Shoe Strategies: Get the Most Out of Your Footwear

Wear shoe specific to certain activities

Each shoe is manufactured and designed to be used for specific activities and on specific surfaces. Using the wrong shoe could prematurely wear out the soles and the uppers of your shoe.

If you run on the road, be sure to wear road running shoes. However, if you to hike or walk on trails, you should wear a trail runner or hiker.

Alternate footwear for training

If you run multiple days of the week or do cross training in between running days, we don’t recommend wearing just one pair of shoes for both. It will not only compress and break down your shoes more rapidly, but you will not get the most cushion and support from your shoe each time you use it.

Allowing your shoe to have a 24 – 48 hour rest period will allow for the midsole of your shoe to decompress, making it a much better ride for your next time out.

Alternating footwear for work

Similar concept to point number 2 above. Spending 5-8 hours per day on one pair of shoes for 5 days a week will take its toll on your shoes and your body.

Plan ahead

If you use runners for work and then exercise immediately after work you run the risk of wearing out your shoe much sooner; bring an extra pair of runners with you to change into.

Is it OK to store your shoes in the garage?

The temperature of the room where your shoes are kept may affect the cushioning materials of the shoe. Try it out. Does your shoe feel less cushioned or bouncy after they have been in the garage on a cold night? How do they feel if you keep them in a closet inside your house?

Unlace your shoes!

You need to lace up your shoes each time you put them on to ensure proper support and comfort. If you can slip your shoes on and off without unlacing them, then it won’t be supportive enough. Plus, you will ruin the heel counter (the back part where your heel goes into). Your heel will crack/weaken the reinforced (supportive) area of the heel counter. It will misshapen the padding around the heel. It will also affect how your custom orthotics fit inside your shoe.

What about slip on shoes?

Similar principles apply from all previous points. But, the main precaution here is that these shoes will lose its structure in the upper as it stretches and loosens up over time.

When this happens the shoe may fit loose and sloppy and be less supportive and there is no ability to tighten them up. We suggest you wear slip-on shoes to replace them twice as fast as you would a lace-up shoe.

Got Questions About Footwear?

Kintec Fitting Experts can answer all your questions about footwear, and find the right shoes for you.

Find a location near you, and chat with a Fitting Expert today!