Feel Good

FANCY FOOT WORK
When it comes to picking out a pair of athletic shoes, you can’t just go by the color and style you like best.

According to Corey Sokolow, manager of the New Balance store in the Aventura Mall and a certified pedorthist, you must consider the size and width of your feet as well as the type of arch you have and the activity you are going to do. “Besides selecting a shoe on looks, the biggest mistake people make is having the wrong size,” said Sokolow. “Most adults haven’t had their feet measured in a very long time; despite the fact that feet change as we age.

People also don’t realize that everyone has a foot that is bigger than the other, and it is important to size shoes to correctly fit the bigger foot.”

Sokolow also points out that it is critical to think about the activity you are going to do when selecting a shoe. “You really do need different shoes for different activities,” he said. “The only shoe that is built for a variety of activities is the cross trainer; it allows you to move side to side when doing aerobics or playing tennis and has enough cushion to allow you to run short distances and is stiff enough for walking.” However, if you know your sport of choice, you may want to consider getting a specific type of shoe.

For instance in a tennis shoe there is extra durability at the toe of the shoe to handle toe drag caused when a player serves. A running shoe must be flexible, provide cushion and have a higher heel; but, because this shoe is designed to move you forward, it is not good to wear for a sport that requires you to move sideways, i.e. tennis.

“It really is not good to wear the wrong shoe for a sport. Wearing a walking shoe to run a marathon will cause a tremendous amount of pain, because the shoe isn’t built with enough cushion. If you do aerobics in a running shoe you will move too easily side-to-side which will likely cause your ankle to twist,” said Sokolow.

EXERCISE PERSONALITY

Trying to figure out which exercise is for you – yoga, Pilates or strength training, the owners of the Pilates room Liza Carmona and Michele LaVire have put together a cheat sheet.