TLDR: There is no one perfect sneaker for anybody. Yes, there are shoes that are more ideal for specific sports (running vs. weightlifting vs. baseball vs. golf, etc). Despite the fact that there are shoes that are ideal for specific sports, there is still not one specific shoe that is perfect for every single person in that sport. The shoe that is best for you, is the one that fits your unique foot and works with your unique gait pattern. There is no “perfect” or “best” shoe.
Buying sneakers can be a tough subject for medical professionals and for the people just trying to buy a great pair of sneakers. There are a lot of “expert opinions” and “advice” revolving around sneakers and which ones that people “should” be wearing in their day to day life and when they are completing specific sports. There are a lot of differing opinions depending on the type of medical professional you talk to. And I do recommend talking to a medical profession (a physical therapist, podiatrist, orthotist, etc) or somebody who is actually certified in gait analysis. Going to a running/shoe store can be great, but often the people who are helping you don’t have any type of training or certification in gait analysis - so just be aware of where you are going and who is doing the analysis and shoe fitting for you!
Despite all of the opinions and advice that you can get from so many people and despite the fact that there are designs of shoes that are better for you, the best shoe for you, is the one that fits you best. Yep, it’s as simple as that. With all of the “experts” and videos and information available online, that’s the extent of it! No two people are going to love the same running shoe and that one running shoe, is going to fit two different people very differently. They could be 2 females, who are the exact same height, the exact same weight and the exact same body composition make up, who have the exact same running schedule, and those sneakers will fit those 2 females, extremely differently. Why? Because they are two different people.
Human anatomy is, in theory, the same across every human. We all have the same muscles, bones, ligaments, tissues, organs, systems that function the same, and mechanics that help us to move the way we need to. Despite that fact though, no two people are built exactly the same, or walk exactly the same, or have exactly the same injury history, pain history, or medical history. So if you put an identical shoe on two different people, you better believe that shoe is going to feel different for those people. They may both like the shoe, they may both hate the shoe, or one may love it and one may hate it. No matter what they think about it, it will still be different. The most important part about this though, is what they think about it.
An “expert” could put you into a shoe that they think is perfect for you. If you hate it though and it feels like it hits your foot in a weird spot or is rubbing your heel or toe and causing a blister, or it just feels “off” or not comfortable - that information is more important than what any expert or computer system is telling you that your foot needs. Can that information be helpful? Yes, of course. It can be a guideline and a starting point to get you towards the right shoe potentially, but it is not everything. If you are given the perfect shoe based on what your gait analysis on a computer says, and you put it on, and it feels awful, then the fact is - it feels awful, not that it’s the perfect shoe.
Nobody knows your body more than you. Nobody can feel exactly what you feel when you are wearing that shoe. Nobody will feel what you feel when your foot hits the ground day to day or when you are doing your sport or running around with your family. YOU are in control of what you wear on your feet. Not some “expert” or computer. They do not know better than you. You know what feels comfortable and you know what your foot responds to and what feels best.
So. The perfect shoe for you? It’s the one that fits you. The one that fits your unique foot, gait pattern and stance and accommodates your movements and helps with your movements. It’s the one that feels comfortable and that you can wear throughout the day without having any pain or discomfort. There are also different inserts and insoles that can be customized and utilized to help with the position of your foot in the shoe, once you have found the shoe that you like and is comfortable for you - but that is a conversation for a different day.
(Keep in mind that once you find a shoe that fits, that it is still SO important to replace them regularly - usually 6 months is a good guideline depending on how often you are using them. Replacing them can be getting the exact same pair of shoes though, just new.)
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Dr. Katie
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