When do you need to replace your shoes? Do you wait till they are falling apart? That may be too late — they probably lost their cushioning and support months earlier. Why and when to replace your shoes.

What Shoe Wear Patterns Tell You

The bottom of your shoe can tell you a lot about what kind of shoes you should be wearing. The wear pattern on the sole and heel can clue you into whether you need motion control shoes or not.

Stop Sitting Still

I spend a lot of time writing at my computer. I always thought that walking would make up for it. But now a researcher says that sitting still shuts down your fat metabolism even when you later exercise. How can you break up your sitting time? What about an exercise ball chair or a treadmill desk?

Source: About Walking: Are You Wearing Dead Shoes?

Walking is great exercise, but how do you find the right pair of walking shoes? Good Housekeeping did the footwork for you.

“What you need to know before you go out and buy a pair of walking shoes is what type of foot you have,” said Kathleen Huddy, textiles director, Good Housekeeping Institute. “Take a brown piece of paper, wet your bare foot, step on it as if you were walking and look at what the imprint is. If you see a lot of your foot in the wet imprint that means you have a low arch, and you’ll need something like the Asics Gel Walker for $100.”

In contrast, if you see just a little of your foot on the imprint, that means you have a high arch, and Huddy said what you need is a shoe with a lot of arch support. Good Housekeeping recommended the Brooks Defyance for $90.

But Dr. James Korponay, a podiatrist, said you don’t necessarily have to break the bank to get a quality shoe. “If price were the deciding factor, I would go with the least expensive,” he said. For quality at an affordable price, Good Housekeeping recommended the Saucony Grid Instep RT, which costs just $60.

A final note: Good Housekeeping said a good walking shoe should be as wide as your foot or slightly wider, to ensure an even distribution of weight. To learn more, check out the October issue of Good Housekeeping or visit www.goodhousekeeping.com.

Source: wcact.com

By : Gary Tooth

Quite often our feet get quite ignored until they start to give us a bit of pain or discomfort, but a lot of foot problems could be well avoided with the correct walking shoes. In fact it doesn’t matter whether you’re standing, walking or running, as ‘all’ of your body weight falls directly onto the bottom of your feet. Therefore, support is vital, especially if you are someone who’s always on the go.

Despite all the research and analysis done on foot care over the years, many of us still place style and design over quality, fitting, and comfort and this is especially the case amongst woman. When you think about it, it’s quite often the women folk who come how after a long day and drop their knackered feet into a bowl of warm water for a good relaxing soak. But if they thought a little more carefully about the type of shoes they walked in before purchase, they wouldn’t have such aches and pains in the first place.

Footwear has indeed come a long way in recent years which means it’s possible to not only have shoes that are practical to walk in, but fashionable too. Having said this, many of us only have one pair of ‘best’ shoes and we often buy all the others as kind of disposable items so as to keep up with the ever changing trends. In fact, my wife probably gets through a new pair of cheap shoes every couple of months or so, as she simply gets bored with the style and either hoards them in case of a fashion revival, or slings them out for good.

It’s not always possible to get through to the ladies on the importance of good walking shoes, and that doesn’t mean trekking boots, or fancy netted athletic shoes either, but simply shoes that are both practical and comfortable to walk around in. The heels of my wife’s feet seem to have a permanent plaster stuck to them and her feet are probably her biggest complaint. She, of course, is in denial and simply thinks it’s normal for anyone who spends a lot of time on their feet to suffer with such problems.

When buying any shoes, but particularly women’s walking shoes, women’s walking shoes, it’s important to keep a few things in mind, and in order to get quality, comfort, and longevity. It didn’t surprise me to read that somewhere between 50-70% of all adults do not know their own shoe size and many folks have a assortment of sizes in their shoe collections. Some are too big, some too small, and others just right, and 2 out of 3 are just no good whatsoever.

Unless you are extremely lucky, you WILL suffer from foot complications at some point in your life but this can be easily avoided with the proper foot care, and this all begins with the shoes. If you are young and think your feet are indestructible just take a look as some very common complaints that folks get with their feet every single day:

Achilles Tendonitis; Ankle Pain - Strains and sprains; Arch Pain or Strain; Arthritis; Athletes Foot; Chilblains and Cold Feet; Foot Blisters; Burning Feet; Corns & Calluses; Foot Ulcers; Gout; Hallux Abducto Valgus (Bunions); Heel Pain; Ingrown Toenails; Overlapping Toes; Pes Planus - Excessive Pronation (Flat Feet); Stress Fractures; Sweaty Feet; Warts; Xeorosis - Dry Cracked Heels - Heel Fissures ad infinitum.

The above is just a short list as there are other complaints too, but it’s just to emphasize some of the potential problems folks can face with poor foot care and badly fitted shoes. The ultimate goal is to find the best walking shoes to suite your every day needs, and only get out the fancy footwear for those fancy functions.

Article Source: http://www.articlenode.com — Article Directory | Free Articles

Read more on the importance of quality footwear including a look at the comfortable New Balance Running Shoes, at website http://www.hipfootwear.com/. This and much more at Hip Footwear dot com

By LESLIE GARCIA / The Dallas Morning News lgarcia@dallasnews.com

The folks at MBT shoes have come up with 30 reasons to walk that will get you up out of your seat. Go to www.mbt30reasons.com to find them all, as well as to find out how to download 30 free perfect-for-walking songs. Take the 30 Walks in 30 Days challenge, too.

MBT shoes, by the way, with their thick-soled, chair-rocker shape, were designed by a Swiss engineer. On a trip to Korea, he realized that walking barefoot over rice paddies alleviated his back pain. MBTs are said to emulate walking on the beach and to help with posture, balance and coordination.

Get started with these five reasons to walk and see where they lead you. We’ll start with one from Ellie Winetroub. She’s assistant manager at E.G. Geller Shoes in Preston Center, where MBT reps will be available from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 18 to show you the best way to maximize your walk.

Says Ms. Winetroub: “I have four pair, and I have no jiggle-jaggle on my legs.”

1. It makes you feel good. “I have recently lost 50 pounds,” Ms. Winetroub says. “I don’t know how else to express it. Walking makes me feel great.”

2. Baby, we were born to walk. Have you ever heard a parent say, “Oh, little Silas did his first sit-up”? Of course not. That first step – toward mom or to a goal – is what gets us going.

3. The world is gym-dandy. With nary a machine, let your body get a workout the way it was meant to, by simply moving forward.

4. You can maneuver the road less traveled. Quite often, walking takes us where cars cannot: On a wooded trail or up a narrow street. Through West Village, perhaps.

5. Think accentuation of coordination. We’re betting that you – yes, even you – can carry on a conversation and walk at the same time. Voilà! Social time plus fitness.

Dallas Morning News

MBT Boost Blue Sport Shoes - Women’s - FREE SHIPPING!!!
Love this shoe!!!!!!!!!!! Feet feel great when wearing it…so do my knees!! Someone who I didn’t know looked down at my shoes and said “those look comfortable”. I confirmed that it was like walking on a cloud!

By: DR. MATT SMITH, On Call
09/22/2008

Whether enjoying the wonder of nature, or simply the company of a friend, walking can be a healthy, invigorating experience.

Benefits of walking

Except for a good pair of walking shoes, walking requires virtually no equipment. Walking improves cardiovascular endurance, tones muscles of the lower body, reduces the risk of heart disease and burns calories.

Selecting Shoes

Make sure the shoes you purchase fit properly. The balls of your feet should rest at the point where the toe end of the shoe bends during walking.

Select shoes with plenty of cushioning in the soles to absorb the impact.

Shop for sneakers at the end of the day or after a workout, when your feet are generally at their largest. Wear the type of socks you usually wear during exercise.

When trying on shoes, be sure to wear them for at least 10 minutes at the store.

Replace your shoes after you’ve walked between 300 and 500 miles in them.

Getting started

To increase your longevity, try to walk for 30 minutes five days per week.

To be considered “active,” try to take 10,000 steps each day. Wearing a pedometer is an easy way to track your progress.

Consult your doctor of chiropractic before beginning any exercise program. Begin slowly with a walk of perhaps half a mile at a pace that does not cause discomfort. After two weeks, start to increase the pace and length of walking.

Eventually, depending on your age, you can build your “target” heart rate/pulse to 120 to 140 beats per minute, achieved by walking at about 3 and 4 miles per hour, respectively.

Walking tips

Move your arms freely, in coordination with the opposite leg.

Don’t stoop your head or look down as you walk. This will challenge the normal forward curve of your neck, which, in turn, will cause you to carry your weight improperly.

Don’t carry weights or dumbbells while walking. They’re better used as a separate part of your exercise regimen.

Expect a little soreness in the thighs and calves for the first week or two. Stretching your calves and hamstrings after walking will help loosen tight muscles.

Walk briskly, with “purpose.” Simply sauntering, while relaxing and enjoyable, is not an effective cardiovascular exercise.

Dr. Matt Smith is a member of the American Chiropractic Association. His articles appear monthly in the Saratogian.

©The Saratogian 2008

Saratogan

Every single person’s body and Neiman Marcus In Dallas are different. So finding the right shoe for any person means meeting their individual needs. It is important that body type, foot shape, activity, and any problems or ailments Tall Plus Size Black Skirt taken into consideration when choosing a pair.

One must account for Wholesale Swarovski Beads and forefoot widths as well as instep, toe box, and arch heights. To meet these needs, New Balance has developed different relative foot models (or “lasts”) for men, women and kids. Lasts are represented by short alphanumeric codes, like “SL-1″ for example. “SL” standing for “Straight Last” and “1″ the type Identifier. The definition of an SL-1, their most common last, is a standard heel width, standard forefoot width, standard instep height, and standard toe box height.

Size and width measurements for New Balance shoes correspond to the widely-used Brannock Device measurements. For men’s shoes, the “D” width is usually the same thing as a regular or medium width. However if you are talking about women’s shoes, the “D” width is usually considered a wide width, while a “B” width would Tektronix Cfg250 Specifications the women’s medium or regular width. If you do Wigwam Diabetic Socks know your usual size and width, it is strongly recommended you visit a local shoe store to be properly sized.

Then you should decide your primary use of this footwear. While there are some sneakers out there that seem to serve just about every purpose fairly well, certain activities require specific levels of support, stability, cushioning and traction. With that in mind, the best shoe is going to be the one that best meets the Sewing For Barbie Article of your activity. With running shoes, walking shoes, cross-training shoes, basketball shoes, and tennis shoes, it can be difficult when trying to decide which type is best for your needs. However, there are some basic differences which can help you understand and usually hold true for all shoes.

A traditional basic running shoe design supports and encourages forward motion. You can expect a higher heel and lower flexible forefoot with Filipino Barbie toe. A decent running shoe will always have plenty of dense, yet responsive heel cushioning and the better ones include it also in the forefoot or even throughout the full-length of the sole. They provide the perfect foot support for fast, forward-rocking movement.

These days, New Balance running shoes have become incredibly specialized and there is usually a match suitable for any unique set of needs you can imagine. Barbie Girl Mp3 Player stores like New Balance North Shore categorize the men’s running shoes as well as the women’s running shoes, allowing you to shop easily through the various styles:

Motion control running shoes offer maximum stability to control over-pronation. They are best for runners with a heavier stature, flat fleet, weak ankles, fallen arches or general stability problems.

Stability running shoes combine a moderate level of stability and cushioning. They are suitable for most runners with medium-to-low arches.

Cushioned running shoes (sometimes called neutral-cushioning shoes) offer maximum cushioning and shock absorption, with less support and stability. They are best for lighter runners with neutral gaits and without stability or arch problems.

Lightweight running shoes are constructed to be especially light for racing and speed training. These are best for competitive runners with neutral gaits.

Trail running shoes offer a Bargain Mary Kay aggressive outsole tread for better traction and some models also offer a solid-plate in the midsole to protect your feet from the shock of sharp surfaces.

Similar to running shoes, walking shoes are designed for forward motion but not as much speed. So unlike the running shoes, these will keep your heel and forefoot more evenly transitioned or simply put, more flat. Also, you can normally expect a less-dense cushioning than in running shoes, which is more responsive to the lighter pressure of walking.

Tennis and basketball shoes are similar in that they are specifically designed to support the foot and body through strenuous lateral (side-to-side) movements. You can expect durable leathers, more rigid shoe-sidewalls and some higher-cut styles which offer additional ankle support as well.

As the name might suggest, cross-training shoes are meant for a little bit of everything. Go to the gym, do some aerobics or run a couple miles, cross-trainers can serve well. They generally offer more lateral support than running/walking shoes– like a tennis or basketball shoe, but at the same time are typically too rigid and supportive for the long runs or all day comfort you might get out of a running or walking shoe.

So the next time you’re in the market for New Balance shoes, remember that combining the right style, shape, length, width and shoe technologies will ensure your feet get the support they need and the comfort you demand.

Jerome Baker is a proud and satisfied salesman of New Balance shoes He has been selling this brand of shoes over 10 years, and has Fall Out Boy Tote Bag satisfied customers of New Balance shoes.

Source: ryan

Andrew Shurtleff for The New York Times

TERRI KRIVOSHA, a partner at a Minneapolis law firm, logs three miles each workday on a treadmill without leaving her desk. She finds it easier to exercise while she types than to attend aerobics classes at the crack of dawn.

Dr. Joe Stirt on his home-office treadmill.

Brad Rhoads, a computer programmer and missionary in Princeton, Ill., faces a computer monitor on a file cabinet and gets in about five miles a day on a treadmill while working in his home office.

“After a while, your legs do get kind of tired,” said Mr. Rhoads, 40, who started exercising in March, when doctors advised him to lose weight after open-heart surgery.

Ms. Krivosha and Mr. Rhoads are part of a small but growing group of desk jockeys who were inspired by Dr. James Levine, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic. In 2005, Dr. Levine led a study showing that lean people burn about 350 more calories a day than those who are overweight, by doing ordinary things like fidgeting, pacing or walking to the copier.

To incorporate extra movement into the routines of sedentary workers (himself included), Dr. Levine constructed a treadmill desk by sliding a bedside hospital tray over a $400 treadmill.

Without breaking a sweat, the so-called work-walker can burn an estimated 100 to 130 calories an hour at speeds slower than two miles an hour, Mayo research shows.

Enthusiasts began following Dr. Levine’s example, constructing treadmill desks that range from sleekly robotic set-ups to rickety mash-ups that could be Wall-E’s long-lost kin. But the recent introduction of an all-in-one treadmill desk from Details may inch work-walking into the mainstream, as dozens of businesses invest in the hardware to let their employees walk (and, ideally, lose a little weight) at work.

Since last November, about 335 Walkstations, have been sold nationwide to companies including Humana, Mutual of Omaha, GlaxoSmithKline and Best Buy.

The Walkstation, which Dr. Levine helped develop, costs about $4,000 and comes in 36 laminate finishes with an ergonomically curved desktop. Its quiet motor is designed for slow speeds, said David Kagan, director of marketing communications at Details, a division of Steelcase.

STILL, to most, work-walking is “a freaky thing to do,” said Joe Stirt, 60, an anesthesiologist in Charlottesville, Va., who works and blogs in his off hours while walking up to six hours a day in his home office.

Mr. Stirt’s site, www.bookofjoe.com/2007/10/treadmill-works.html, is one of some dozen work-walking blogs, including www.treadmill-desk.com and treadmill-workstation.com.

“I know lots of people who are using them,” Dr. Stirt said of the treadmill desks. “But there are probably a hundred times more who we don’t read about on the Internet.”

There is even a burgeoning social network (officewalkers.ning.com), with around 30 members, that Mr. Rhoads started in March.

To the uninitiated, work-walking sounds like a recipe for distraction. But devotees say the treadmill desks increase not only their activity but also their concentration.

“I thought it was ridiculous until I tried it,” said Ms. Krivosha, 49, a partner in the law firm of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand.

Ms. Krivosha said it is tempting to become distracted during conference calls, but when she is exercising, she listens more intently.

“Walking just takes care of the A.D.D. part,” she said.

Still, work-walking can require crafty maneuvering. When colleagues drop in on Bruce Langer, another work-walker, he pivots, then keeps striding backward while facing them.

“It’s more polite and, from a workout standpoint, it works different muscles,” said Mr. Langer, a vice president of Tealwood Asset Management in Minneapolis.

In 2005, Salo, a professional placement firm in Minneapolis, contacted Dr. Levine after fashioning its first treadmill unit. (Employees called the cobbled-together unit “the Frankendesk.”) By 2007, Salo had become a test site for early Walkstation models and now has 16.

At Mutual of Omaha’s 150-person call center in Omaha, four Walkstations have been in use since July as part of a small company study to figure out whether work-walking could maintain productivity while reducing employees’ cholesterol, weight and blood-sugar levels. Sixteen subjects of different ages, weights and fitness levels work-walk two hours a day, said Peggy Rivedal, the manager of employee health services. A similarly diverse control group works the old-fashioned way.

After leaving the military two years ago, Kirk Hurley, 40, a customer service representative at Mutual of Omaha, gained 75 pounds. In two months of work-walking two hours a day, he has lost 16 pounds.

“You don’t really feel the physical strain on your body because your mind’s occupied with your work,” he said.

Treadmill desks will not likely replace the sit-down kind any time soon. In corporate settings, they are usually in open areas where employees can just jump on. At a few firms, including Salo, they have replaced conference tables.

SOME business colleagues arrive at meetings with walking shoes in hand, said Amy Langer, a Salo founder (and Mr. Langer’s wife).

But not every employee has the enthusiasm to keep work-walking day after day. Take the trial Walkstation at Humana, a health insurer in Louisville, Ky.

After a year on site, the treadmill is in use about 60 percent of the workday, mostly for conference calls, said Grant Harrison, the vice president of consumer innovation. Many workers, he said, may “try it out, but they don’t make it a part of their daily life.”

Nor does everyone have the coordination to walk and work, said Andrew Wood, the director of ergonomics and corporate services for Muve, a weight-management consultancy affiliated with the Mayo Clinic.

“If you can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, this may not be the workstation for you,” Mr. Wood said. But it should be a piece of cake for most people, he added.

James O. Hill, an obesity researcher and the director of the University of Colorado’s Center for Human Nutrition in Denver, shares this opinion: “There are not very many people who can’t walk,” he said. “You should have a doctor’s note to not walk.”

Will work-walking free you from the gym forever? Not if you’re seeking serious weight loss or peak cardio-respiratory fitness. “Walking on the treadmill could be enough to prevent weight gain, but it’s not going to melt the pounds off,” Dr. Hill said.

Still, something is better than nothing, say workwalkers like Mr. Rhoads.

“At least a little bit of exercise will just be part of my day and part of my working,” he said. “The one thing I always do is work.”

Source: New York Times

STAFF PHOTO / THOMAS BENDER Make time for your health by taking part in one of the county’s upcoming walking/jogging programs. Feel better and get in shape at your own pace.
Take your health to heart and sign up for the “Start Your Heart” walking/jogging program 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at various parks in Sarasota County. The program is for all ages and fitness levels, plus participants get a free pedometer and incentives earned for miles logged. The following park locations are available:

Make time for your health by taking part in one of the county’s upcoming walking/jogging programs. Feel better and get in shape at your own pace.

Arlington Park, 2650 Waldemere St., Sarasota

Carlton Reserve, 1800 Mabry-Carlton Parkway, Venice

Colonial Oaks Park, 5300 Colonial Oaks Blvd., Sarasota

Laurel Park, 509 Collins Road, Laurel

Lemon Bay Park, 570 Bay Park Blvd., Englewood

Longwood Park, 6050 Longwood Run Blvd., Sarasota

Newtown Estates Park, 2800 Newtown Blvd., Sarasota

Nokomis Park, 234 Nippino Trail, E. Nokomis

Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

Red Bug Slough, 5200 Beneva Road, Sarasota

Robert L. Taylor Community Center, 1845 34th St., Sarasota

Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota

Woodmere Park, 3951 Woodmere Park Blvd., Venice

For more information, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 861-5000 and ask about Start Your Heart.

Training to get under way

Sarasota Herald Tribune

Dear Dr Gardner:

I enjoyed your article about walking for exercise. I enjoy walking but I walk for exercise once per week. I also go bicycling twice per week and swim once per week. My plan is to increase my walking for exercise with the goal of doing it daily preferably in the early morning before the sun comes up. It is great for fresh air and just for well-being.

I really enjoy power walking but sometimes I get carried away because I love going very fast to get my heart pounding and later on my knees hurt. I had damaged them by jogging on pavement without proper running shoes about a year ago. Now, I have to take glucosamine and chondroitin daily for joint support. I can’t walk slowly because it doesn’t feel like I am getting any benefit from walking.

Dear Reader:

Thanks for your interesting and informative letter. Commendations are in order for your excellent exercising programme. The combination of walking, bicycling, and swimming is an excellent example of an exercise programme with variety. Variety is necessary to keep you interested and motivated.

The value of walking and swimming has been highlighted in previous articles but not bicycling. Cycling is a non-weight-bearing activity. It is an excellent exercise for people with lower back or lower body injuries or muscle weakness. Cycling is very helpful in the development of cardio-respiratory fitness, muscle strength and leg endurance. The stationary bicycle (ergometer) has made cycling even more attractive.

Power walking

Power walking is a novel way to make walking more challenging and beneficial. A good way to make power walking more helpful is to increase the weight you carry. Your knees are prone to overuse syndrome or tendinitis. This may be due to the excess tension required of the muscles that help to abduct your hip when your weight is on one leg.

This is compounded when you walk fast because of the added impact your foot makes when it hits the ground. Try to avoid hard surfaces such as paved areas, the natural terrain or grass are less hostile to your feet. Good footwear is a valuable investment to help prevent the injuries and discomfort that you have been experiencing. A good pair of walking shoes that fits comfortably is essential. It should not lean to either side when placed on a flat surface. The shoe should bend at the ball of your foot, not in the middle. A solid outsole and good durable midsole or shock absorbing feature are necessities. This should help to reduce and eliminate your need for any medication.

Jog and walk

You can also place more emphasis on the swimming and cycling component of your prescription until your knees are more tolerant to power walking. Swimming and cycling are less stressful on your legs so you tend to do those activities more vigorously. This is partly responsible for slow walking being less enjoyable for you.

You can make the walking component of your exercise regime more challenging by doing a combination of walking and jogging - walk two times the distance you jog; walk the same distance you jog; jog twice the distance you walk; jog three times the distance you walk; jog four times the distance you walk. If the distance is difficult to decipher use time instead.

Dr Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at Holiday Hills Research Center; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.

Source: Jamaica Gleaner