Different Running Styles and Shoes

Your choice of the right running shoe for your particular style of running can mean the difference between injury-free running and a painful trip to the doctor. Everybody has his or her own particular foot shape and gait. Generally, running experts describe gait in terms of pronation, or how much your foot rolls inward when striking ground from heel to the toes -- the way most people run. Other shoe types, however, like "barefoot running shoes," encourage running with less emphasis on the heel.



Before purchasing shoes, study how your feet strike the ground by observing yourself or asking a friend to watch, or by visiting a running or sporting goods store. Understanding your gait will help you make the right choice.

  1. Foot Type

    • To determine your foot shape, wet your feet and step onto a clean piece of paper. Look at the impression. A distinct curve between your heel and the ball of your foot of about half the width of either is a normal arch pattern, probably with neutral pronation. If you do not have much of a curve and almost the whole sole of your foot was imprinted, you have flexible arches and may overpronate. A very sharp curve between your heel and the ball of your foot is the sign of high arches and underpronation.

    Stability Shoes

    • If your foot has a typical arch, neither too high nor too low, you likely have neutral pronation. You strike the ground with the outside of your heel and then moderately roll inwards to the ball of your foot. Because this is the best way to spread the shock of hitting the ground heel first, you should choose shoes that preserve this natural movement. Experts call these types of shoes "stability shoes." Most running shoes sold in sporting goods stores will be stability shoes, unless advertised differently.

    Motion-Control Shoes

    • If you have flexible arches, sometimes known as "flat feet," you may overpronate, which means you strike on the outside of your heel and roll inwards too much. This motion can cause injuries, and you should purchase corrective running shoes called "motion-control shoes," because they will keep your foot from rolling inwards excessively.

    Cushion Shoes

    • If you have high arches, you may underpronate, which means your foot strikes with the outside of the heel but does not roll inward enough. Another term used for underpronation is supination. This movement does not act as a very effective shock absorber. If you underpronate, cushion shoes will encourage movement of your foot within the shoe, rather than limit motion, and your feet will roll inward more.

    Barefoot Running Shoes

    • While the name may sound like an oxymoron, "barefoot running shoes" are an alternative to the traditional motion-control/stability/cushion categories. Barefoot shoes offer almost no support or cushion, but they protect your feet against rocks and other sharp objects. Running barefoot, or running with barefoot running shoes, changes your foot strike to place less emphasis on the heel. This is a relatively new method of running and has become popular only in the last 10 years. Experts actively debate the effectiveness of this running style.

    Racing Shoes

    • Racing shoes are specialized shoes for competitive racers, like cross-country teams. Racing shoes have almost no support or cushion, similar to barefoot running shoes. They often have spikes in the soles for traction. Because the weight of running shoes themselves can slow runners down, very competitive runners will race in these shoes but still train in a traditional running shoe.