Podiatrist takes athletic footwear brands to task
08/12/2011
San Francisco-based Dr Jenny Sanders, who writes a blog about shoes and the effects they can have on her patients' foot health, has said that sports shoe brands, in highlighting aspects such as 'motion control', often focus exclusively on the lower of a shoe. For fit to be correct, it's essential also to look at the upper.
"Components of the upper are crucial for determining proper fit," Dr Sanders says. "Looking at the question of volume, because your foot has volume (taking into account length, width and depth) and a shoe has volume, is going to make a world of difference when you go shoe shopping."
Her contention is that athletic shoe companies never talk about the upper or depth of a shoe. Instead they tend to categorise shoes according to the lower (midsole) using terms like 'motion control', 'neutral' or 'cushioning'. "Approaching shoe fit in this way only tells half the story and when you don’t take into account overall volume shoe fit and performance are compromised," she concludes. "If the upper depth isn't matched to your foot depth, you won't have a good fit."
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