James B. Chen, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at DISC Sports & Spine Center, says you should look for the following when shopping for your daily pair of walking shoes:
✔️ Support: “You will want enough support to prevent excess foot movement (which can contribute to knee pain) as well as shock absorption to reduce the impact on your knees from walking or running throughout the day,” Dr. Chen says. Gorelik agrees, saying that knee pain can be ameliorated with sneakers that properly accommodate and support any lower extremity deformities.
✔️ Fit: Pressure points throughout the day could lead to discomfort and an altered gait, which may indirectly affect your knees, Dr. Chen explains.
✔️ Comfort: All of our experts agree that comfort is vital in picking the right shoes. “Comfort is extremely important as it ensures your feet are properly supported and cushioned. Uncomfortable shoes can affect your gait and posture, which may lead to worsening knee pain,” Dr. Chen explains.
Additionally, our experts equally stress that the best walking shoe is highly individual to each person and their needs. “It’s simply a matter of which shoe feels the best or most natural to the individual,” Hamberger says. That said, here are some general recommendations that our experts say to look out for:
✔️ Stability: According to Chau, people with medium to low arches can consider stability shoes since they offer some pronation control.
✔️ Motion control: If you overpronate or have flatter feet, Chau says that motion control shoes have a more rigid support, and some studies have found that some runners who overpronate experienced decreased injury risk from these shoes.
✔️ Cushioning: These may be worn by people who have high arches and rigid feet, Chau says. “These are more flexible shoes that give you more motion and cushion when you need it.”
Remember to test-run your shoes before solidifying your purchase. “Test-run them outside, in the parking lot or on the sidewalk, as opposed to the shop staff convincing you to use their in-store treadmill, as the latter will not give you the same feel as running outside,” Hamberger says.
Chau agrees, adding that when you do go to try on shoes, wear the socks you will usually run in. “Since we expect your feet to swell as you pick up miles, there should also be a finger’s width of space between your big toe and the end of the shoe,” he says.
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