Tag: Athletic footwear

Don’t Forget those Feet

About fifteen years ago, when I was working full-time as a congregational rabbi, I faced a dilemma that I needed to resolve. I was the associate rabbi but would in a few years become the senior rabbi; that is not the problem. The issue was that I knew that being “in charge” would require me to do a lot more standing–especially when conducting services, and even more so at the important high holidays. How would I be able to do it when after only an hour or so my feet would start aching? Some days, after work I would take off my shoes and my feet would be throbbing.

I decided to visit a podiatrist (a medical doctor that specializes in the feet and lower legs) to see if there was something wrong. It turns out that I was pronating when I walked or stood and this was causing the discomfort; the good news was that it could be corrected with custom orthotics. It took about a week or so to get used to them, but afterwards I could feel a huge difference. My feet did not ache and I could stand, walk, and even run much longer than before.

Over the years, I have had the orthotics adjusted and even gotten new ones. I have ones that I use in my “regular” shoes and others that I put in my athletic footwear. The results are remarkable.

Of course, not everyone needs orthotics or the special care that a podiatrist can provide. Even so, at any age it is important to have proper footwear, in particular when engaging in athletic activities. Some of you may recall a related blog from a few years ago. It is noteworthy as well that, like tires on a car, athletic shoes have will wear out and need to be replaced. Having the proper footwear will not only protect the feet (from falling dumbbells!) but also provide proper support and alignment for the rest of the body.

How do you know if you have the right shoes? I recommend to all my clients that they go to a store that specializes in athletic footwear and has staff that is well-trained. I love DSW, but that is not the place to get properly fitted. There are some chains, but most metro areas have a locally-owned store that can provide shoes especially for cross-training, tennis, running, etc. There are others as well that are geared toward older adults and their unique requirements. Local stores have a vested interested in treating you right to keep you as a customer and rely on your referrals.

Most of us do not really give a great deal of thought to our feet….that is, until there is a problem. When they are unable to do their job the impact is huge. Do not wait until there is an issue; have the proper shoes and see a medical professional when something is not right. God gave us two feet; “Oh, the places you will go” with them–but only if you care for them!

Take Care of your Tootsies

Gym Shoes

When I was studying to become a personal trainer, one of the units we studied had to do with proper footwear in the gym. When I first read it, I thought “duh.” Everyone knows we need to wear the “sneakers” in the gym, but do know we what a difference it can make? The right support and alignment is essential. With the wrong footwear, we can misalign our kinetic chain (ie., we can throw off our knees, hips and back).

It can actually be a bit confusing. It should go without saying that wearing street shoes in the gym is not a good idea, but it is not that unusual to see them–especially on older adults. I’ve had to have the conversation with clients more than once about having the proper shoes on during our workouts.

What kind of shoe is best to wear? It depends on what you are planning to do. If you are planning to simply do strength training, a pair of cross-trainers is usually a good bet. These are not the same as running shoes, which are specifically designed for running–providing support in different ways than cross-trainers. Basketball shoes are different as well. Of course, if you are going to a spinning class (riding stationary bikes), there are specific shoes for that as well. It can get pricey.

How do you know what to do? If you already have foot issues (pain, plantar fasciitis, etc.), talk with your podiatrist first. Find out what s/he recommends. I was wearing one kind of shoe for a while but once my plantar fasciitis kicked in, my doctor had me change the kind of shoe that I wear; I now use one with a much firmer sole.

If you do not generally have issues with your feet, your next step is to go to a good athletic footwear store. Every city has one. This is not your big box store but usually locally-owned or a small chain. The folks in these stores deal with pretty much one thing and one thing only: athletic footwear. If you explain to them the kind of workouts that you do, what issues you might have, etc., they can get the best shoe for you.

What not to do? I do not recommend getting your shoes from on-line retailers unless you are experienced and know the brand/model that you need. Also, do not go to a shoe warehouse–unless you know the exact brand/model you are looking for. Even then, exercise caution as you may not have the proper fit and those working in the store may not be well trained to help you.

Take care of your tootsies! It may not seem like such an important thing, but if you’ve ever had the experience of not being able to use one or the other, you’ll know just how important it is to care for them properly. Take the few simple steps to make sure that you are not only caring for your feet, but also everything above them!