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For individuals who enjoy walking for exercise and health, can knowing when to replace walking shoes help protect their feet and prevent musculoskeletal injuries?
Table of Contents
The best walking shoes must be replaced to ensure musculoskeletal health and prevent injuries. Wearing worn-out shoes during prolonged standing, distance walking or running, and high-impact workouts can exacerbate lower back stiffness, soreness, and pain. Comfortable walking shoes offer substantial support and superior cushioning, working to alleviate discomfort and prevent injury. However, they break down cushioning and support with each step. When an individual walks or runs 500 miles, most athletic shoes are ready for replacement and should be recycled or saved for non-exercise purposes.
Most athletic shoes are built to last 350 to 500 miles. (Cook, S. D., Kester, M. A., and Brunet, M. E. 1985) Walkers’ feet don’t impact their feet as hard as runners’, but individuals are unlikely to feel support and cushioning past 500 miles. Weight is also a factor; the more an individual weighs, the faster their shoes wear down.
When athletic shoes are glued together, they start to wear from the factory to the stores as the adhesive dries out. The air pockets in the cushioning slowly begin to dissipate. Walking shoes are often on sale when old models are discontinued and may already be over a year old. To get the longest life, buy the current model and ask staff how long they have been on the shelf.
Shoes can last longer by following a few guidelines:
Alternate walking shoes every one to two months. The feet sense the difference when the older pair begins to break down. For individuals who walk one or more times daily, alternating shoes allow each pair to dry out fully between uses. Having two pairs of walking shoes to alternate will keep you from replacing them more frequently.
Many wait until their shoes look worn out, with holes and torn laces, before considering replacing them. Here are a few guidelines for when to replace walking shoes:
Where and how the soles and heels of walking shoes are worn can tell a foot and shoe professional which shoes the individual should wear. It is recommended that used shoes be taken to the shoe store. They can indicate overpronation, a neutral gait, or supination.
The risks of wearing worn-out walking shoes include:
Keeping one or two pairs of used walking shoes is great for household chores. They can also be recycled or donated. Recycled walking shoes are used to make playground and track surfaces. Look for a shoe bin at a community recycling center or athletic shoe store. Shoes in decent condition can be donated to charity clothing centers.
At Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic, our areas of practice include Wellness & Nutrition, Chronic Pain, Personal Injury, Auto Accident Care, Work Injuries, Back Injury, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Migraine Headaches, Sports Injuries, Severe Sciatica, Scoliosis, Complex Herniated Discs, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, Complex Injuries, Stress Management, Functional Medicine Treatments, and in-scope care protocols. We focus on what works for you to achieve improvement goals and create an improved body through research methods and total wellness programs. If other treatment is needed, individuals will be referred to a clinic or physician best suited to their injury, condition, and/or ailment.
Cook, S. D., Kester, M. A., & Brunet, M. E. (1985). Shock absorption characteristics of running shoes. The American journal of sports medicine, 13(4), 248–253. doi.org/10.1177/036354658501300406
Rethnam, U., & Makwana, N. (2011). Are old running shoes detrimental to your feet? A pedobarographic study. BMC research notes, 4, 307. doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-4-307
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The information herein on "When to Replace Walking Shoes: Maintaining Optimal Support" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
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