If you are anything like the team at San Joaquin Foot & Ankle, the New Year brings with it plenty of new goals and resolutions, many of which are health related. Whether you like to run indoors on the treadmill or like to brave the cooler weather jogging outdoors, this blog series is for you. We'll start today by talking about the best gear, and in the coming weeks we'll give you our recommendations for technique, common foot problems runners face, along with the best treatments to help, and even a list of upcoming runs in the Central Valley area. We hope you enjoy this series, our Ode-To-Runners.

The Gear

Whether you are a novice or a pro, the first thing you need to consider before going out for your next run are the shoes you wear.  Your best support & defense against foot problems is choosing the right pair of shoes. Select a pair that fits you well. Your toes should have some wiggle room and the width should be appropriate. The soles should be flexible at the ball of the foot and provide appropriate arch support & cushioning. I advise replacing your shoes every 300-500 miles or roughly once a year. Visit our patient education section for more detailed information on my recommendations for athletic footwear. By scrolling to the bottom right hand side of the page, you'll find a section on shoes. Clicking on the arrow next to "Shoes," you'll find I specifically break down footwear by gender, the type of activity you are engaging in, such as running, hiking, etc, and even what your shoe wear patterns may say about your foot structure and potential issues. 

Inside your shoes, I advise wearing socks made of a synthetic “wicking” material made to keep your feet dry when running to reduce the incidence of fungus, blisters, and odor. Another piece of gear to consider: arch supports. Give your feet an extra boost during your workout with a pair of prefabricated or custom orthotics, both of which are available in our office, and provide support to your foot structure which can provide extra comfort during your runs and prevent biomechanical problems down the road.

Do you have running gear or other related questions? Check out the rest of our Ode-to-Runners Blog Series, or feel free to schedule a consultation with Dr. Jack Harvey at his office in Manteca by calling 209-827-2700 or by scheduling an appointment online. Happy Trails!