A Shoe For Every Sport

Shoes, shoes, and more shoes. There seems to be a shoe designed for every sport out there. But
there’s a method to the madness. Sport-specific shoes really can change your game. See the tips
from the APMA below to learn why the shoe you choose could make or break your day on the court or field.

Basketball

Whether you’re making the perfect pass or finishing off the high-flying dunk, basketball shoes have several features that will help you prevent injury.

• A thick, stiff sole gives support while running and landing from jumps.

• High ankle construction supports the ankle during quick changes in direction. A basketball shoe should have the strongest support on either side of the ankle.

Racquetball/Tennis

On the surface, court shoes for tennis and racquetball may look like any other athletic sneaker, but it’s what’s on the inside that makes the difference.

• A court shoe supports both sides of the foot because of all
the quick lateral movements and weight shifts in court sports.

• It provides a flexible sole for fast changes of direction.

• It has less shock absorption than a running or basketball shoe.

Running

The running shoe is perhaps the most personal and intricate
of all athletic shoes. Every runner has different needs and there
are a multitude of choices out there.

• A running shoe must provide maximum shock absorption to help
runners avoid ailments such as shin splints and knee pain.

• The shoe should control the way your heel strikes the ground, so
the rest of your foot can fall correctly.

• Know your foot type (high, medium, low arch) so you can get the
shoe with the right support for your foot.

“Generally, you want to go with the sport-specific shoe if you are participating
in a sport on a regular basis (2-3 times a week). Make sure the shoe fits correctly. Fit is just as important as the right type of shoe,” says APMA Director of Scientific Affairs Dr. Jim Christina.

To read more articles about shoes and your feet, check out the Footnotes link on our website at http://www.roanokefoot.com/.

Running for Women: An Uphill Trend

According to Running USA, over 10 million people finished a race last year. Running has taken on a huge growth in general over the past couple of years. Research shows that running as a form of exercise tends to increase in a bad economy, and with our economic situation running can be an appealing alternative to paying large sums of money for gym memberships.

However, money isn't the only reason for this increase. Many women run for the social aspect. "There's about 10 of us that will travel somewhere in the US. We'll say, 'This is where we're gonna go,' and we all pitch in and we get hotel rooms for all of us," says runner Hillary Mancuso.

Running is an excellent, inexpensive, effective form of exercise. So grab a pair of well-fitted and supportive running shoes, fill up a water bottle, stretch and warm up your muscles, and most of all have fun!

To read more, visit the article from WRCBtv Chattanooga News at http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13628789.

Your Feet...Out on the Town

According to a survey in British newspaper The Telegraph, it only takes an average of 34 minutes for a woman wearing high heels to start feeling pain in their feet from high-heeled shoes. Four out of ten women surveyed stated that they carry a spare pair of pumps in case their first pair starts to rub throughout the night. More than fifty percent admitted to walking home barefoot after a night out on the town. The survey also showed that the average British woman owns 18 pairs of high heels.

The survey included 4,000 women between the ages of 18 and 65. Click here to read more.

Just remember that while your high heels may look fabulous, it's wise to listen to your feet when they hurt! Change into more comfortable shoes (not another pair of stilettos!) or take a seat and let your tootsies rest. And we don't recommend walking home barefoot - broken glass and rocks are just a few of the possible hazards you could stumble upon.

And if your feet keep hurting, please come see us - we can help! Visit our website or give us a call at (540) 904-1458 to have all your questions answered.

The Origin of Shoes

Shoes have come along way since their invention. Some anthropologists believe that the invention of shoes happened as early as 40,000 B.C. These anthropologists noted substantially different toe bone sizes between different generations. The older generations had very big bones; the kind that are associated with a lot of hard work. Then fairly suddenly, the toe bone size got a lot smaller. A very possible explanation to this change is the invention of shoes.

Shoes had an open toed sandal design until about 1600-1200 B.C. when people in colder weather climates created ‘soft shoes’ made out of leather, similar to moccasins, covering the whole foot, and therefore inventing the first close toed shoe. The next major advancement in shoe technology was made by the Egyptians who where the first civilization to make shoes ornate. When the Pharaoh’s where dressed in all their glory, their outfits would be incomplete if they where wearing boring shoes. Shoemaking became a profession in the Egyptian society, making shoes more like jewelry than simply for necessity. Necessity for a hardier shoe brought about the invention of the boot during the ancient Greek era. They needed boots to keep their soldiers protected from different elements in nature and in war. Shoes where not particularly sturdy until about the Middle Ages, when due to the Crusades and the great deal of walking associated with those events, shoes needed to be more durable and more comfortable. Since then shoes have progressed into the styles we know and love today.


In 1850 the first shoe was designed to fit specifically the right or left foot. Soon after that, inventors created special sewing machines that made it able for someone to sew the soles of shoes to the uppers. This new machine expedited the time it took for shoes to be made, leading to the first mass manufacturing of shoes. In 1892 shoes started to look more like the shoes we wear today. Nine rubber companies used their resources and creativity to come up with a new kind of shoe, one that is very quiet and easy to bend. This new rubber sole shoe, a sneaker, was a huge success! Since then, shoes have progresses to fashion as well as necessity, being manufactured and computer engineered instead of handmade, and now mostly made from man made material instead of natural material. Though styles of shoes and techniques of how shoes are made have changed drastically over time, peoples love for shoes and desire to keep inventing haven’t.