Your trainer tells you every six months, the sales associate at the shoe store every 300 to 400 miles, and your pocketbook says make them last as long as possible. Figuring out how often to replace running shoes can be frustrating.
Here is what we recommend: replace them when they aren’t doing their job anymore. Your shoes need to protect your feet by providing cushioning against bruises, support for your arch, and stability for balance and motion control. If they aren’t doing this, your risk of injury increases.
Check your running shoes often, and if you notice the following, it’s time to replace them:
- They have worn treads (usually the inside support goes before tread does)
- They twist easily in the midfoot area
- The sole bends other than where your toes bend
- The heel tilts to one side
- You have trouble with shin splints, knee pain, and muscle fatigue
Try getting a new pair. It’s always good to have extras so the other pair has a chance to dry out if it gets wet. If your feet and joints feel worse in the old pair, it’s probably time to retire them.
For tips on choosing shoes, call Yuko Miyazaki, DPM in Berkeley, CA at (510) 647-3744 for a consultation. Our goal is to keep you running safely!