Running Shoes

How Old Are The Shoes You Wear?

Do you notice general fatigue or soreness at the end of a long day on your feet? Do your feet or back hurt after exercise? Do the bottoms of the shoes look worn? If you answered yes to any of these questions your shoes may need replacing!

Your foot is comprised of 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments. All of these structures need correct padding and support to prevent injury and premature wear. Quality shoes are the first line of defense when it comes to your body and how it reacts to exercise.

Walking or exercising in worn shoes is one of the most common causes of injuries. Shoes lose their shock absorption, cushioning and stability over time and sometimes simply walking in worn out shoes can send stress through your entire body. The midsole, which provides cushion and stability, can break down before the bottom shows wear and tear. Therefore this is not a good indicator of shoe life as they can wear out long before this. If you experience pain in joints or muscle fatigue, your shoes may be wearing out. An example of such pain may include back or spine pain because all of your weight goes through your feet as you walk and the force of the impact goes up your leg then up through your spine. Consequently you may experience joint and muscle pain as they attempt to assist in absorbing the shock.

Running and walking shoes should be replaced every 300-500 miles. If you don’t participate in a formal or rigid exercise schedule, you should still attempt to count the miles per day walking around doing normal activities. Continued use of worn out shoes will increase the stress and impact on legs and joints thus putting you at risk for shin splints, plantar fascitis, stress fractures, Achilles tendonitis and back pain. As a general rule you can follow this schedule:

10 miles/week: Replace after 12 months

15 miles/week: Replace after 8 months

20 miles/week: Replace after 6 months

30 miles/week: Replace after 4 months

Good supportive, shoes will help add cushioning to the joints from your feet up through your spine which may prevent a lot of pain from occurring. Invest a few dollars replacing your shoes now may save you from a lot of pain and future expenses spent on pain reduction later.

* Did you know you can recycle your tennis shoes? Check out RecycledRunners.com to find out where you can donate them. The closest drop off areas in the Twin Cities are at the Nike stores at MOA, Albertville, Medford and North Branch.