Running Shoes

Walking into a specialty running store can be overwhelming. There are dozens of shoes on the wall, every brand has its own terminology, and many shoes look remarkably similar despite feeling completely different when you put them on. BUT if your local running stores are anything like mine they want to help and love that you are there. Ask questions, try things on and have fun. You don't need to know everything about running shoes before you walk through the door. However, hav

One of the most common questions I get as a running physical therapist is, "What shoe should I wear?" Although my patients don't like it, the answer is almost always the same: it depends. The shoe itself is a tool. Like any tool, its job is to help you accomplish a specific task. Some shoes are built for daily mileage, some are designed for racing, some are intended for trails, and others are designed to provide a different running experience altogether. Footwear companies us

Can Your Body Handle a Carbon-Plated Running Shoe? Carbon-plated running shoes, often called "super shoes," have changed the running world. Over the last several years it is not just carbon that makes a shoe "super" but other parts of the shoe such as the performance foam and nylon plates put shoes in the super shoe category. Nearly every major shoe company now has a super shoe model, and runners are no longer using them only on race day. Many athletes are using them for wo

Carbon plate running shoes, often called “super shoes”have become extremely popular among runners. They were originally designed for racing, but many runners now use them for workouts, long runs, and even daily training. One of the things I am often asked by my clients is: Are carbon plate shoes safe for everyday running? The truth is, we don’t really know yet. Most of the research on super shoes focuses on performance, not injury risk. While studies consistently show improve