These are the signs you need new running shoes

You wouldn’t hold onto an expired carton of milk, but when it comes to our runners, let’s just say we’re a bit of a sentimental bunch.

Thanks to the #activewear trend, we’re wearing our runners a lot more too, which is having a huge, and often unacknowledged, impact on the everyday wear and tear of our sneakers.

“The thing I talk most about with patients is the incidentals. You might run three or four times a week, but then you’ll spend the next four hours doing the supermarket shopping or dropping the kids off at school,” says St Kilda Football Club podiatrist Rick Osler.

What to look for

While many of us will look at the outer sole as an indicator of wear, Osler says the midsole, what he dubs the “engine room” of the shoe, begins to deplete much sooner.

“Most of the injury issues relate to poor attenuation (reduction of force) of load; the midsole of the shoe compresses and no longer deals with the brunt of the hitting the ground,” says Osler.

“We crash into the ground as hard as ever, and the stresses are felt by the body instead of being absorbed into the shoe.”

Osler also recommends simply listening to you body, so if you’ve ever pulled up from a run with discomfort such as shin pain or hip soreness, it’s time to invest.

How long does this usually take?

Osler says the lifespan of a running shoe has been guessed by using “fuzzy logic and creative number work” based information such as a person’s weight and how often they’re wearing their shoes, but he recommends replacing your shoes generally every ten months.

If you’re keen on specifics, a nifty little gadget called from Athlete’s Foot called MyFit Pod will analyse running technique, distance, pace and a heap of other data to give you an exact use-by date for your runners.

The best advice

Given that we’re wearing our runners for day-to-day stuff in addition to exercise, Osler recommends buying a different pair of runners, or shoes with good support, for errand running to ensure the longevity of your actual running shoes.

“Nothing derails a fitness program like a niggle or an injury,” he says. “Leave your runners for what they’re designed for.”

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