Why is it important to buy special shoes for walking when we've quite comfortably walked in casual shoes for most of our lives? So what's special about walking shoes?
Following the recent walking for fitness campaigns, such as the 10,000 steps initiative, there are many people looking for comfortable and supportive shoes for fitness walking who do not ever see themselves hill-walking or rambling.
Walking for fitness is an activity where the participant often uses the area where they live, usually on roads, footpaths or treadmills. Bearing this in mind, let's look at the basic requirements of a fitness walking shoe.
A New Balance 940 Walking Shoe featured opposite has all the required elements, including multi-width fittings.
CUSHIONING
When you walk, your foot hits the ground with less force than when you run so you don't need as much cushioning under the heel and ball of the foot as you would in a running shoe. Running shoes are not recommended for walking because of this extra cushioning and bulk. The bulk tends to inhibit the natural heel to toe rolling motion and the extra height in the heel can cause a slapping onto the ball of the foot which reduces walking efficiency.
SUPPORT STRUCTURES
As with all performance sports shoes, a walking shoe should have a strong heel counter for stability of the ankle. A good, durable arch support is also important. Lateral support is necessary but not as important as say an aerobics shoe which caters for sideways movements as well.
OTHER FEATURES
When walking, the toes naturally spread and so it is necessary to have a fairly high and wide toe box to allow for this movement. Walking shoes must be flexible at the forefoot so test them first by bending them under a moderate amount of pressure. Court game shoes are not good for walking because of their rigidity.
The walking shoe should also have a durable outersole which can tolerate all surfaces. But make sure it is not so thick that it restricts flexion at the ball of the foot. The outersoles of aerobic shoes are not durable enough for walking.
A leather shoe or a shoe with a coolmax upper is preferred as these materials breathe. Although leather tends to stretch it still offers adequate foot stability when combined with lateral support straps.
Therefore, if you do walk for fitness, a good quality walking shoe is recommended.
If you would like professional help in determining your walking gait then contact us to set up an appointment. The clinic can also provide performance insoles and an expert shoe fitting service to bring further comfort to your walking activity.
