Because your feet are subjected to nearly a million pounds of pressure during an hour of strenuous exercise, proper footwear is important to cushion these loads. For this reason, shoe companies and medical professionals have recommended wearing speci fic types of footwear to prevent injuries. It would be nice if the right shoe could really protect you from injury, but research conducted by the U.S. Marine Corps and published in the September 2010 issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine found no signi ficant di fference between shoe types when it came to injury prevention. So what does this mean for you?
Proper physical training— weight-bearing exercises to strengthen bones, stretching to avoid muscle tears, avoiding overtraining, etc.—is a proven, eff ective way to reduce injury and a safer bet than investing in an expensive pair of shoes. We can design a program targeted to your physical health, your tness and sports goals, and your body type. As for selecting footwear, stick to the basics:
- Ensure a good fit.
- Choose shoes specific to your type of exercise (e.g., running shoes for runners; basketball shoes for basketball players).
- Go shoe shopping with the type of socks you typically wear while exercising.
- Make sure to walk around the store for a while before deciding on a pair.
- The best shoe for you will be the shoe that feels the best.
To ensure that your body is in the best condition possible while avoiding mishaps on the field, on the court or on the street, our team of experts can help you with training form and instruct you in appropriate and proper stretching and recovery techniques. We can provide you with tools that will help maximize your performance as a healthy and happy athlete.