TLDR: You bought a pair of sneakers that you really like and you don’t want to replace them. Either because you like the way they look, the way they fit, the way they feel, how expensive they are, or any combination of these and other things as well! Understandable - I have so many pairs of sneakers that I love and don’t want to get rid of just because they are fun patterns and colors! Did you know though, that no matter the reason you want to keep them for longer, the average person needs to replace their shoes about every 6 months (roughly about 500 miles on the shoes) so that you don’t run into any issues?! So you NEED to replace your sneakers sooner rather than later, and your whole body will be thanking you quickly!
Finding and buying a pair of sneakers that fit perfectly, that you like aesthetically, and are not super expensive, can be a pain! Once you find a pair/brand/model that you love and are super comfortable it makes sense why you want to hang onto them for as long as you possibly can. Not to mention, many brands of sneakers nowadays are not cheap. And depending on what store you go to, you may get talked into buying different inserts and socks, and other things to go with your new sneakers - with the false promise “that with all of this, your sneakers will last forever!”
One of the first things that I ask my clients, especially those coming to me with ankle, foot, knee, hip, and low back pain without a specific injury or apparent cause of the pain, is “how old are your sneakers that you wear every day?” Many times, people just make a face at me or they start laughing or will say “uhhhhh”, because they have lost track of how old they are or how long they have been wearing them. I get it too, time flies, you don’t think about certain things sometimes, and especially if you are under the thought process that sneakers last forever, especially when they are expensive.
Why is that my first question though? Because when sneakers start to break down, your body feels it in so many different ways! I’m not even talking about visible wear and tear with holes in your shoes or the sole falling off or anything like that. The materials of the shoes start to break down the more we wear them, even if you can’t see it. If you check the bottom of your shoes too, most people will have a “wear pattern” on their sneakers, relatively soon after buying a new pair too. This pattern shows what your gait pattern is like and where you put the most pressure on your foot/sneaker when you are walking and standing.
Our sneakers need to be replaced roughly every 500 miles! Whether you spend $200 or $75 on a pair of shoes and whether you have “the best” insert or not, those shoes need to be replaced at the same time. 500 miles for a pair of sneakers that are worn every day usually works out to be about every 6 months for people. This will vary of course depending on your lifestyle, your job, your day to day life, the workouts you do, and if you have a separate pair of shoes for your workouts compared to your daily shoes (especially talking about you, runners!). After that 500 mile mark (and it’s even sooner for some), you may notice little day to day aches and pains initially. You might notice your feet are more sore after being on them all day, or your knees may bother you or you may suddenly have low back pain. If you can’t figure out where all of this is coming from, there is a chance it is your sneakers!
As our sneakers break down and there are wear patterns in them and the materials just become old and worn out in general, it changes the way we walk. It changes our ability to walk with our own typical gait pattern (everyone’s gait pattern is slightly different), it changes the amount of support the sneaker is providing us, it changes how we are using our muscles, and compensation can occur to make up for these small changes - which can then turn into major aches and pains.
I always tell my clients to not spend a fortune on the newest and best sneaker. Find a sneaker that is fit well to your foot, have a PT or somebody else trained in gait pattern analysis take a look at your gait pattern and help you learn what type of shoe is best, and go from there. Find one that is comfortable and reasonably priced as well - it’s okay to set a budget for your sneakers! Once you find a kind that you like, stick with them! There’s no reason you have to change brands or styles every time you get a new pair of shoes! If you know that you like the shoes, then just get the same kind the next time you get a pair! Just because there IS a new style of that shoe, doesn’t mean you HAVE to get that one specifically! (Bonus, usually as the style gets “older” you save a little more money as the newer styles are released!)
So why do you NEED to replace your sneakers on a schedule and on the correct timeline/schedule? Because your body is going to thank you! You will have less compensation while you are walking, you will have less aches and pains throughout the day, and your feet and body are overall going to feel so much better at the end of the day. Following a rough schedule for getting new shoes is helping you to PREVENT any injuries that can happen as a result of run down and beat up sneakers! Why wouldn't you prevent an injury if you know how to?!
How often are you replacing your sneakers now? And what were you told for when to replace your sneakers or how do you decide when you need a new pair? I’m always interested to know about this, so please let me know!
If you have any questions about getting a good pair of sneakers, or anything gait or gait patterns and sneakers related, email me today and let’s talk about it!
If there is anything specific that you would like to learn about, comment here or email me and I am more than happy to talk more about it!
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Dr. Katie
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