Tiffany Raiford
So often the vast majority of us are more enticed by a cheap price than the actual functionality of an item. When you’re out shopping for running shoes and you come across a pair of Nikes that are so cheap you can’t even believe your luck, you might think you won the running shoe lottery. You did not. While sometimes you can find great quality running shoes, such as Nike, on sale for a cheap price, it’s typically not advised by health professionals and running experts to cheap out when it comes to your shoes. Believe it or not, those are the most important part of your running gear, and you have to have the right stuff on your feet. Your health depends on it.
It’s hard, we know, to resist a cheap price. But when it comes to your tennis shoes, running shoes or other shoes for exercise, you have to ignore cheap and understand that a pair of Nikes on sale for $30 might not be the best shoes for running or exercise, because that’s not what they’re designed for in terms of use. Don’t believe us? Still want to buy the cheap Nikes instead of investing in shoes that are made for your sport of choice? Read on to find out which mistakes are the worst ones you can make when choosing shoes for working out or running. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Making Price Priority
Sure, you want to save a few dollars, we all do. However, you can’t judge your athletic shoes solely on price. You don’t have to find the most expensive pair in the world; you just have to understand that finding the kind of shoes that will support you and keep your health intact might mean spending more than you want to, especially after you find a pair that are on sale for a very low price. Trust us when we say that you can’t focus on the money when it comes to your safety and wellbeing, especially when you’re working out.
Going for Style
Another big mistake that people make when choosing their running or exercise shoe is looking for the most stylish one instead of the most functional one. Let’s get this clear; you might want to be fashionable at all times, but your health is not a fashion statement you can sacrifice. It’s going to be very difficult to look fashionable in anything when you have crutches up beneath your armpits because you injured yourself running or exercising in the incorrect shoes. So do yourself a favor and skip the style search and look for something appropriate; you don’t have to buy ugly shoes, but safety and use should come way before the fashion statement your shoes make.
Getting Whatever is Handy
Shopping for athletic shoes is daunting, but you can’t just buy what you see first. If you are a runner, you need to go to the running shoes section. If you play tennis, goes to the tennis shoes section. If you play golf, you need golf shoes. You can’t just wear whatever is available or easy to find when you go shopping or head into your closet simply because it’s the easiest route. You have to buy what works for your sport. Did you know that running in the wrong shoes means you’re not providing your ankles, feet and legs the proper support? Do you know what could happen when those body parts aren’t properly supported? You could fall and twist your ankle or apply too much pressure or not enough support to certain body parts and end up injuring your muscles, your bones or your entire leg for that matter. The shoes you wear matter; don’t forget it.
Wearing Them All The Time
If you buy shoes to workout in and say that you’re going to get your money’s worth out of them by using them to do everything from exercise to family walks to running errands, they’re going to break down. When this happens, you might end up getting hurt or not providing your body with the kind of support it needs to function properly. Your athletic shoes, even those Nikes you wish you’d picked up for a cheap price, should be used only for athletics. They’re not your everyday shoes. And don’t even get us started about how you really need to forgo the workout gear as your everyday apparel. It’s for the gym. Not the grocery store. Get dressed, please.
Keeping Shoes Too Long
While a gorgeous pair of high-quality heels might last you decades if they’re classic enough, a pair of athletic shoes should not. A good rule of thumb is to replace these shoes when they start to look bad. This means that they’re probably breaking down inside, too. If you keep your shoes well-taken care of, you will need to consider replacing them every 300 to 500 miles. As a runner, you probably know exactly how far you go each day so you know exactly how long those shoes will last.
If you start to notice that your knees and legs hurt after you workout, run or engage in other physical activity wearing your athletic shoes, they’re probably already in need of replacement. It is one of the most common signs that a new pair of shoes is needed, and it’s past time to get them at this point. Head to the nearest shoe store and get a new pair.
Not Shopping at the Right Time
Ever feel that your shoes are a bit tighter at the end of the day? That’s because your feet tend to expand a bit throughout the day thanks to all you do and consume. For this reason, experts recommend that you go to the shoe store to find the right shoes a bit later in the day so that you’re more likely to find shoes that fit you when your feet are their more natural size. It’s a little daunting to realize that your feet grow during the day and shrink at night, but it doesn’t make it any less true.
Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
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