How Should Running Shoes Fit the Guide

Here is a Perfect Guide to Know How Should Running Shoes Fit

With 26 bones apiece, it’s no doubt that our feet are biomechanically problematic. What’s more, human beings possess an incredible diversity of foot shapes and sizes. How Should Running Shoes Fit is a common question asked by a plethora of individuals out there. Even with drastic advances in the technology of shoes, getting a good fit isn’t an easy task.

So if you are in need of a new pair of kicks but not sure how to get the right fit, we have you covered! A shoe fit should be snug and comfortable so that there are no underlying difficulties. Quite interestingly, from proper measuring techniques and gait assessment to wearing socks, finding the right shoe fit is not rocket science.

But at the same time, you should be aware of some basic knowledge about the type and performance. So let’s take a glance at some of the top ways to find the shoe fit.

How Should your Footwear Fit?

Conventional wisdom tells us that your running shoes should be about a size larger than your dress. So while buying a pair of shoes, make sure that you are buying one size larger. And if you are wondering why you should buy running footwear one size larger, some solid reasons exist to substantiate the notion of the fitting shoes.

Swelling and increased blood flow after and during exercise makes your feet expand. That’s why your running shoes tend to be half size larger. But because of the variations in sizes in several running shoe brands, you need to consider some essential factors. So here are some aspects through which you can make sure to find the right fit.

Proper Fitting of the Toes

While buying sports footwear, you should have a thumb’s breadth of space between the ends of the shoe and the longest toe or the big toe.

Heel and Midfoot Fit

At the midfoot and around the heels, you should have a snug fit of a thumb s width. Well, the key to getting a good fit is to plan. Irrespective of the type of running shoes you are buying, you should always be cautious while buying a new pair of shoes by considering your big toe.

Visit a Store with a Healthy Selection of Footwear

When you have doubts about the fit of the shoes, it is always great to visit a brick and mortar shoe store. But ensure that you see a store that has knowledgeable specialists. These specialists are aware of the intricacies of your feet, like volume, the arch length along with length and width.

Fix an Appointment with the Store

When you are buying a pair of sports footwear and worried about the fit, you should fix a prior appointment. Chat with the experienced footwear staff so that you get the recent updates on the proper fit.

Elaborate on the Issues of your Foot

Well, a fit specialist at the shoe stores needs to know about everything from bunions to hammertoes. It is important to note here that even the temporary conditions like plantar fasciitis are crucial to mention.

Get the Fit at the End of the Day

Always be mindful of the fact that your feet swell throughout the day. So it would be best if you got the fit when your feet are the largest. And if you want to be extra careful, you can fit your feet after running for a long duration.

Be Aware of the Varying Fits of Different Brands

Well, you should know that each brand has its proprietary foot model. So when you are buying shoes from a different brand for the first time, consult in-store fit specialists. These specialists would help you get the right fit by considering various factors.

Ensuring the Correct Fit is Quite Crucial

One of the primary advantages of an ideal running shoe fit is good stability and support for your foot. This would help you to get the desired level of running and activity. Always remember that a shoe that is too big can cause damage to the toes.

On the other hand, if you opt for a shoe which is too small, it can cause extensive damage to toenails. Here are some additional considerations which a buyer of running shoes should be aware of.

Your toes shouldn’t feel constricted or touch the end of the shoe.

Your toes should feature enough room to spread wide

Also, your heels should feel comfortably cupped in the shoe’s back. This would ensure that your foot wouldn’t slip from the back

It is also important to point out that the runner shoe shouldn’t change your foot angles to the extremes of pronation and supination. What’s more, the ankle shouldn’t tilt too much to the right or left.

What Happens when you wear the Wrong Size of the Shoes?

If you wear footwear that are cramped up, your toes can struggle to find enough room. In other words, this contributes to the difficulties of the runners. Quite interestingly, wearing a runner shoe of the wrong size can also damage the toe’s ligaments and the metatarsals. So it can lead to deformities like hammer toes and other dangerous illnesses of the feet.

And when you wear a shoe of the wrong size, you can develop Freiberg’s infraction. In case you don’t know, Freiberg’s infraction is the stress fracture of the second metatarsal. At the front of your ankle, there is a bundle of nerves, blood vessels, tendons, etc. But shoes that fit too tight can compress them, which causes excruciating pain on your foot’s top.

And when runners step with their toes in shoes that are too tight, their foot muscles may suffer from misalignment. On the other hand, when you go too big, your foot shifts in your shoe. When the navicular bone of your foot doesn’t lock down, there are possibilities that your foot can move back and forth. In other words, the stress of shifting shoes and socks bunching against each other can cause blisters on your foot.

Finally, if runners are wearing stability shoes with a rigid style, their feet can feel the impact of stress. Also, there are chances of the impact of fitting shoes constriction, which causes numbness, pain, and a tingling sensation on your foot’s snug bottom every time.

Significance of Considering the Shape of the Shoe

Well, you must be thinking why it is crucial to consider the shape of the shoe. But note that apart from the size, considering the suitable formation of the shoe is also important. As we all know, feet come in a variety of shapes. However, shoes usually are mass-produced around a limited number of forms called lasts. The lasts of different brands boast of a design that can accommodate common foot shape and change of characteristics.

These factors usually include arch morphology, heel width, and toe depth. So even if you are buying a pair of running shoes, the wrong shape of the runner shoes can make it fit sub-optimally. Leaving a thumb’s width of space is definitely a great idea to get the right fit. But to get the shape correct, you should always consider the advice of the in-store shoe specialists at that time.

Why does Proper Fit in Shoes Matter?

Well, a running shoe that doesn’t fit aptly could cause injury in your feet and legs. There are possibilities that you may suffer from various types of issues like tendonitis, stress fractures, heel pain, etc.

However, you can prevent all these issues when you have the apt sizing and gait analysis. So let’s take a glance at some of the advantages of availing a suitable fit in the running shoes.

Avoid Common Injuries

Poor-fitting footwear is the primary contributor to foot and ankle injuries. What’s more, ill-fit might exacerbate many common health conditions that would need immediate attention related to illnesses.

Eliminates Chances of the Occurrence of Black Toenails

Comfort

When you are wearing the shoes of the right size and wiggle room, you might get the desired comfort. Your feet stay relaxed, and you can pursue a more comfortable run often with the shoe size of the rights reserved. This has a great impact on your foot stability.

Motivation of Training

When you have the right type of accessories with you, you draw more motivation to train and run harder. In similar lines, when you have better running shoes of the apt size, you can get the inspiration and need to train harder.

Watch video about motivation

Helps you to Concentrate

There is no denying the fact that an ill-fitting and loose shoe can break your concentration. We all know how important it is for athletes to stay focused during running and training and use apt shoes. The apt and tight shoes can help you to train harder with a good heel position and perform better often without any distractions.

Avoid Illnesses like Plantar Fasciitis

Ill-fitting and loose shoes can worsen the condition of plantar fasciitis. The shoe of the wrong size can overload the connective tissue from the toes to the heels, making the tissue inflamed. In other words, one should use running shoes with sufficient arch and heel support to get better comfort and tight fit.

Try Various Shoes

Once you know the correct measurements of your shoes, you should embark on trying various types of shoes. Visiting a shop and chatting with the fit specialists out there is an excellent option to buy running shoes. In addition to ensuring that you have a good fit at the toe, they would also assist you in selecting the shoes as per the measure and foot alignment.

What’s more, they would also keep in mind the mileage of the shoes you are buying. Mileage refers to the total distance you would cover by using the shoe every day. Another important thing about getting your fit right when purchasing running shoes is the type of surface you would run on with your toe.

Key Takeaways

It is always imperative to consult a fit specialist while buying the right running shoe. It is usual for you to feel confused as there are tons of brands claiming to be the best. What’s more, you should choose shoes based on your fitness and end activities. Visiting a podiatrist at footwear shops and knowing about the mechanics of your feet is imperative. Podiatrists can also suggest various types of shoes on the basis of your foot measurements. Let’s hope that the information given above would help you buy running shoes with the right fit.