Asics has this great technology: Asics Foot ID. It takes about 20 minutes, doesn't cost anything, and is like a fortune teller for your feet - telling you exactly the shape and size of your foot, your gait, and pronation tendencies. Here are the steps:
- They put your foot in this little machine that measures your foot exactly - telling you the exact length, ball girth, arch height, wide/narrow, etc. It also shows you how straight your heel aligns with your achilles - basically, if you lean to the inside or outside of your ankle when you stand.
- Then you get on the treadmill and go for a little jog with these special shoes.
- Next, they play back a video of you jogging, and you see exactly how your foot lands - slow-motion and regular speed. It's AMAZING and really scary! I have such overpronation (almost severe in my left foot, and considerable in my right foot) that it was painful to watch!
- The Asics Foot ID employee then calculates how you run with the data collected from the X-ray-type-thing and your jog, and determines what sneaker is best for you via the Asics database.
- The proof is in the pudding. You put on those recommended sneaks (I tried on 2 pairs), and get back on the treadmill... and see a video of the difference. It was amazing how much straighter my foot was falling.
If you're looking to jog, do your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and back a favor and get this analysis done to determine the best shoe for you. My first jog in them was amazing... I was completely free of knee pain!
I did a similar profile at Jackrabbit Sports a few years ago, and the shoe change (along with repurchasing before they're too worn) has majorly decreased incidence of shin splints and other running pains. I'm so happy for you to have the time to run and focus on your love of fitness (and curry) now that it is summer. Good luck and happy running!
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