Dr. Scott Strolla
Wear running shoes for walking, says Dr. Scott Strolla, a West Palm Beach podiatrist.
But never run, he warns. “It’s like repetitive falling with 3 to 9 times your body weight. With walking, you always have one foot on the ground.” With this repetitive falling comes injury, at rate exceeding 60 percent, he says.
Strolla practices at Good Samaritan and St. Mary’s medical centers in West Palm Beach, at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center and Jupiter Medical Center.
He says you can get the same workout from brisk walking at a 100-steps-per-minute pace.
Type to buy
Strolla gave this advice when asked what type of running shoes to buy:
Laces: Choose running shoes with laces to secure the shoe to the foot, he says. Shoes with velcro straps are only for people with advanced arthritis. Forget slip-on models, they will never stay on your feet, he adds.
Mesh: Running shoes are most often made of mesh, he says. They breathe better and weigh less than leather or vinyl versions of walking shoes.
In-store: He stresses that until you know your true size and get measured in a store, “you cannot order that shoe online.”
Gait analyzed
At a running shoe store, clerks should be able to analyze your gait — neutral or supinator, where your foot rolls out when you walk, about 15 percent of the population; mild to moderate pronators, where your foot collapses inward when you walk, about 80 percent of the population; or severe pronation by obese people, about 5 percent of the population.
Neutral or supinators need cushioning in their running shoes to absorb shock. Pronators need stabilization with a dual-density midsole, a gray bar under each arch. Severe pronators need motion control from the gray bar that extends from the arch to each heal.
Costly, yes, “but you get what you pay for,” Strolla says.
Right fit
To get the right fit, he suggests:
1. Bring your own socks. That way, you can try on the running shoes with the socks you would wear while walking. “Not thick socks or double socks, just a pair of socks,” he says.
2. Go in late afternoon. Feet swell during the day, so you won’t get a true fit if you go shop earlier.
3. Fit for your longest toe. For about 30 percent of the population, the second toe, not the big toe, is the longest. Leave a half-thumbnail space between the end of that digit and the shoe.
4. Fit for the larger foot. Most people are asymmetrical and have one foot larger than the other.
5. Walk in the shoes. “It’s very important to take your time and walk around the store in your running shoes,” Strolla advises.
The shoes should last 6 months or 400 miles. The EVA midsole wears out first, but unfortunately you can’t tell by looking at the shoe, he says. The sole is durable, so it lasts longer, but don’t wait until the tread wears down to replace the shoes.
Brands recommended
He suggests Asics Nimbus for neutral/supinators and the 2170 model for pronators. He also likes New Balance running shoes: 1080 for neutral/supinators, 1260 for pronators who need stability and 1540 for those who need motion control.
New Balance has wider widths, so he finds himself recommending them more for his patients.
And now, for my numbers
I had my best walking day last week on Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, when I walked:
Steps: 10,749
Miles: 5.4