Wearing a Sport-Specific Shoe Can Make a Difference: MD Podiatrist
One of the worst shoe mistakes people make that hurt their feet is wearing the same workout shoes for all different types of exercise. “I appreciate the functional purpose for a shoe that’s built for basketball as being very distinct from a sprinting shoe or a weightlifting shoe,” says podiatrist Daniel Michaels, DPM. “Someone who plays racquetball once every six weeks probably isn’t going to be significantly harmed by not outfitting themselves in the best technical gear,” Dr. Michaels says.
Still, wearing the right gear does make a difference. “The shoes that people walk around in that would be ‘running shoes’ just aren’t going to be sufficient or adequate in any way for CrossFit or high-intensity training,” Dr. Michaels says. People don’t understand that the shoe that functions well for walking around isn’t the same when they add their bodyweight under the stress of running or some other exercise, according to Dr. Michaels. So invest in a pair of walking shoes and only use them when you are walking for exercise.