What Type of Shoes Do I Use?

A recent search of a popular shoe-buying web site yielded more than 4,500 different pairs under the category “sneakers,” including more than 1,000 running shoes, 199 “cross-trainers,” 133 pairs of basketball shoes, 110 pairs for tennis, and more than 1,500 in a nebulous category dubbed “athleisure.” Supposedly, you can wear these to the office and for a workout — but you probably shouldn’t.
Shopping for athletic shoes can be overwhelming.  The three major types of athletic shoes are categorized as a running shoe, a walking shoe, and a cross training shoe.  But what are the differences?
Running shoes are designed for higher impact forces.  Because you are only going in a forward movement with running, these shoes offer little lateral stability.  You wouldn’t want to use a running shoe if you are participating in an aerobics class, playing basketball, or tennis for instance.
Walking shoes are more built-up around the heel.  While runners land more on their forefoot, walkers have a heavier heel stride so the rubber is usually more stiff around the heel.
Cross trainers provide more stability around the ankle.  These shoes are good for jogging, lifting weights, and doing general aerobics.  They provide more support for forward and lateral movements.
How often should you replace these shoes?  It is suggested that running shoes should be replaced after 350-550 miles.  So if you are running 25 miles/week, you should replace those shoes every 3-4 months.  If you are training for and running marathons, you may need to replace these shoes every 2-3 months.  After browsing through a bunch of websites, the average time for replacement of cross trainers appears to about twice a year if you are wearing them 3-6 days a week.
I try not to look at the price tag when trying on shoes.  Spending extra cash on a pair of good shoes is better than suffering from knee pain or another injury from an improper fit.  I usually purchase a new pair of cross trainers 2-3 times a year.  I wear them for a few workouts around the house prior to removing all the tags and throwing away the box to make sure they are a good fit.  When I purchase new shoes my old gym shoes become my everyday shoes for running errands and whatnot.  So typically I don’t wear my new athletic shoes for anything but working out.  This makes them last longer.