As we all well know, running shoes aren’t cheap. Even if you don’t go for the latest, hottest brand, technology, and color, running shoes are still one of the larger expenses in the sport. Unfortunately, as you log in the miles, your shoes will lose their cushioning, stability, and shock absorption. Running in old or worn down shoes can quickly lead to injuries like shin splints, knee problems, IT band issues and more.
A general rule that many people follow is changing their running shoes every 300-500 miles. Dalissia Burke, P.A. at OrthoCarolina Foot & Ankle, says “I tell my patients who run more frequently to change their shoes every 300 miles, but if they don’t run very much they can get by with once a year.â€
Others check the cushion ~ If you press the midsole of the shoe and it feels more hard than squishy, the foam cushioning is likely wearing out and you’re due for a change.
Dana Dempsey, P.A. at OrthoCarolina Hand Center who is also a triathlete, offers this advice: “Proper footwear is important. But knowing when to swap out into a fresh new pair of kicks can be challenging. Many go by the 300 miles rule. I don’t log my miles. I know once my feet, knees or hips start to get achy, it’s time for a new pair! You also want to check the bottom treads to make sure there are not any bald spots. “
Caleb Masland, a Boone, NC based running coach, recommends rotating different pairs of shoes, even owning up to 3-4 pairs at a time that you regularly use. How does Caleb tell his clients to know when it’s time to donate or recycle their shoes and break in some new ones?
Don’t Go By a Mileage Count: The amount of running that you get out of a shoe will vary based on how close together your runs in the shoe are, the surfaces on which you run, the speed with which you run, and a number of other factors. So, avoid a blanket such as, “I replace my shoes after 200 miles.” Yes, I know that the shoe store guy said to do this, but he also wants you to buy shoes more often. Furthermore, don’t base your shoe retirement time on what other people get out of a shoe. We all run differently, and so we all wear down our shoes differently.
Don’t Go By Outsole Wear Patterns: A lot of the time, people get rid of shoes because they start to see a lot of noticeable wear on the outsole in places where they tend to land/scuff while running. This doesn’t mean the performance of the shoe is negatively impacted. Of course, if it gets to the point where your normal gait is impacted, it becomes a different story.
Do Go By Feel: If the shoes just start to feel dead underfoot, or if you notice a little sore spot randomly popping up when you are running in a shoe, it’s time to put them out to pasture. Essentially, when you no longer trust a shoe on your foot and no longer like how they feel, be done with them.
Remember to Rotate for Longer Wear: Aside from the impact force distribution benefits of having different shoes, you’ll also get more miles per pair of shoes if you rotate them, and only wear each pair of shoes a few times a week at most. More time between runs in a shoe = more decompression in the midsole. You don’t have to go crazy, but having 3-4 different pairs of shoes is actually a money saver in the long run.
Caleb is, of course, a man after our own hearts. More shoes is ALWAYS better, even if it is just exercise shoes. Which you probably wear more often than any other pair in your closet. So you need more than one pair, of course.
And we’re back.
