by Jason Lin, MD

The beginning of the year is a time when many people decide to get active and initiate an exercise routine. For a number of reasons, jogging is often a popular choice – you don’t need a gym membership or specialized equipment, and getting outdoors can offer a nice change of pace. But what you do need are good shoes.

Running can be hard on your feet, and without proper footwear both acute and chronic injuries can result. The simplest tip is to pick a shoe that is comfortable for you. The pair must properly shape to your feet. That means if you have narrow feet, choosing a pair that is snug and supportive. If you have broad feet or bunions (hallux valgus), it’s important to select an accommodative shoe with a wider toe box. Failure to do so may result in unnecessary pain and problems down the road.

For people who have arthritis in their feet, jogging may seem unrealistic due to the impact nature of this activity. But if you choose a shoe that is sufficiently stiff, you may actually be able to jog with little or no pain by minimizing the bending forces through the damaged joints. If you have arthritis through the forefoot or toes, the stiffness needs to extend through the end of the shoes. You can test this yourself by placing the shoe between your hands, holding onto the toe box and heel, and trying to bend the sole back and forth. The stiffer the shoe, the less the sole will collapse. I’ve recently seen multiple injuries in patients who were wearing shoes with too little support. In fact, I’ve specifically seen cases of stress fractures with the “five finger” shoes – wearing these are basically like going barefoot on hard terrain.

I like to think of the foot as a “tripod.” The three points are the first metatarsal head, the fifth metatarsal head and the heel (calcaneus). These three points need to be balanced to guard against injury.

For some people, no matter what shoe they select, running is just too high impact and not recommended. This, however, does not mean that exercise should be avoided. In many cases, weight loss is essential to improving foot issues and promoting overall health. Swimming, biking and riding an elliptical trainer – all low impact exercises - are great ways to get active while taking it easy on your feet.       

If you’re ready to head out the door and pick up a new pair of shoes, make sure you find the fit that’s best for you. That means trying them on and spending some time to get a good sense of how they’ll feel when you’re out pounding the pavement.  

Jason Lin, MD, specializes in orthopedic treatment of the foot and ankle. He can be reached at Samaritan Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Center in Corvallis at (541) 768-4810.