How to Find the Right Running Shoe

By Christina Eckert, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- If you're wanting to get out and start walking or running, the first step is to make sure you have the right shoes.

It's the latest high tech tool for runners and walkers. Ten seconds on a treadmill is videotaped then played back and analyzed. That allows the experts at the Red Coyote Running store to learn more about the way you walk or run.

"You can kind of see how my foot is angled out a little bit. You see my pinkie toe pointed out a little bit," said runner Jeremy Dunkle.

And while that may sound a little like a foreign language to most of us, it is important when picking out exercise shoes.

"You can start to have shin splints, knee problems, hip problems, all the injuries linked to running usually start in your foot," said Burke Beck, Red Coyote.

And walking and running shoes are big business these days with dozens of choices. There are different colors, different fabric, even some that can "fix" your problems before they start.

"The stability in the shoe is built on the inside of the shoe so as that foot starts to roll in, that shoe pushes back," Beck said.

Having the wrong shoe is why so many new walkers and runners have problems. To find the right shoe, experts said you probably need to go to a specialty store and not your average shoe store.

"They are gonna last a little bit longer, and you're feet will be more comfortable. It all starts in the feet, so making sure you get the right shoe is very important," Beck said.

When buying new walking or running shoes, the salesperson should make sure they fit, and you should walk or run in them for a few minutes to make sure they feel good.