For some athletes, the most important equipment is protective gear, but runners have to put their feet first. Replacing worn-out shoes is essential to maintaining a healthy body. Without sufficient cushioning, support, or tread, the runner’s body—feet, ankles, knees, legs, and back—are subjected to unnecessary wear and tear, often leading to stress fractures, heel pain, shin splints, blisters, and black toenails. The most common cause of running injuries is wearing shoes that are either worn-out or don’t properly fit the runner’s feet and running style.A basic rule of thumb is to replace your running shoes every 500 to 800 kilometers, or at least every six months if you are training four to six times per week. Lighter weight runners can usually get more miles out of their shoes. Humidity can also shorten the shoe’s life span because the moisture stretches the upper part and compresses the sole. Running on tougher terrain will causes faster wear on running shoes. Poor biomechanics—pronation, supination, flat feet—also affect the life of your running shoes. And if you have any of these problems, it’s even more important that you get the shoes that correct the problem so that you are not stressing your musculoskeletal system or your wallet because you have to keep replacing the pain-inducing shoe!
Signs that your shoes should be laid to rest
The worse thing you can do for your body is to keep running in worn-out shoes. While your shoes might look fine on the outside, it’s the interior construction that wears down. So pay attention to the telltale signs that your shoes have run their course:
Pain. When your shoes can no longer offer the cushioning they should, your muscles and joints will start to ache. You might develop shin splints or muscle fatigue.
Sole is worn. The cushioning usually fades before the soles of the shoes, so if you can see that the treads have seen better days, then you can be certain it’s time to replace your shoes.
Twists like a pretzel. Grasp the toe of your empty shoe with one hand and the heel with the other. Twist it in opposite directions. If it twists easily, the stability of the shoe is no longer functional.
Remember the mileage guidelines. To keep track of the distance you’re putting on a pair of shoes, write the date that you started wearing them on the inside of the shoe’s tongue in permanent marker. If you keep a running log, make the note there. Schedule a reminder on your smartphone to alert you to check your shoes at certain intervals.
Signs that your shoes should be laid to rest
The worse thing you can do for your body is to keep running in worn-out shoes. While your shoes might look fine on the outside, it’s the interior construction that wears down. So pay attention to the telltale signs that your shoes have run their course:
Pain. When your shoes can no longer offer the cushioning they should, your muscles and joints will start to ache. You might develop shin splints or muscle fatigue.
Sole is worn. The cushioning usually fades before the soles of the shoes, so if you can see that the treads have seen better days, then you can be certain it’s time to replace your shoes.
Twists like a pretzel. Grasp the toe of your empty shoe with one hand and the heel with the other. Twist it in opposite directions. If it twists easily, the stability of the shoe is no longer functional.
Remember the mileage guidelines. To keep track of the distance you’re putting on a pair of shoes, write the date that you started wearing them on the inside of the shoe’s tongue in permanent marker. If you keep a running log, make the note there. Schedule a reminder on your smartphone to alert you to check your shoes at certain intervals.