How to choose the right runner

By Lorcan O’Donaile, podiatrist and owner of Achilles Foot Clinic

It almost seems as if the whole of Cork has decided to get out and either go for a walk or take up running these days, especially since Covid has turned our “normal life” upside down.

Here at Achilles Foot Clinic Cork, we have found a surge in walking and running injuries during and after each lockdown due to all the outdoor exercise taking place.

At the moment, coupled with the annual ‘Operation Transformation’ surge of couch to 5km, we are tending to see many of the same sort of foot and leg injuries in patients who have increased their exercise, as we would normally see in those who are more long term runners. The thing is that many of these injuries can be avoided with a combination of slowly building up exercise, minding your body by doing yoga, pilates etc and wearing the right running shoes for you.

So how do you know which is the right runner for you? Well there are a few simple tips you should keep in mind before hitting the road with your new runners.

The first and most important piece of advice when choosing a runner is making sure you aim for comfort in your runners over fashion/brand type. Many people are fixated on a certain brand of footwear before they enter their local shop.

However many brands vary in width/depth accommodation for your foot type so it is important to do some research into what type of runner meets these requirements. Asics is a basic example of a more narrow fit which many runners enjoy, while Brooks/New Balance are examples of wider fits for people with broad feet.

As some of you out there may have orthotics, it is important to take this into consideration when choosing the runner in terms of width/depth accommodation. Also of interest is the fact that the medical research says that if you don’t have an injury and don’t want to get injured, then picking the most comfortable shoe for that exercise is the best way to avoid injury. Well that’s simple enough isn’t it?

There have been many athletic footwear fads over the past number of years which will continue to be a subject of debate amongst avid runners. From personal experience of following various footwear fads and the continual line of clients that come in with footwear related injuries, my best advice is choose wisely what type of model suits your foot best rather than what is currently the most popular runner in stock!

A prime example is the minimalistic runner that became a fad (again) in recent years. Minimal running shoes have a low heel height and flatter sole which have been a most likely contributor to injuries in our clinic (mainly from inexperienced runners wearing them).

However it is not the shoe at fault, rather the wearer! When you start back walking or your couch to 5km plan, it is safer to go for a heel height of over 10mm or 2 inches (compared to forefoot height) to begin with to avoid overloading areas such as your calf/achilles/ball of foot.

A good shoe should always follow the 2:1 rule whereby the heel height should be roughly double the forefoot sole height. Minimal shoes are completely safe to run in but only for runners that have experience with this type and have the appropriate running technique to match.

Maximal shoes (heavily cushioned) like Hoka One One have become very popular in the past few years and are heavily used in professional ironman races. We find they are also loved by ladies who have that severe arthritic big toe and just want to get out walking.

Long gone are the days you can walk in and buy the runner straight off the shelf without taking a second to think about it. The staff in many sports shops are now trained in giving information on what structure a runner provides based on your foot (which sometimes makes it more difficult to decide!).

If you are starting out running, most beginners will be fine in a stability runner. This runner provides extra support around your heel/ankle and aims to keep your foot and ankle in a vertical position on striking the ground.

Other models are motion control and cushioned. Motion control as the name suggests aims to limit pronation (people with flat feet/feet falling inwards). This type is naturally more of a heavier shoe due to added midfoot support so only choose this if it feels comfortable to wear when in the shop. Cushioned runners give more of a foam base with increased sole thickening.

However as discussed above, many of the promises made by certain footwear companies regarding the structure of runners may not mean it is the right one for you. Making sure you try them on, test them out and your body give them the thumbs up is a good starting point.

I know it might seem obvious but make sure you tie your laces tight before starting and that your runners actually bend where your foot bends(the big toe joint) is crucial.

Form, meaning your overall strength and conditioning when starting running, is extremely important. Failure to do so will almost inevitably lead to injury I am afraid.

If you are a little out of shape like most of us when starting running for the first time, then invest your time (and money) in a fitness class such as pilates or a gym membership to increase your form. Footwear is important, but knowing where your weaknesses lie and how to improve strength in these areas will lower your overall running injury risk. Recent research into this area found runners that include a strength and conditioning plan into their week reduce the likelihood of injury by over 50 per cent...food for thought!

So if you are looking out the window thinking of getting out, then don’t forget the runners you pick could make or break your couch to 5km. If you are unsure of what runners or even if you can do a couch to 5km just reach out to us at Achilles Foot Clinic Cork and we will be happy to give you some advice over the phone.

The most important thing to remember is no matter how slow you go you are faster those still at home on the couch.