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Good Exercise Shoes Are Important to Your Workout
Sometimes it is bad posture that is at the basis of an injury; sometimes it is genetic. Begin by wearing a shoe
appropriate for aerobics. These kind of shoes should include:
-
Padded heel collar
- Sole is flexible at ball of feet
- Toe box is to an adequate height
- Support strap (shock absorption)
- Strong arch support
- Sole width matches heel width having a slight heel
lift
When you run, your feet can strike the floor with the force equal 3 times your weight. The
foot plays the role of a cushion, i.e., you land on the outside, lateral part of the foot and you roll toward the
inside, medial part of your foot. This phenomenon is called ‘pronation’ and it helps distribute the force of the
shock on your leg evenly.
After the pronation phase, you go through a ‘supination’ phase, in other words, you roll back toward the outer
lateral part of your foot. The supination phase raises yourself on the ball of your foot in order to move
forward.
Now, people who have flat feet roll in so far when moving that their arches roll underneath their feet, touching
the ground. But they may also be born without an arch.
This excessive roll of the foot can cause foot, leg and knee pain, even hip and lower back pain. These people need
special shoes with an extra arch to rectify the position.
They can also find an insole with an artificial arch they can place inside their shoes. As a rule, if you feel pain
in your heel, stop exercising or trade walking, running exercises for cycling or swimming.
Stretch your calf muscles, but if the pain persists consult your doctor. In addition to wearing arch supports, look
for shoes with a flexible sole at the toes. People with rigid ankles and high-arched feet can develop a stress
fracture on the bones of the feet (metatarsal).
This occurs when you increase your work load suddenly and when your foot do not roll normally inward to cushion the
shock. Usually, it heals by itself after a few months. To avoid feet problems, reduce the force striking on your
feet by running on the grass, and wearing shoes with extra cushioning.
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