FOOT TYPE:

This can be determined by a simple wet blot test, where you would step on a wet towel with bare feet and then place your foot on a dry paper to get an impression like any one of the below:

0 – High arch foot

1 – Neutral foot

2 – Mild Pronated foot

3 – Hyper Pronated foot

A high arch foot requires shoes which have more cushioning in the heel, since people with a high arch tend to land heavily on their heels. Neutral foot requires shoes which are flexible, light and minimally cushioned. A mild pronation foot requires shoes which have a mild and flexible arch support. People who have hyper pronated feet need to have a motion control shoe which will have a hard arch support. Again remember ….shoes which don’t fit you while you try them in the store will never get adjusted to you as you run with them. Rather you will be negatively adapt yourself to the shoe and this will eventually show up in terms of aches, pain and finally injuries.

FOOT ARCHITECTURE.

Foot architecture merely is the way your foot is designed on an appearance basis. It has mainly to do with the arrangement of toe length and the width of the fore foot. If you have never taken a look at your feet look at them now. They may resemble any one of the below mentioned architectures. Don’t get distracted by any of the names given but pay attention to the way the toes are arranged. The shoes which you decide to buy should be accommodative to the given foot architecture and should not constrain them. I mean the toe box of the shoe should be given equal importance while selecting one. Some women who have a broad fore foot find problems with major brands as, in general women’s shoes are narrow. My suggestion would be to switch to men’s models which have relatively broader toe boxes.

Always bear in mind, you are not running at the mercy of a GOOD shoe. A good shoe is needed to support your running and not to enhance your running.