When do you need a new pair of running shoes?

photo by Steve

How often do you change your running/work out shoes? It use to be years for me.

I'm not a runner nor jogger, but I was once told by a podiatrist, one should get a new pair of running shoes every six months, otherwise the worn-out shoes are not providing proper protections to your feet. It is better to get an inexpensive, simple shoes, so you can change often, rather then getting the expensive one, with extra features that you can hardly need or notice, which you are hesitate to "let go."

Running is getting more popular now, according to the NYT report, in 2009, 476,000 runners completed a marathon, compare with only 25,000 in 1976. Meanwhile sales of running shoes reached a record $2.36billion in 2009, 60% more than a decade earlier.
When comparing the expensive and inexpensive running shoes, Scottish researchers found they work just alike, sometimes the midcost shoes have better brand cushioned.

A good fit for running shoes mean a half size or so larger than your regular shoe, should be a thumb's width between the tip for your big toe and the top of the shoe. Size may vary by brand, by model, so try them before you buy. full story

動運鞋應常更換

記得有一次訪問一問運動足科醫生時，他提醒大家運動鞋要常換，一般來說半年就差不多了，因為鞋底的構造已經「變形」，繼續穿著來做運動對足部傷害很大。因此，買一雙普通的運動鞋就好了，這樣就可以經常更換，否則一雙數百元的鞋，誰會舒得棄之不穿呢？

選擇合適的運動鞋也很重要，專家建議穿比平時大半號、甚至一號的鞋子最好。如果能在買前試穿最好，因為不同品牌的尺寸略有不同，即使同樣品牌、不同型號的鞋子，在號碼上還是會有偏差的。