Footwear Fundamentals: Part 2
If you missed our first edition of Your Physical Therapist's Guide to Running Shoes, you can find it HERE!
What differentiates a trail vs a road shoe? What the heck is “drop”? And why would anyone ever want a wide toe box? Here we go:
Lugs: The defining feature of most trail shoes and a real game changer when hiking/running in slippery conditions. Lugs are rubberized extensions at the bottom of the shoe that act a bit like claws and assist in gaining traction when running on trails.
Examples of shoes with lugs: Brooks Cascadia, Hoka Speedgoat, Altra Lone Peak
Drop: The difference in the height between the heel of the shoe and the forefoot. For example, a high drop shoe might have a heel that is 12mm higher than the forefoot. Although low drop shoes (~0-6mm) are all the rage, a higher drop can reduce the amount of stretch required of the Achilles and other tendons of the foot and reduce pain in the short-term for tendinitis or tendinosis.
A low drop shoe has a more natural/barefoot feel but also has a similar effect on the forefoot and reduces leverage on the forefoot (advantageous for issues like bunions, metatarsalgia, Morton’s neuroma and turf toe).
Toe Box: Piggybacking off of the barefoot shoe revolution, you see a recent trend towards toe freedom and the wide toebox. Here, toes can splay which can reduce pressure on sensitive forefoot regions, such as bunions.
On the other hand, racing shoes will have a more narrow toe box to promote forward propulsion, reduce weight and inefficiencies by sliding around in the shoe.
The question remains, which shoe is right for you? My advice is always talk to us about your shoes and get an idea of what you're looking for and follow that up by going to your local running shoe store, try on 4-5 different types of shoes, run in each of them, and choose a shoe that is comfortable and fits well with your type of foot.
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