It’s hard to believe that, until the mid-1970s, just one brand of athletic shoe dominated the market. Before the 1980s, if you played basketball, you were probably wearing Chuck Taylor’s Converse All Star basketball sneaker, which once controlled more than 80 percent of the athletic footwear market.

Today, the average person is faced with scores of styles, hundreds of brands and a wider price range from the “retro-culture” to the trendy. Cross-trainers, running shoes, walking shoes, basketball shoes – finding the most versatile or best specific type of athletic footwear has become a major decision.

However, choosing athletic footwear should be more than simply making a fashion or cultural statement. It’s an important step to preventing injury. Buying the right footwear requires some homework, and learning a little bit about how an athletic shoe is designed will help. Below are a few common terms shoe professionals use to describe various parts of athletic shoes:

• Ankle collar. The padded area around the ankle.
  
  
• Heel tab. The notched area of the ankle collar, designed to reduce stress on the Achilles tendon.
  
  
• Insole. Part of the sole that fits inside the shoe, providing cushion and arch support.
  
  
• Outsole. Outside area of the sole that hits the ground. This portion is treaded for traction.
  
  
• Midsole. The padded portion between the insole and outsole designed for comfort, cushioning and shock absorption.
  
  
• Upper. This is the top part of the shoe where the laces reside and hold the shoe together.
  
  
• Toe box. Tip of the shoe where the toes reside.
  
  
• Counter. The rigid material around the heel of the shoe. The counter stabilizes the heel and keeps it in place.

Do you run more than three times a week? Play basketball or racquetball? Or do you prefer to take long walks? How often you participate in a sport or activity determines what type of athletic shoe you need.

In general, you require a sports-specific shoe if you play a sport (or perform an activity) three or more times a week. Specialized groups of footwear differ in design, material and weight to protect areas of the foot and ankle most affected by a particular exercise or sport.

The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFA) groups shoes in seven categories:

• Running and walking. Good running shoes offer ample cushioning, flexibility, control and stability in the heel counter. Running shoes are lighter than walking shoes and are made for the harder pounding the feet must withstand (the rear foot strikes the pavement and the toes of the forefoot propel the runner forward). Walking shoes, by contrast, are more rigid and offer more of a heel-to-toe roll.
  
  Because of their different designs, running shoes may be used for walking, but walking shoes should never be used for running.
  
  
• Court activities. Tennis, basketball, volleyball and racquetball are all considered court sports. Shoes designed for court activities take a lot of abuse from sudden stops, movements forward, backward and side-to-side. A good court athletic shoe has stiffer soles and good traction.
  
  
• Field sports. Specialized athletic shoes for games such as baseball, football and soccer use cleats, studs or spikes to gain traction on the ground. Most feature replaceable or detachable cleats, spikes and studs embedded into nylon shoes.
  
  
• Track and field. Includes activities such as running, sprinting, pole vaulting, etc. There are many specific and individual requirements of track and field athletic shoes, including foot types, gait patterns and styles of training. The AOFA recommends consulting your coach to help choose the right type of shoe for your event.
  
  
• Winter sports. These include ice skates designed for specific activities such as figure skating and ice hockey, as well as footwear for skiing. All should provide good ankle support.
  
  
• Specialty sports. Golf, aerobic dancing and bicycling have activity-specific shoes. Bicycling shoes, for instance, clip into pedals to improve pedaling efficiency.
  
  
• Outdoor sports. Includes shoes designed for outdoor recreational activities, such as hunting, boating and fishing.

Cross-training shoes are designed to fit several of the categories, such as court activities, running and aerobics. They are flexible for running while providing support for side-to-side motion. Again, if you frequently engage in an activity (more than three times a week), choose a sports-specific shoe.

Many athletic shoe brands incorporate components designed to improve performance. For example, air soles may improve shock absorption and “pumps,” which are inflatable linings that are pumped up using a device in the shoe, may provide a more secure fit.

The first rule to remember is that the right athletic shoe should not require a breaking-in period. Shoes should feel comfortable as soon as you wear them. You should walk or run a few steps to make sure they remain comfortable. Other rules to follow include:

• Always try on athletic shoes after a workout or run or at the end of the day, when your feet will be at their largest (due to normal swelling).
  
  
• Measure both feet – not just one. The shoe should fit the largest foot.
  
  
• Wear the same type of sock you plan to wear for that sport or activity.
  
  
• You should be able to wiggle all of your toes, and there should be a half-inch between the longest toe and the end of the shoe (about the width of your thumb).
  
  
• The shoe should grip your heel firmly. The heel should not slip as you walk or run.
  
  
• Relace the shoes you try on, using a criss-crossing lace pattern. It is important to relace the shoes each time you put them on. This helps to provide a tight, secure fit.
  
  
• Replace worn shoes and bring your old shoes to the store. A knowledgeable sales associate can help guide you by examining the wear pattern of your old shoes.
  
  
• Do not buy new shoes immediately before a major game or race. While shoes should feel comfortable when you first try them on, your body needs some time to adjust to the structure of the new shoes. Allow two weeks of practice or regular use before wearing your shoes in a big event or long run.
  
  
• Keep in mind that foot size changes with age and weight.
  
  
• Buy a shoe for the fit, not the size. Shoes ought to feel snug and not be loose-fitting.
  
  
• When purchasing shoes for children, focus on good cushioning, support and protection. Never buy shoes that will squeeze their feet. A little added room is OK to compensate for growing.

Finally, know your feet – are they low-arched (flat feet), neutral-arched or high-arched? You can tell by wetting the bottom of your bare foot and making a footprint on a hard, level surface.

You probably have a high-arched foot if the forefoot and heel are connected by a thin line (i.e., you can’t see much of your foot). You probably have low arches if the footprint shows the entire outline of your foot. A neutral arch would fall in between.

Different foot shapes and arches will be comfortable in different types of shoes. Some styles of shoes have wider toe boxes, some have higher arch support, some have better shock absorption, etc. Ask your health care professional or knowledgeable shoe sales associate to guide you toward shoes that are structured most appropriately for your foot.

Preparing questions in advance can help patients to have more meaningful discussions regarding their conditions. Patients may wish to ask their doctor, athletic trainer or knowledgeable shoe salesperson the following questions related to athletic shoes:

1. What kind of athletic shoes are right for me?
   
   
2. Do you recommend orthotics for me?
   
   
3. Do my shoes fit properly?
   
   
4. Would any of my medical conditions influence my choices of athletic shoes?
   
   
5. Could my symptoms be due to a poor choice of athletic shoes?
   
   
6. Do you recommend any particular brand of athletic shoes?
   
   
7. Do you recommend any special design components, such as pumps, for my athletic shoes?
   
   
8. When should I replace my athletic shoes?