Talking FACS
Host: Dr. Jennifer Hunter, Assistant Director for Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, University of Kentucky
Guest: Natalie Jones, Extension Program Coordinator for Physical Activity
Episode 12
0:00 Welcome to Talking FACS - what you need to know about family, food, finance and fitness. Hosted by the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension program, our educators share research knowledge with individuals, families and communities to improve quality of life.
0:20Dr. Jennifer Hunter: Hello and welcome back to Talking FACS. Thank you for listening today. This is your host, Dr. Jennifer Hunter, Assistant Director for the Family Consumer Sciences Extension program at the University of Kentucky. Today, I'm thrilled to have Natalie Jones with us, our physical activity coordinator that is going to talk with us about how to choose proper footwear for your physical activity. Thank you for joining us, Natalie.
0:42 Natalie Jones: Thank you for having me.
0:44 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: So, let's talk about shoes.
0:46 Natalie Jones: That's right. It's so easy to talk about because this is the most important piece of equipment for any activity; whether it's walking, running, hiking, tennis, basketball, anything that you're doing that has movement; truly is the right pair of shoes. You need to make sure they fit properly.
1:03 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: So, I might be telling on myself here a little bit, but recently, I was talking with a friend who she is planning a major hiking expedition. And so, she lives out of town and she had actually traveled to Lexington just specifically to purchase shoes for her hiking trip. And so, we got into this long conversation about the type of shoes that she needed and as well as the expense of shoes and if she needed multiple types of shoes due to the different activities that they were going to be doing on their trip.
So, I understand that proper footwear can help you avoid injury and get the most out of your exercise. So, if you're a runner or a walker, what would be the best type of footwear for you to choose?
1:43 Natalie Jones: Yeah. And I think that you hit it exactly on the head; that if possible, you want to go to some specific running or athletic store that focuses on shoes and running or walking. And so, you need to really focus in on getting an expert or someone who knows what they're talking about with shoes. And a key thing, when looking for a new pair of shoes, is to always take that old pair of shoes with you that you're walking or running in. that’s a good tip. Yes, so whatever shoe you're using, bring that in. Because just like any other, like a car mechanic would look at a car to see the thread on the tires, that's exactly what a shoe specialist should be doing; looking at your shoe and seeing the bottom of the shoe to really give a clue on how you're stepping and how your gait is, so that that way, they can really point you in the right direction of a proper fitting shoe if you aren't already wearing one.
2:38 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: So, I know that this can seem intimidating or at least it kind of seems intimidating to me as a consumer. So, asking for help or requiring a lot of time and assistance from a shoe sales person seems just like a lot to take on.
2:53 Natalie Jones: Right. It can be definitely intimidating. And I think another thing that is intimidating as well is people actually going into that specialty running store, because it has that stigma of elite runners or elite walkers and that's not always true. So, even if you run a bit or you're a walker, don't be intimidated to go into that specialty store, because they truly are there to help everyone improve their physical activity. And so that's the first thing.
And then the second thing is just to be comfortable in what you wear and what you're walking in or running in and so, your shoes are important. And so, taking them in and really talking to someone, a shoe specialist, about the activity that you're participating in will help you enjoy it even more, because you'll be more comfortable. And like you said earlier, be able to avoid injury as well.
3:42 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: So, help me understand here; can I wear running shoes to walk and walking shoes to run? Or what about if I'm doing multiple types of activity and also maybe lifting weights? Can I wear those same shoes or do I need three or four or five different pairs of shoes based on the different activities that I'm taking part in?
3:58 Natalie Jones: Right. So, I don't want to age your shopping addiction, but multiple shoes is advised. Especially if you are a walker, you can use a running shoe; that’s just a preference. But for running I would definitely advise not using a walking shoe. And the reason for that is the amount of cushioning and the amount of shock absorption that they have. So, all shoes are going to have a certain level of cushion, no matter what athletic sport you're participating in. If you are weightlifting or walking or running or just taking an aerobics class, but the amount of absorption is really important for runners.
And so, again it just depends on the type of tread that you have and the wear that you're putting on your shoes and that's something that a shoe specialist would be able to help you with.
4:46 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: So, how long can you keep your shoes?
4:49 Natalie Jones: So, this is a hard question, because we can't just say, “You know, have your shoes for six months or for a year”. I generally would tell people that something that you have to think of, just like a car, with putting miles on your car, that you have to really look into how many miles you're putting on your shoes. And so, that's different for everyone because some people alternate shoes, like you said, during different physical activity or they're using the same pair for everything.
And so, a good thing to do, no matter if you're a walker or a runner, is really keep a log and write down every time that you're using your shoes. So, that way, you can kind of take a back step and count up your miles to look. Because what we try to tell people is if you are a runner, 300 to 400 miles is when you need to change out your shoes.
5:38 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: That's a lot of miles.
5:39 Natalie Jones: Typical weekend.
5:40 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: Right, exactly. Wow.
5:42 Natalie Jones: And for a walker, it could be anywhere between 300 to 500. But one thing is that these miles are important in changing out your shoes. Your body will also be able to tell you when the shoe is wearing down and when it's time to get a new pair. So, that's something just to listen to your body; if you start feeling a little nag or something's bothering you, then it's good to look into a new pair.
Again, products, just like shoes, they wear down over time. And so, certain things obviously indicate that it's time to buy a new pair of shoes. For instance, if your toes are going through that toe box, the front part and started getting a little wear and tear, it may be time.
Obviously, again if you're getting blisters or pains from your shoes or the heel is breaking down or any other part of the heel is coming undone or the sole of the shoe, that's really when it's time to look into purchasing a new pair of shoes.
6:36 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: I know my son, on his athletic shoes, that if his starts complaining a day or two in a row about his legs feeling tired or his feet feeling tired, that I've learned it's probably time for new athletic shoes for him.
6:45 Natalie Jones: Yes, exactly.
6:46 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: And so, give us your best advice when buying shoes. If you are someone buying running or walking shoes for the very first time, what should they look for and what really do they need to know?
7:00 Natalie Jones: So, again I really want them to know that if possible to purchase shoes from a specialty store and to bring in those old shoes with them. That will tremendously help out the person that you're working with to communicate about what activity you're doing. You want to have that open conversation about what you're participating in and what you plan to get out of those shoes, because that will differ between activities. And then a good tip as well is to visit a shoe store, if possible, at the end of the day because our feet normally swell. And so, at the end of the day, you can get shoes that actually fit properly to how they may be when you're actually participating in physical activity.
7:36 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: Okay.
7:37 Natalie Jones: And then wear socks that you would normally wear during your activities, so your shoe fits again properly. I know that my running socks are a little thicker than some of my everyday socks. If you already have orthotics in your shoes, it's important to bring those in as well as, because they will influence that fit of the shoe.
And then something that people forget is to try on both shoes. Your left and your right foot maybe all different sizes or it may fit differently without our support on one than the other. And so, you really want to make sure that you try both on, you walk in them. Some running stores will even let you go for a little run outside before you purchase them. And so, just making sure that the shoe fits well on both of your feet is really important.
8:23 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: That's great if you could do kind of a trial run to know that the she really does fit before you make the investment.
8:29 Natalie Jones: Exactly.
8:30 Dr. Jennifer Hunter: Great tips, Natalie. Thank you for joining us today. I think this is a great topic.
8:33 Natalie Jones: It is. Thank you so much.
8:36 Thank you for listening to Talking FACS. We deliver programs focusing on nutrition, health, resource management, family development and civic engagement. If you enjoyed today's podcast, have a question or a show topic idea, leave a like and comment on Facebook @UKFCSExt. Visit us online at fcs.uky.edu or contact your local extension agent for Family and Consumer Sciences. We build strong families. It starts with us.
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