When should I change my trainers?

Like most things, running shoes have a shelf life. At the beginning, they can give you an extra spring in your stride! But as the mileage creeps up, they can become less springy, looking battered and worn. The niggles can start to creep in too.

With shoe technology constantly changing, choosing new footwear that meet your needs can be a daunting prospect. The technicians at Profeet, many of whom have Masters Degrees in Biomechanics, know their carbon-plates from their rocker soles. Working with you, alongside our physios, they can help you choose footwear that is suitable for your individual requirements.

If you’re not sure when to change your trainers, here Profeet’s Run Manager, Tom, talks about what to look out for.

Track your mileage

Your running shoes should be lasting between 350 and 550 miles. By using a tracking app like Strava, you can keep a log of your mileage in each pair of shoes. You can even set an alert for when it has reached a minimum, say 350 miles. However, bear in mind that if you’re also wearing your trainers in between runs, for walking or other activities, you may have clocked up more miles in them than your app indicates.

Check for visual signs

When you examine the sole of your trainers, there is a tread pattern with deep lugs. When the patterning on those lugs starts to smooth down, it reduces the grip of the shoes. Furthermore, this is a sign that the EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) foam in the sole has deteriorated. That means, the response or ‘spring’ that you feel from the forefoot, is not going to be there. Also, holes on the upper are another sign that your shoes need changing.

Go by feel

“It’s like a car suspension,” says Tom. “Once you have driven it round a bit, the suspension isn’t going to sit as nicely. Rather than gliding over a pothole, you start to feel every bump in the road. The same is true of your shoes when that shock absorbency starts to go. Your body starts to feel things a little more, with aches and pains creeping in. Possibly niggles in the ankles and knees or hips.”

“When you’re running a marathon, consider breaking in a new pair of the same shoe just before the race,” advises Tom. “That way, you’ll have those shoes at their peak, for the best performance.”

Not the same for everyone

Although these are all good indicators of when to change your shoes, there are variables to consider. Tom explains: “Take a 125 kilo rugby player. They will be putting a lot more impact through their shoes than, say, a ballerina. For heavier individuals, you’d expect a lot more force to be going through their shoes. So we’d see less lifespan of the shoe.”

Also, it can vary by running style. If you run with a forefoot strike, then a lot more force is going through a smaller part of the shoe. Or, if you are a heel-striker, then the wear and tear will impact the outside heel on the sole, as well as in the forefoot under the large toe.

Wearing incorrect footwear

There is another group that will show up wear and tear on your running shoes – people wearing the wrong footwear for their own needs and training requirements. If the shoe isn’t giving enough support from movements in the knee or the hip, you see instability in that running movement and more wear and tear.

The experts at Profeet can carry out a gait analysis as well as a footbed check, identifying pressure points in your stride. They will ensure you have correct supportive footwear - and will arrange custom orthotics if needed to improve comfort and functionality when you run.

Preventing injuries - speak to Physio Remedies

Even with supportive insoles in the correct footwear, you will need to address the cause of the injury to improve running performance in the long-term. For the best injury prevention advice, and to be a stronger runner, you will need to look beyond your running shoes.

Our physios will help to correct any biomechanical issues that may keep leading to injury. By identifying any muscle imbalances or inefficiencies in your movement, we can help you improve your training and give you specific strength work to help keep you injury free.

Get in touch to book an appointment with one of our physios today!