Athletic Shoes

Sport-specific athletic shoes are a very good investment for serious athletes. Perhaps it is a less critical consideration for most of us who are weekend or occasional athletes.

A good guideline is that if you play a sport three or more times a week, then a sports-specific shoe is necessary.

From a price standpoint, men and women's athletic shoes should be in the price range of $65 to $90.

These shoes are often independently evaluated for stability, cushioning and other features. It is said that if you are paying less than $60 for the athletic shoe, the materials contained in the shoe are probably not as good as those in shoes that may be in the $65 to $90 price range. If you pay more than $90 for shoes, you probably are over paying for them. Many people familiar with the shoe industry feel that shoes costing more than $90 to $100 are over priced and contributing to the manufacturer's research to develop future models of footwear.

Most people do not store their athletic shoes properly, causing them to have less than normal life spans. They put them in the car trunk or closet and the shoes deteriorate and lose their shape. Using shoe trees is very helpful to the life of the shoe.

Sports-specific shoes are usually classified as follows:

1. Walking shoes
2. Running shoes
3. Tennis shoes
4. Basketball shoes
5. Cross trainers.

Shoes might even need to be modified to avoid or treat certain conditions of the foot and lower extremity.

Shoes are an extremely important part of the equipment of serious athletes as well as weekend and occasional athletes. Often they are not replaced when they become worn or deteriorate. This can lead to injuries which are preventable. Most serious runners feel that after 300-500 miles of running, the cushioning material in the shoe is usually worn enough that it is time to replace the shoes.

A valuable and informative source of information on sports shoes is available on the web site of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS). The Society is a national organization of Orthopaedic Surgeons specializing in foot, ankle and lower extremity treatment. Their web site address is: www.aofas.org.