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Got Shoes?

This month at East End Chiropractic, we have been focusing our social media, fundraiser, and blog post on the foundational needs of shoes. This month we are excited to feature a guest blog posts by Jenna Harwell from Nashville Running Company! She has a great background in the science, design, and application of running shoes. Jenna and the rest of the staff at NRC are open for any questions you may have regarding physical activity goals! We hope you enjoy her blog message and consider the options available to you for your shoe needs!

Running Shoes - Nashville TN - East End Chiropractic

From local small businesses, to big sports store chains, there are plenty of options for picking out running shoes!  At first glance, a running specialty store may seem intimidating to someone who is just starting their running endeavor. In order to avoid some aches and pains that sometimes accompany running, it’s important to be fitted with a shoe that works best for you!

When at a specialty running store, the fitting process is quite simple. A staff member will first ask if you’ve had any previous injuries and what success you’ve experience with other pairs of shoes. It’s helpful if you bring in your current running shoe so that the staff can look at your wear pattern on the soles. Keeping your injury, shoe, and running history in mind, your arch strength will be tested through a series of steps. This is to gage the level of pronation; the movement of your arches falling inward when stepping. Most people will typically pronate, but aches and pains can sometimes accompany a runner or walker who over-pronates; the arch collapsing inward past a healthy point. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some people with extremely high arches can supinate; arches rolling outward.

After you have been analyzed, a stability or neutral shoe will be recommended. When you look for shoes on your own, it can be hard to differentiate between the two types. A neutral shoe will be designed for runners who have normal pronation, while a stability shoe is designed to aide runners that over-pronate. A stability shoe will have a thicker middle part of the shoe to stop the inward rolling motion. This will improve over-all alignment so that too much pressure isn’t put on the inner part of your legs.

There are plenty of tell-tale signs when it’s time to replace your running shoes. Some feel a physical change. Personally, my knees are the first to alert me when it’s time to switch into my next pair. Some people will feel it in their shins or feet. This is simply from the breakdown of cushioning in the shoe. When a shoe starts to break down it transfers more force to your body, in turn your body starts to compensate for the increased force absorbed.

Typically, a shoe will last between 400 and 500 miles, or 6 months to a year, depending on how vigorously you are training. Shoes can last longer if you alternate between pairs of shoes or train for less mileage.

If your training mileage falls close to the 400 mile mark, then it is okay to wear the same shoes for your race. However, if your race is high mileage, you may need to purchase another pair between the time you sign up and race day!

Besides information on shoes, a local running store is staffed by people who are runners themselves. At Nashville Running Company, our staff is trained on fitness programs, injury prevention, as well as over-all health and nutrition. Whether you are training for your first 5k, or even an ultra-marathon, local running stores are great places to ask questions and explore with your training options. Asking questions is the best way to prevent injuries and have success with your running!

Check out Nashville Running Company for you next pair of shoes!

By Jenna Harwell on May 20th, 2015 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Got Shoes?

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953 Main Street, Suite 109
Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: 615-650-6533
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