Posted 10 Jun

This Year's List of Podiatry-Recommended Running Shoes for Your 2024 Marathon

Summer is on our doorstep, and the number of runners we see on a daily basis is increasing. Whether it be training for your first Marathon or you simply want to increase your fitness for that summer bod we've all never had. We were all at it.

The biggest question I am asked as a podiatrist is, 'what running shoes are good?'.

Now this is subjective, what is a great shoe for you, is not a great shoe for Sally next door. We're all different, and we all need differing levels of support.

That's why I am here, writing for you today, a guide explaining what shoes are out there this year to increase your performance and reduce injury.

The most important step… What foot type am I?
Generally, running shoes are separated by stability and cushioning. If you are a hypermobile person running in a cushioning shoe, it will feel like a bag of bones is trying to run through sand. It just won't work. People who have hypermobile joints tend to pronate, which will have an effect on the entire gait cycle and gait style. These people generally want to wear a more stabile shoe. Remember… Flexible feet that pronate want more stability.

Now, on the other hand… the rigid high arches. This is generally your typical 6-foot rugby player with super tight muscles. Clearly never been to a yoga session in their life kind of person. He wants to be wearing something cushioning. This is because a rigid foot doesn't have a great ability to absorb the forces; therefore, the shoe has to do its job instead.

So…
1. Hypermobile pronated feet = stability models
2. Rigid high arches = cushioning models

The second most important step… Heel-to-toe drop.
This means how high is the heel in comparison to the forefoot. On average, most trainers have a heel-to-toe drop of around 8mm, which I think is a great start, and most people should generally, look for something similar. Who should be wearing 0 drop shoes?Generally, I would only encourage those experienced runners to trial this, as long as they are not making drastic changes from their current running shoe. For 0 drop shoe you need to have really strong feet and lower limbs. Others who may benefit from a low heel-to-toe drop are those who frequently experience ankle sprains.

Elevating the heel increases ankle instability; therefore, this group of people generally will like this feel. Others may include trail runners for stability, etc, or often people with a Morton's neuroma…. Again, this is subjective, and for this level of advice, I would recommend consulting your podiatrist.

Who needs a high heel-to-toe drop shoe? Typically, those are super tight, non-yogis who have really tight hamstrings and calves. Anyone with lower back pain may also feel a little more supported in a higher heel as this can open up and offload these structures.

If you're super confused about what's just happened, refer to my table below

Here's another great table with specific brands and models I like to work with

I'm not going to go on and on about the key features of each shoe because you'll be asleep by the end of it; this guide was never designed for your ultramarathon runner athlete.

Shoes are complex, and for those of you out there who are complex, you'll need more than this to find your niche. This is for your average Joe looking to get into running but doesn't know where to start (and don't worry, for those of you that are ultramarathon runners, we've got the good stuff for you too).

When to see a podiatrist?
-Anyone can visit a podiatrist, whether it be simply for advice or you want to get into running with the least chance of injury.
-Anyone with lower limb 'niggles’ or pains that keep bugging them every time they reach their milestone. If you find yourself saying, 'I can never get past 5k' or 'When I run 45km, I start to get calf strains. We are here to help.

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