If you need an excuse to stay in shape, try running in the ‘Marathon Bahamas’ each year! It looks so beautiful, I may have just convinced myself to sign up (side note-I’m a very casual 5k jogger…. on a good day)

One lucky lady actually lives there- Bernadette Gibson, Board Certified Pedorthist and owner of Foot Solutions in Nassau looks forward to the race each year, but has great concerns for the feet of all those racers.

“My greatest concern is how ready are the feet of the participants? Choosing the right shoe and support, regardless of whether you are running or walking in a marathon, depends on a lot of factors.”

Bernadette sees a lot of feet, but put together this checklist that runners or walkers should consider before hitting the pavement…or sand

The Best Shoes:
The best shoes depend on whether you are running or walking the marathon. For example, if you are walking the marathon, you should purchase a ‘walker-sneaker’ because the pressures on the foot would be very different than if your were running. Similarly, if you are running the marathon, you would select a running shoe. Marathon shoes are built extra strong, durable, sturdy and highly responsive to the terrain you are running on.  All of these attributes help with speed.

Finding the right shoe for your biomechanical needs:
There are many shoes built for marathon running nowadays. However, when addressing your biomechanical needs it is important that you know your feet type. There are three types of feet, namely flat feet, high-arched, and normal or medium-arched. All three types require different biomechanical support and control. The flat feet usually pronate, while the high-arched feet tend to supinate and the normal feet call for a neutral support. If you can’t answer this question about your feet type, seek the help of a specialty footwear store where the expertise is available to properly assess your feet.

Protection against blisters and other skin related problem of the feet:
The use of a well made socks that are padded in the forefoot and the heel area is also very important to the health and function of the foot. Such socks add protection to the feet against blisters and numbness. Another added benefit that these socks provide is wicking away of moisture, so there is absolutely no need to wear two pairs of socks. They also have cool max to control temperature.

Many sports-related injuries occur as a result of extrinsic factors such as footwear and surfaces.  Sprains, heel pain, interdigital neuroma, runners’ knee and stress fractures of the foot are common results that runners and walkers suffer in relation to these factors.

What protection can be considered to avoid injuries?
Custom orthortics/inserts are specially made supportive devices that fit into your shoe and support your feet. When properly fitted in your shoes, the insert acts as an interface between the foot, the shoe and the ground. A custom made orthortic/insert is the ultimate solution to proper accommodation to support your feet.  Not only do they help protect your feet from pain and deformity, they give you the edge in power and endurance!

The combination of the right shoes, inserts to protect your arches against stress, strain and excess pressures with the correct socks to provide protection against blister and numbness will give you the edge for the challenge ahead!

A common issue for runners, walkers and fitness enthusiasts is finding out when to replace running shoes.  Although the title specifies running shoes, I’m writing this with all types of athletic shoes in mind: tennis shoes, walking shoes, sneakers, aerobics shoes, basketball shoes, etc. The principle is generally the same.  For brevity, lets just refer to them for the most part as running shoes.

We all know that running shoes do not last forever, but how do you know when its time to replace running shoes?  Most people continue to wear them well after their useful life has ended.  Most commonly in my office I’ll have people tell me that their shoes are three years old BUT (insert excuse here…). Some of my favorites, it fits my feet perfectly (meaning it’s broken down), the heel is worn out just how I like it (meaning it has a hole inside the shoe), new shoes just bother me (meaning that I’ve worn these for so long, the support is too different at this point), and my favorite: They still look new.

Yes, they may still look new. When all you do is run on the treadmill, use the elliptical, and some stationary bike, and your shoes never see the light of day, of course they look new. What’s problematic is the part you don’t see.

The support and function of a running shoe has little or nothing to do with the overall appearance of the upper part of the shoe or even the sole.  It’s the midsole, the portion of the sole that is largely invisible from the outside, that has the most function and limits the useful lifetime of a shoe. With every stride, the midsole compresses and, with time, loses the majority of its support. For runners, I estimate the useful lifetime of a running shoe at approximately 350 miles. This amount may be slightly shorter for heavier runners and slightly longer for lighter ones. For those who don’t run regularly or participate in other sports and activities that can’t me measured by mileage, replace running shoes every 4-6 months, depending on the frequency and level of the activity.

So, start keeping track of the life of your shoes!

Dedicate a pair of shoes (or more) exclusively for exercise to get the most out of its useful life. Keep a tally of the mileage in your running journal, or even on the side of the shoe in pen. Write the date of the shoe on the tongue or the sole of the shoe so you really know how old it is.

Whenever you are involved in serious exercise, minor injuries are inevitable. You must do everything in your power to minimize them.  Understanding when to replace running shoes will help, along with wearing the proper shoes for your type of exercise.

Despite the many health benefits of running,  Americans are putting themselves at increased risk for diseases year after year. For a few years, Houston, TX had the dubious title of most obese city in the country. That’s not what anyone wants to be know as! It is well known that 30 minutes of sustained activity at least three times a week dramatically reduces the risk for these diseases.

Here’s some eye-opening statistics:

* More than $127 million is spent annually nationwide on medical expenses related to juvenile obesity
* Healthcare expenses and losses in productivity related to problems from obesity costs Americans in excess of $100 billion a year
* 300,000 deaths per year are related to problems associated with obesity.
* Inactivity and poor diet is on the verge of overtaking smoking as the number one cause of preventable death
* Children ages 10-15 who are overweight have an 80% chance of being an obese adult at age 25
* Only 25% of children get 30 minutes of physical activity each day
* Juvenile and teen obesity rates have doubled in the past 20 years

Running and walking are the easiest and most accessible exercise out there. We all know how to do it. No training necessary. All you need are running shoes (although there are those that debate if shoes are necessary).  Just step outside and go! Once you start the routine, it’ll just get easier and you will begin to enjoy and feel the health benefits of running or walking.

- Dr. Andrew Schneider, DPM Tanglewood Foot Specialists in Houston, TX.