Choosing the Right Shoe for You It seems that the most frequently asked questions by walkers concerns their shoes. Linda Frahn, editor of AllWalking.com, recently wrote an article on choosing the right shoe, which we thought would answer some of those common questions. Joann Sacca from New Balance gives us answers to some of the most common questions about walking shoes. Joann is the Associate Product Manager for New Balance. She has been with the company for nine years and is in her fourth year in the walking division. I find that these days consumers are very serious about walking. In the past, they almost kept their walking a secret because they were embarrassed about it. Q: A lot of people who are first starting a walking program think that walking in any shoe will do. Why do they need a walking shoe? A: A walking shoe is designed with the walker's needs in mind. Most walkers strike with the center of their heel, follow through, and toe off in the center. That's one of the reasons why we at New Balance created an element in our shoes called the walking strike path. It's a device that forces your foot to stay in the center of the shoe. Q: Is there any one shoe that is right for all walkers? A: Everyone's feet are different, not only in length, but in width as well. A large number of podiatrists recommend New Balance because our shoes come in such a variety of widths. Q: How do you go about finding a shoe that fits? A: I always suggest the following: When you purchase shoes, you should be ready to try on a number of different styles and brands of shoes. Every brand runs differently. New Balance alone offers 15 styles. It's a good idea to look for walking shoes in the afternoon, because your feet will be about the same size they as are after walking some distance. Always have your feet measured, because your feet can change in size as you age. Make sure you have enough room in the toe box (the front of the shoe). Wear socks that you normally would wear while walking, because socks vary in thickness. (Synthetic socks that offer sweat-wicking properties are best for preventing blisters.) Walk around the store as long as you can to get a good feel for the shoe and how it will respond to your needs. If you have been instructed to wear orthotics, make sure you place them in the shoes you are testing. Q: Some people are inclined to believe that their feet must suffer until a shoe breaks in. How do you feel about this? A: Athletic footwear should feel comfortable right from the start. There shouldn't be any break-in period. We've done a lot of surveys with walkers, and comfort ranks most important when choosing a shoe. At New Balance, we tell people, Never give up comfort for fashion or looks! Q: On some shoes there is a cutout notch at the Achilles' heel. That notch irritates some people's feet, and causes blisters. Are there certain foot types that should not be subjected to shoes with certain features? A: Again, this comes back to comfort. If a notch bothers you, you should try to find a shoe without one. Not everyone's heel height is the same. If the notch comes up too far, it will irritate your foot. Q: When should people consider replacing their walking shoes with new ones? A: The life of a walking shoe really depends on how often you walk and how many miles you cover. You can tell if you need new shoes when they no longer have any spring left in them. That means the cushioning has worn out. In order to prevent injuries, you should always make sure you are wearing shoes that still have some life to them. Q: Are there certain shoes that are best for walking in winter versus summer, or colder climates versus hotter climates? If so, what should walkers know? A: For summer use, you should look for shoes with some mesh in them. All-leather shoes can be very hot and are not very breathable. For winter walking, an all-leather shoe or a waterproof model is best. Q: If someone wants to walk a marathon, what kind of shoe should they be looking for? A: A lightweight shoe. Q: What are some of the newest and best features in today's walking shoes? A: Not much is new, but I'd say one of the best features is the Rollbar technology. This is a device that's placed in the heel of the shoe to help provide additional stability for the walker. Another technological feature is Abzorb, which provides additional cushioning. Q: Are there any tricks for keeping shoes looking great? A: Just frequently wipe your shoes down with a damp cloth. Q: Does New Balance make rugged walkers and hiking boots? A: Yes, we make country walking shoes. Most of these are made of quality waterproof leather. Q: What was your most popular walking shoe in 2001? A: For women, it was the WW554, and for men the MW572. Q: What shoe do you expect to be most popular this year? A: For women, we expect it will be the WW555, and for men the MW572. Keep your eyes out for this exciting book about mall walking Sara Donovan, founder of WalkSport America, has written an educational and motivational book entitled, Mall Walking Madness. The book is designed for experienced walkers and non-walkers alike about the benefits of mall walking. The book is full of stories from real walkers, real eating situations and real success stories. It is the complete guide for walkers who want to achieve good health for life, without the excuses. Keep an eye out for this informative book on walking published by Rodale coming to your mall's bookstore this August and catch a dose of one of the topics coved in Mall Walking Madness inside. My Best Excuse There is never enough time - between work, the kids and other daily disasters there is no time to exercise. While this is a viable excuse, there is a solution. Getting a moderate workout of 40 minutes doesn't mean that you have to block out a portion of your day you can break it up. That's right. Studies have showed that breaking up your workout through the day is just as effective as doing it all at once. If you can find 10 to 20 minutes in the morning, before the chaos begins, to walk at your mall, you can make up the rest during lunch! That doesn't mean a stroll to the vending machine. However, it does mean that you can get your workout taking a power walk to the deli almost a mile away for lunch, or parking a little bit further than usual and making a brisk walk to and from your car. If you can find ways throughout your day to push yourself to walk a little further and a little harder, you won't have to give up your already limited time to go exercise. Mall Walking Madness a book by WalkSport founder, Sara Donovan. Below is a excerpt from Sara's upcoming book, which talks about how to determine whether or not you are getting an effective workout when you go for a walk. Mall Walking Madness: Everything You Need to Know to Lose Weight and Have Fun at the Same Time. By Sara Donovan with Gary Legwold. Rodale. August 2002. Rate of perceived exertion (RPE). The key word is perceived. You rate how hard you are working by using your perceptions of how much you are sweating, your heart rate, how hard you are breathing, and how much fatigue you feel. RPE was first used in the 1970s, and scientists have shown that these subjective estimates of intensity are rather accurate summations of how hard your body actually is working. That is, if the mall walking feels too difficult or too easy, it probably is-and is not a very satisfying workout to you. With RPE, there is no pulse taking. You just take an inventory of your body-your legs, lungs, heart, arms, sweat-as you are mall walking. Then you look at the chart below and match a number to how you feel. 6-8 = Very, very light exertion 9-10 = Very light 11-12 = Moderate 13-14 = Somewhat hard 15-16 = Hard 17-18 = Very hard 19-20 = Very, very hard RPE is something you have to practice because you are setting the standards of moderate or somewhat hard, which are subjective and may vary from day to day just as your perceptions vary. But RPE causes you to listen to your body, which is good, and with time you can get this. Warm-up and cool-down should be between 10 and 12, and your workouts should be in the 13-16 range. © No articles and/or artwork contained within this publication may be reproduced without written permission from WalkSport America, Inc.