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SELECTING SPORTS SHOES
Selection of a sports shoe depends on the type of sport, the position orrole that one plays in that sport and individual needs.
One of the worst mistakes that one can make regarding selection of a gym training shoe is to do so on the basis of information on running shoes or from the world of general footwear.
For information on selecting a running shoe, consult the following website:
http://www.clark.net/pub/pribut/shoes.html
If you intend using a shoe for lifting heavier purposes, then it is important to avoid any shoe that offers soft cushioning, alters natural 'pronation' or 'supination' patterns, or constrains the foot or ankle from moving or stabilising according to the needs of the different lifts.
It is also important to note, as many powerlifters do, that a shoe that is suitable for squatting is not necessarily suitable for deadlifting. A higher heel may be necessary for some lifters to enable them to squat comfortably throughout the required range of movement, but during the deadlifts, that sort of heel will tilt the body forwards and move the load further from the body, thereby making the lift more difficult and dangerous.
This is why many powerlifters actually do lift in something that is as close as possible to barefeet, namely a wrestling type shoe or slipper with a sole that affords good grip.
In both Weightlifting and Powerlifting, the use of any shoe with a sole that compresses in any direction or whose 'uppers' tilt in any direction, is definitely inappropriate. For example, during the Olympic Jerk, if the heel of the shoe compresses during the dip, some of the energy is lost that is necessary for the subsequent overhead drive or the body will deviate from its optimal driving position, resulting either in a more difficult or unsuccessful lift.
In many sports, of course, the weight of the shoe can have a profound effect on performance, because movement of a limb that is loaded requires far more energy than one that is unloaded. This is why lightness of shoe is especially important in running sports. In Powerlifting, this is not really an important issue, but in Weightlifting, where the feet may move at speed, a lighter shoe can make a difference to agility.
Finally, it should be remembered that one has to learn how to use every different shoe. The effectiveness of shoe lies not only in its mechanical properties or engineering design, but also the motor pattern that one acquires in using that shoe. This is major reason why so many technically 'ideal' or ergonomically correct shoes or orthotic devices may not be of much value to an athlete - all too often it is not stressed that safety and efficiency of movement of the lower extremities depend heavily on motor control processes, including the reflex management of factors such as the damping ratio and mechanical stiffness of the joints.
In this regard, it has to be emphasised that the incidence of injuries to the lower limbs tends to be higher among those who run and participate in aerobics classes with shoes than those who do those activities barefooted.
The following references are provide useful information about foot mechanics and injuries:
Nigg B, ed (1986) "The Biomechanics of Running Shoes"
Caspersen C, Powell K, Koplan P et al (1984) The incidence of injuries and hazards in recreational and fitness runners Med Sci Sports Exerc 16: 113
Clarke T, Frederick E & Cooper L (1982) The effects of shoe cushioning upon selected force and temporal patterns in running Med Sci Sports Exerc 14: 144
Robbins S & Hanna A (1987) Running related injury prevention through barefoot adaptations Med Sci Sports Exerc 19: 148-156
Robbins S, Hanna A & Gouw G (1988) Overload protection: avoidance response to heavy plantar surface loading Med Sci Sports Exerc 20(1) : 85-92
Powell K, Kohl H, Caspersen C & Blair S (1986) An epidemiological perspective on the causes of running injuries Phys Sports Medicine 14: 100-114
Dr Mel C Siff
Denver, USA
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