Athletic Shoe Guidelines

Athletic footwear should be fitted to hold the foot in the position that's most natural to the movement involved. Athletic shoes protect your feet from stresses encountered in a given sport and to give the player more traction. The differences in design and variations in material, weight, lacing characteristics, and other factors among athletic shoes are meant to protect the areas of the feet that encounter the most stress. Well-fitted athletic shoes need to be comfortable, yet well-constructed and appropriate for a given activity. A good fit will mitigate blisters and other skin irritations.

Sports-specific athletic shoes are a good investment for serious athletes, though perhaps a less critical consideration for non-athletes. Don't wear any sport or other shoes beyond their useful life. A running shoe is built to take impact, while a tennis shoe is made to give relatively more support, and permit sudden stops and turns. Cross training shoes are fine for a general athletic shoe, such as for physical education classes or health club exercising, such as on stair machines and weight-lifting because they provide more lateral support and less flexibility than running shoes. They also tend to be heavier than running shoes, but most people don't need light, flexible shoes for cross-training. If a child is involved more heavily in any single sport, he or she should wear shoes specifically designed for that sport.

Our practice recommends sturdy, properly fitted athletic shoes of proper width with leather or canvas uppers, soles that are flexible (but only at the ball of the foot), cushioning, arch supports, and room for your toes. Try a well-cushioned sock for reinforcement, preferably one with acrylic fiber content so that some perspiration moisture is "wicked" away.

Athletic shoes need to be replaced after one year, whether or not they are worn, and after a certain amount of repetitive load is placed on them and wears them down. The American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine advises replacing running or walking shoes after 300 to 500 miles of wear, and replacing aerobic, basketball, and tennis shoes after 45 to 60 hours of wear. Athletic shoes should also be replaced if they show signs of unevenness when placed on a flat surface, display noticeable creasing, and/or when the heel counter breaks down.

Running Shoe List By Motion Control Category

Maximum motion control
New Balance 1123 / W / S
Asics Gel-Foundation 7 / W / SC
Asics Gel-Evolution 3 / W / SC
Brooks Beast / W / S
Saucony ProGrid Stabil CS
Score - 60-65 / W / S

Moderate motion control
Aetrex v551 (Women's model) v952 (men's model) / W / SC
Aetrex V854 / W / SC
Aetrex x532 (women's model) x821 (men's model) / W / SC
Asics GT-2130 Trail / W / SC
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 / W / SC
Mizuno Wave Alchemy 7 / W / SC
Mizuno Wave Creation 9 / SC
New Balance 858 / W / SC
New Balance 901 / W / SC
New Balance 1122 / W / S
New Balance 1222 / W / SC
Reebok Premier Rd Plus KFS / W / SC
Ecco RXP 1660 / W / SC
Saucony ProGrid Omni 7 Moderate Score - 50 / W / C
Saucony ProGrid Omni 7 Ultimate Score
55 / W / SC
Saucony ProGrid Stabil LE 4 Score
55 / W / S Ironman Performance Sponsors

Brooks Sports, Inc.
www.brooksrunning.com

Vilex
www.vilex.com

Mild motion control
Adidas Microbounce / SC
Adidas Response Cushion / 16 SC
Asics GT-2130 / W / SC
Asics Gel-Kayano 14 / W / SC
Mizuno Wave Nirvana / 4 SC
Aetrex Z788 / W / SC
Asics Gel-Landreth 4 / W / SC
Mizuno Wave Nexus 2 / SC
Adidas Supernova Cushion 7 / SC
Aetrex V751 / W / SC
Asics Gel Nimbus 9 / W / SC
Mizuno Wave Inspire 4 / W / SC
New Balance 882 / W / SC
New Balance 1010 / W / S
Nike Air Max Moto Score - 40 / M / SC
Reebok Premier Ultra KFS / SC
Saucony ProGrid Echelon Score - 35 / W / SC
Saucony ProGrid Guide 2 Score - 30 / W / SC
Neutral/cushioned
Mizuno Wave Ascend 3 / SC
Mizuno Wave Rider 11 / W / SC
New Balance 768 / W / SC
New Balance 1061 / W / SC
Mizuno Wave Elixir 3 / SC
Aetrex Z581 / W / SC
Asics Gel-Trail Sensor WR / SC
Brooks Glycerine 6 / SC
Brooks Cascadia 3 / SC
Brooks Infiniti / SC
Brooks Axiom / W / SC
Brooks Dyad / W / S
Mizuno Wave Precision 8 / SC
Asics Cumulus 9 / W / S
Saucony ProGrid Triumph 6 Score-25 / M / SC
Saucony ProGrid Ride Score - 20 / W / SC
Adidas
Adidas Microbounce / SC
Adidas Response Cushion 16 / SC
Adidas Supernova Cushion 7 / SC
Aetrex
Aetrex v551 (Women's model) v952 (men's model) / W / SC
Aetrex V854 / W / SC
Aetrex x532 (women's model) x821 (men's model) / W / SC
Aetrex Z788 / W / SC
Aetrex V751 / W /SC
Aetrex Z581 / W / SC
Asics
Asics Gel-Foundation 7 / W / SC
Asics Gel-Evolution 3 / W / SC
Asics GT-2130 Trail / W / SC
Asics GT-2130 / W / SC
Asics Gel-Kayano 14 / W / SC
Asics Gel-Landreth 4 / W / SC
Asics Gel Nimbus 9 / W / SC
Asics Gel-Trail Sensor WR / SC
Brooks
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 / W / SC
Brooks Glycerine 6 / SC
Brooks Cascadia 3 / SC
Brooks Infiniti / SC
Brooks Beast / W / S
Brooks Axiom / W / SC
Brooks Dyad / W / S
Ecco
Ecco RXP 1660 / SC
Mizuno
Mizuno Wave Alchemy 7 / W / SC
Mizuno Wave Creation 9 / SC
Mizuno Wave Nirvana 4 / SC
Mizuno Wave Nexus 2 / SC
Mizuno Wave Inspire 4 / W / SC
Mizuno Wave Ascend 3 / SC
Mizuno Wave Rider 11 / W / SC
Mizuno Wave Elixir 3 / SC
New Balance
New Balance 1123 / W / S
New Balance 1010 / W / S
New Balance 858 / W / SC
New Balance 901 / W / SC
New Balance 1122 / W / S
New Balance 1222 / W / SC
New Balance 882 / W / SC
New Balance 768 / W /SC
New Balance 1061 / W /SC
Nike
Nike Air Max Moto Score - 40 / M / SC Mild Motion Control Shoe
Reebok
Reebok Premier Road Plus KFS / W / SC
Reebok Premier Ultra KFS / SC
Saucony
Saucony ProGrid Triumph 6 Score-25 / M / SC Neutral / cushioned shoe
Saucony ProGrid Ride Ride Score - 20 / W / SC Neutral / cushioned shoe
Saucony ProGrid Echelon Score - 35 / W / SC Mild motion control shoe
Saucony ProGrid Guide 2 Score - 30 / W / SC Mild motion control shoe
Saucony ProGrid Omni 7 Moderate Score - 50 / W / C Moderate Motion Control Shoe
Saucony ProGrid Omni 7 Ultimate Score - 55 / W / SC Moderate Motion Control Shoe
Saucony ProGrid Stabil CS Score - 60-65 / W / S Maximum Motion Control Shoe
NOTE: Adidas was contacted for shoe assessment but the company chose not to respond. The shoes evaluated were done so through loans from shoe vendors.

W = Multiple widths
M = One width
C = Curved
SC = Semicurved
S = Straight

Torsional and Flexion Stability are desirable features to assist in protection from the adverse impact of excessive pronation and to help those individuals with plantar fasciitis. Lateral stability is also desired to lessen the possibility of ankle sprains.

The current commonly used terms of stability and motion control are poorly chosen and inappropriately used. The way these terms are used in shoe descriptions does not reflect biomechanical function and are confusing and potentially misleading. We choose to define shoes function in degrees of protection from over pronation (which is a form of stability and motion limitation) using the term "pronation control". This method is used rather than creating confusion by the use of two similar terms taken to mean something different than they should. Many of the shoes we rate as offering mild pronation control are often categorized as "neutral" shoes.

Total point possible:
70 maximum vs 5 minimum
Maximum Motion Control = 55-70
Moderate Motion Control =45-55
Mild Motion Control /
Stability Shoe = 30-45
Neutral or Cushioned = 0-30

Soccer/Volleyball Shoe List

Nike
Nike Iorocara FG Score
35 / M / C (Mild Motion Control)
Nike Tiempo Natural Score
15 / M / C (Neutral Shoe)
Puma
Puma King XL Score
35 / M / C (Mild Motion Control)
Puma Olympian Score
10 / M / C (Neutral Shoe)

Football Turf Shoes

New Balance

New Balance 995 Football LowCut Turf Shoe - Total 45 (Maximum MC)
New Balance 805 Football Turf Shoe - Total 45 (Maximum MC)
Cleated Football Shoes

Under Armour

Under Armour Combat Football Cleats - Total 55 (Maximum MC)
Under Armour Men's Proto Speed Mid - Total 20 (Minimum MC)
Under Armour Men's Hammer II Mid - Total 40 (Moderate MC)

Golf Shoes

Ecco

Ecco Casual Pitch Women's Golf Shoe - Total 25 (Moderate MC)
Ecco Flexor Hydromax Men's Golf Shoe - Total 45 (Maximum MC

Baseball Shoes

New Balance

New Balance MB820LK Baseball - Total 25 (Minimum MC)
Under Armour

Under Armour Baseball Raptor
Low Top - Total 45 (Maximum MC)

Basketball Shoes

Adidas*

Adidas Bounce Artillery 2 Basketball - Total 55 (Maximum MC)
Adidas Pro Model Basketball - Total 15 (Minimum MC)
Cross Training Shoe - Adidas Vuelo X-Trainer - Total 10 (Cushioned)
*Adidas was contacted for shoe assessment but the company chose not to respond. The shoes evaluated were done so through loans from shoe vendors.
Nike*

Nike Elite Basketball - Total 35 (Moderate MC)
Nike Air Max Elite Force Basketball - Total 25 (Minimal MC)
Cross Training Shoe - Nike Vuelo X-Trainer - Total 10 (Cushioned)
*Nike was contacted for shoe assessment but the company chose not to respond. The shoes evaluated were done so through loans from shoe vendors.
Reebok

Reebok Voyage Men's Basketball - Total 25 (Minimal MC)