here.
- Running of softer surfaces can also help, as this helps to reduce the strain and take away stress for the lower half of your legs.
- Ensure you get enough time to rest to allow the body to recover: interesting fact is that all our shoes are the same and they need a break too so don’t go too hard them!
Finally, a good pair of running shoes, something with a soft midsole and something that is designed to absorb shock send dissipate it through the rest of our unique gel module. Not only is it really important to look after the shoes but it’s also important to replace the running shoes ever 400-500 miles dependant. If you want more advice on this, it’s definitely worth popping to see your local authorised ASICS retailer who will be able to assist you further.
Understanding Pronation
It is the way the foot rolls inward for safe impact distribution upon landing, it is very natural and in fact vital for movement in order to absorb the shock of your foot hitting the ground. However, at this point the arch of your foot is supporting three times your body weight and therefore people who roll inward too much or not enough are at very high risk of injury. Unfortunately, this affects around 60% of runners. There are three main pronation types and ASICS recommends the first step towards finding the right running shoes is finding out which type you are.
Supinator
• Push Off: pressure on smaller toes on the outside of the foot.
• Injuries: plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ankle strain.
• Foot type: high arches.
Neutral
• Push Off: even distribution from the front of the foot.
• Injuries: less likely due to effective shock absorption, but neutral runners are not immune to injury.
• Foot Type: normal-size arches.
Overpronators
• Push Off: big toe and second toe do majority of the work.
• Injuries: shin splints, plantar fasciitis, bunions, heel spurs.
• Foot Type: low arches or flat feet.
Are you looking to step your running shoe game up?
ASICS’ most iconic model the GEL-KAYANO 29 is now lighter and features more cushioning to energize a sound mind in a sound body in each step you take. The GEL-KAYANO 29 is one of the best running shoes for beginners with the additional support and shock absorption which makes it one of the most popular running shoes in the game.
You can purchase the new GEL-KAYANO 29 from €190 in store and online at Elverys.ie and ASICS.ie
ASICS’ latest global brand campaign, “Live Uplifted”, showcases the impact of movement for both the body and mind. Sport goes beyond just a competition; it can inspire and transform you.
