Comfort for your soles.

Of late I have learnt the importance of wearing the right shoes for running. Ever since I've started running, I have sustained a couple injuries including that pain underneath my foot that I endured at the Butler 20K. It turns out that I had a case of plantar fasciitis. This is a painful inflammatory condition caused by excessive wear of the plantar fascia, the thick connective tissue which supports the arch of the foot. Plantar fasciitis is common in athletes as it is brought on by excessive running, jumping or other activities that can put stress on the tissue and can lead to tearing and inflammation. But improper footwear is by far one of the most popular causes of plantar, especially if your shoes do not fit properly or does not provide adequate support and cushioning for your foot.

After doing some online research and talking to some experienced runners who know a thing or two about running shoes, I discovered that everyone's foot is not the same. I was referred to www.runnersworld.com. This website gives foot diagnostics by using a wet test and provides a guide for choosing running shoes based on your type of arch

Check out the site and you would see that basically,there are three types of feet , and this can determine if you are a normal pronator, an over pronator or an under pronator. I took the wet test and found that I am an over pronator meaning that I have a flat foot or low arch. So I need to wear motion control trainers which provide extra support for the arch of my foot.

Runners world.com is also very useful when it comes to choosing the right shoe. Many times the sales reps at the shoe stores do not have the expertise to help you choose the right trainers, so runner's world gives you shoe reviews and helps you to find the right shoe for your foot in what ever brand you like to wear.

Also, another important thing is that you should ensure that you change your running shoes at least every 6 months. Excessive running causes the cushioning to wear down and this can also cause injuries.

So if you have not done so yet, do a foot diagnosis and ensure that you are wearing the right shoes for your foot. Trust me it makes a big difference. My new motion control trainers are much more comfortable than the ones I used to wear and I look forward to running with less injuries.

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