Running-related injuries are among the most frequent reasons for primary care visits. Armed with information on the basics of foot types, gait patterns, and running shoe design, healthcare providers can perform a simple, office-based assessment that gives the best possible advice to patients regarding the fit and features of their running shoes. Patients who wear proper foot gear may well have fewer running-related injuries.When asked how they selected their shoes, patients with running-related injuries may give some surprising answers. Consumer demand, marketing, and the complexity of running shoe design have outstripped the ability of some runners to make the proper shoe choice. In the absence of an expert shoe recommendation, runners often buy shoes based on celebrity endorsement, brand loyalty, style, impressive-looking features, and price. In doing so, they may unwittingly contribute to their own injuries.
In addition to foot type and leg malalignment, research has identified type and wear of running shoes as risk factors for the development of overuse injuries.1 Proper shoe selection and fit can compensate for biomechanical abnormalities and decrease injury rates.2, 3 Multiple studies2, 4-6 have demonstrated that well-designed and properly fitted running shoes reduce the number of overuse injuries, yet 37% to 56% of the more than 30 million American runners develop injuries each year, and 20% to 70% of those injured seek medical care.1
These staggering numbers underscore that physicians need to provide appropriate running shoe recommendations based on a biomechanical assessment. Physicians can use the basics of foot types, gait patterns, and running shoe design to perform a simple, office-based assessment that culminates in the best possible running shoe prescription.
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