Today I posted a quote on the importance of bringing your old running shoes with you to the store when you’re shopping for new ones. I’d like to elaborate on this topic, as I do feel it’s something that a lot of people don’t understand or overlook, no matter what kind of exercise they’re doing.

If you’re a runner like I am, the proper running shoes can be crucial to your performance and preventing injury. I know a lot of newbie runners who will start out in whatever athletic shoes they have lying around, who end up being discouraged and then injured with shin splints or strained muscles because the shoes didn’t offer them proper support.

Your structural body isn’t perfect, of course. How our hips are placed will affect how are knees are, and in turn, how our feet are. Most people have feet that pronate, meaning that they roll outwards or inwards. A lot of people also have either flat or high arches too, making that part of the foot painful if there is too much or too little support.

We’re pretty lucky in this day and age, though – so many companies have spent a lot of time and money making shoes for runners and other sports that are specific to your body’s needs and the needs of that sport. Now, I’m not saying you should go out there and buy a bunch of different sneakers if you’re playing tennis one day and doing aerobics the next. It’s just a good idea to have proper sneakers that offer you the support you need to enable you to do the activities you want without injury.

For example, the other day one of my clients at Butterfly Life walked in with some pretty cute sneakers. She had gotten them on sale at the local department store. And although they matched with her outfit (yes, this is important to some people), they were woefully unsupportive and not built for a strenuous workout. I had to tell her to stop wearing them in the gym and invest in some better sneakers for her workouts.

Great sneakers can be expensive, especially if you’re a long distance runner like I am and need to shell out $140 every few months. But listen up – it’s going to be a lot more expensive to have to deal with a medical problem you might have because you aren’t wearing the right shoes! I’ve seen this happen with my clients at my gyms so I know firsthand that it’s no joke.

If you’re a runner, or thinking about running, make sure you go to a proper running store and get fitted for shoes. They’ll watch you run, analyze your gait, and have you try on several pairs for fit. I go to Fleet Feet, which is an excellent store that allows you to return your shoes if they end up not working out.

If you’re not a runner, I still urge you to go to an athletic shoe store like Foot Locker or the Sports Authority and get a good pair of shoes. Your feet and body will thank you for it!