Sneaker Shopping Secrets

Choose the right pair of sneakers for you.

More on:

• Walking
• Cardio Workouts
• Exercise
• Shopping Guides

You can choose your next pair of sneakers based on looks, but to prevent injuries, rely on other features -- like good support. Here's what Ayne Furman, a marathon runner and podiatrist, looks for:

Lace them up. Skip styles with laces that start right behind the toes. They squeeze the forefoot. Better: laces that start behind the widest part of the foot.

Read labels. Fit and feel are the best gauge, but knowing the basic shoe types can help: motion control (sturdy arch to prevent inward foot rolling, best for big runners), stability (firm arch, fine for most people),and neutral cushioning (flexible arch for shock absorption, best for high arches).

Pay less. Don't pay more than $85 unless you want cool features or have special needs.

Test-drive them. Shop late in the day, when feet are at their biggest. But don't just stand there: On a noncarpeted surface, walk, run or jump to judge shock absorption.

From Reader's Digest - August 2004

 

• New, High-Tech Sneakers
• Whether running a marathon or around the block, new sneaker technology can help.
• 
• Keeping Your Feet Happy
• Easy ways to alleviate foot pain.
• 
• Walk Your Way to Weight Loss
• You don't need a gym membership to do this effective exercise.
• 
• Whatever Happened to Customer Service?
• Customers, sales personnel and industry experts examine the prevalence of customer-service deficiencies and the reasons behind them.
• 

“ I can't understand why a person will take a year to write a novel when he can easily buy one for a few dollars. ”

— Fred Allen

See More Quotes

Sponsored Links