Ladies’ Running Trainers: How to Choose the Right Fit for Your Feet

Regular physical activity like running can significantly improve your physical and mental health, along with your self-confidence, aging and quality of life. But to obtain all of these benefits and stay true to your goal to run, you will need a pair of good-quality shoes. Whether you’re running daily or just a few times per week, you will need proper ladies’ running shoes as they are crucial in preventing injuries.

A good pair of trainers will make running more enjoyable no matter how many kilometres you plan on running. That being said, you must take into account the most important things that will help you make the right choice. In the end, obtaining the needed results is what everyone wants regardless of the purpose of running.

Things to Consider When Choosing Women’s Running Shoes

Consider the Place Where You Plan to Run

The place where you plan to run plays a huge role in the type of shoes you need to choose. Since the assortment of ladies’ running trainers is huge, finding the right ones would be a piece of cake. In light of this, you can choose from:

Road-Running Shoes

These types of trainers are designed for pavement and running onto packed surfaces with slight irregularities like sidewalks for instance. These shoes are light and flexible with an added cushion for creating balance and stabilising your feet during repetitive movements on hard, irregular and even surfaces. However, they are also good for those running on treadmills and tracks. Unlike some other shoes, these have flatter and smoother soles perfect for this type of running.

Trail-Running Shoes

As the name suggests, these shoes are designed for being used on uneven surfaces and off-road trails with rocks, mud, tree roots and many other obstacles that can come the way. Unlike the road running models, these ones have bigger lugs for improved grip on uneven terrain. Depending on the type and model you choose, some of them can even have plates underfoot which can offer improved protection from sharper objects and rocks. For increased support, these models of shoes are stiffer at the midsole area.

Cross-Training Shoes

Cross-training shoes are designed for cross-training, gym workouts and any balance activity where you need to have more contact with the ground and not fit some thick platform sole.

Decide on the Type of Cushioning

Deciding on whether you want more or less cushioning is important since this won’t only impact your running but also your well-being. That being said, if you want to feel like you are running on clouds, you will need to choose a shoe with maximum cushion and vice versa. If you want to feel the ground under your feet, then you need to choose shoes with thinner midsole.

Those of you who want maximum cushioning should probably choose between EVA or polyurethane foam which are ideal in absorbing the impact once you start running. That being said, you can choose between shoes with maximum cushion, moderate cushion, minimal cushion and barefoot shoes. In case you aren’t sure which shoes are the right for you, it would be best if you try them and see how they feel.

Think about the Shoe Heel Drop

The heel drop is the difference in cushioning between the toe of the shoe and the heel. This drop in fact is closely related to how your feet strike the ground. Generally speaking, traditional ladies’ running trainers have about 10mm of heel drop which promotes landing on the heel first. On the other hand, shoes with zero drop have an equal amount of cushioning along the entire foot’s length. The type of heel drop you choose depends on your personal preferences and on your feet’ condition. Just keep in mind that the lower the drop, the more your Achilles tendon will have to work.

The Shoe’s Support Matters

Do you know how your feet hit the ground when you run?! Pronation is the way your foot rolls inward when it strikes the ground after which it propels forward. Generally speaking, there are three different types of pronation, so choosing shoes that meet your pronation level is paramount to feel comfortable when running.

Basic Pronation

This is also known as neutral pronation when your foot rolls inward a typical amount. This level of pronation is the best one as it allows you to absorb impact and relieve pressure on knees and joints.

Overpronation

This is a condition when the feet roll inward excessively which puts you at risk of injuries. If you walk like this, you may need motion control or stability shoes in order to provide you with the needed balance and stability.

Supination

Unlike overpronation, supination is a condition when your feet roll outwards. If you walk like that, you will need to choose shoes with more cushion and flexibility.

What Are the Best Running Trainers for Ladies?

While the choice of shoes, brands and types is huge, the best shoes for you would be the ones that will provide you with all the needed requirements. A good shoe is also the one that fits you properly, and one that will provide you with the needed comfort, stability and cushion.