When beginning a new physical activity, it is tempting to minimize your investment by using athletic shoes that were designed for a different sport. But the consequences might not be worth the money saved. In the case of walking, using tennis shoes designed for the lateral movements involved in court sports might result in discomfort and even injury.
Athletic Shoe Characteristics
Athletic shoes are designed as safety equipment to minimize overuse injuries while providing stability, support and shock absorption. But because each sport requires specific foot placement, a shoe designed for tennis will not meet the demands placed on the body during walking. Dr. Stephen M. Pribut emphasizes the importance of buying a sport-specific shoe for every sport you participate in. While walking is not technically a sport, the movement patterns and physical stress associated with walking merit investment in appropriate footwear.
Tennis vs. Walking Shoe Design
Court sports like tennis involve a great deal of lateral and multidirectional movement, and tennis shoes are designed to facilitate that movement while protecting the player's feet and ankles. According to Dick's Sporting Goods, court shoes are geared to quick side-to-side moves and to prevent ankle rollover that can result in serious injury. Walking shoes are designed to minimize impact to the joints and muscles while facilitating forward momentum. In direct contrast to tennis shoes, a walking shoe's wider heel base inhibits lateral movement.
Walking Foot Mechanics
According to Northcoast Footcare, the foot passes through three distinct phases during walking: The heel strike, the mid-stance and propulsion, when you push off through the ball of your foot and toes. Because your heel strikes first, the greatest impact is absorbed through the heel of your shoe, diminishing stress to your muscles and joints. Issues like tight calf muscles or the tendency of the foot to roll inward, or pronate, during the mid-stance phase can result in painful repetitive motion injuries. Walking shoes are designed to minimize injury by coaxing the foot into a more biomechanically efficient position through all movement phases.
Selecting Good Walking Shoes
For fitness walking, MayoClinic.com recommends lightweight shoes that provide good shock absorption, while emphasizing the importance of comfort and fit. Some shoes feature a roll bar to offset pronation and gel pads to enhance shock absorption. While these and other features might add to the price, they might be worth the investment if they prevent injury in the long run. Foot shape, width, length and arch type all factor into shoe selection. Try on several different brands and models and select the shoe that conforms most comfortably to your foot type.
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