The good trainer guide: Running is a cheap way to get fit - but the wrong shoes can be an expensive mistake


Trainer sole

High impact: Runners experience a force three times their bodyweight each time their feet hit the floor

Most people own a pair of trainers, and the market for sports shoes is worth more than £1.25 billion a year. But when it comes to keeping fit, you need shoes fit for the purpose.

Running is a cheap and effective way to keep healthy, but it's a high-impact activity.

Each time your foot strikes the ground, a shock equivalent to three times your body weight reverberates from the feet, through the legs and into the spine.

If your feet aren't properly supported and cushioned, you risk shin splints, knee pain and tendonitis.

A good shoe will also stop feet from rolling inwards (over-pronating). But, as a recent study found, spending more isn't always the answer.

Some expensive trainers could damage your feet in the long-term, while others can be a waste of money. Expensive trainers often claim to give you 'energy
return' - helping you spring forward with each step so your running action is more efficient.

However, costly trainers 'rarely have the technology to justify their price,' says Trevor Prior, a consultant podiatric surgeon.

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To help you select the best running shoes, we asked Ceri Diss, an exercise biomechanist from the Sports Performance Assessment and Rehabilitation Centre at Roehampton University, London, to analyse the major brands' most popular trainers.

Diss, a former international runner, tested themusing a specialist force platformin her lab. We then rated each trainer out of ten.

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