When purchasing a new pair of running shoes, it is important to be mindful of the fact that even though there are hundreds of excellent running shoes out there. This does not necessarily mean that all of these excellent running shoes are good for specifically you and your feet. People are so use to fitting themselves and almost always do so incorrectly. Many people do not know how a properly fitted shoe should feel. For example, your toes should not hit end of shoe.
What to expect-
Upon being greeted by one of our staff here at New Balance Knoxville, we always begin the conversation with customers with a series of questions to discover what brings them to the store, primary activities, foot issues, preferences, etc. After the initial analysis, it is important for us to measure both feet here at New Balance Knoxville, as New Balance’s sizing tends to run differently from other shoe companies. To ensure that the customer is achieving the correct fit, we measure both feet with our Brannock Foot-Measuring Device®. Additionally, we have a Fit-System here in store that we like to use to check a customer’s arches, as well as specific pressure points that may be alleviated by a certain shoe and/or insole. We can also check a customer’s gait if we have not yet spotted signs of over-pronation and/or supination.
If you have always had a lower arch, then a cushioned neutral shoe may feel best. However, if your arch has become more flexible with age we typically recommend starting with a shoe with a bit more stability. For those with flat feet, we typically recommend a bit of stability or a motion control shoe, depending on the severity of the collapsed arches, or flexibility of the arches. On the contrary, for those with higher arches we tend to recommend neutral cushioning shoes, as supination can occur.
It is crucial for people to be educated about their feet and proper shoe (foot) wear, specific to them, as there are many great shoes out there on the market that could potentially cause harm to their bodies even though they might be a perfect fit for their peers with foot issues. This is where shopping online has its negatives. Not every piece of information is provided when shopping online. Certain shoe brands run differently in sizes than others, and certain shoes of ours even run different from New Balance shoes. Shoes are made on different patterns/molds/lasts so they will fit each of us differently. One should not assume that they wear the same size in every model.
This analysis is just a place to start. It’s always a journey to find the right pair of shoes, and we hope that you will stop by our store for an astute analysis and proper fit.
Eric Alley, New Balance Knoxville
8027 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37919
Instagram: @Newbalanceknoxville
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