By: The Mizuno Shoe Guy
In order to buy the absolute best pair of Mizuno running shoes for your needs, you first have to know your feet. Not all running shoes are alike for one simple reason: Not all runners are alike and neither are their feet.
Our feet come in different sizes, widths, shapes and with different sets of foot biomechanics. There are three basic types of foot types or biomechanics: overpronation, underpronation and normal pronation. Why this is important is because running shoes are designed to accommodate these foot types.
Pronation refers to the distinctive inward collapse of your arch when it strikes the ground. Pronation is perfectly normal. It’s how your foot absorbs the shock of running which is approximately 2 1/2-3 times your body weight. Pronation is a good thing. The right amount of pronation is a natural function of human movement.
Overpronation—an excessive amount of pronation–is not a good thing. Your arch is designed to absorb a certain amount of shock, but when the arch collapses too much upon impact, the resulting shock can send torque up and down your leg. Left unchecked, overpronation—this inward twisting of the foot and lower legs—can result in all sorts of overuse injuries to your shins, hips or knees.
Underpronation is the opposite of overpronation. The foot is too rigid (often with a high, inflexible arch) which means your arch doesn’t collapse enough at impact. If that’s the case, the foot doesn’t absorb shock well at all. (Underpronation is often called “supination” or “oversupination” but neither term is accurate.)
Running shoes are generally categorized as one of three basic types, based on structure and function: Neutral (or cushioned), support or stability and maximum support, also called motion control.
The key to finding the right Mizuno shoes for you is to first determine what your foot type is and then match it with the Mizuno designed specifically for this. If you get the right Mizuno for your foot type, this will go a long way in preventing common running injuries. But, an improperly selected Mizuno (or any shoe for that matter), can predispose you to an injury.
The amount your foot pronates is an important criteria in selecting the right type of shoe to wear. There are other factors as well such as fit, comfort, weight and cost. But matching the right running shoes by foot type is key.
Unfortunately, a self-evaluation of your foot biomechanics is extremely difficult for the beginner and often leads to much confusion. Simply determining your arch height (or foot type) by wetting your feet or dusting your feet with foot powder or chalk dust and then standing on a clean, dry surface, might give you a clear view of your arch but it is too imprecise to determine your pronation factor and shoe needs. Even having somebody watch you run, is inexact and often counterproductive. Another less than reliable way is to have someone try to interpret the wear pattern of your running shoes as a way to determine your biomechanics.
One of the best ways to determine whether you overpronate or not is to schedule an appointment with a reputable sports podiatrist or biomechanist who will use high-tech video to film you running on a treadmill. The specialist will then break down the video, analyze your form and categorically determine your biomechanics (i.e., whether you pronate or not and if you do, how much you pronate). The specialist will then recommend the style of running shoe which is best suited for you.
But this can be expensive. Your next best choice is to go to a good running shoe store and have one of the shoe experts watch you run and walk barefoot. Many stores have treadmills and can digitize your running form, diagnose your foot type and determine which type of running shoe you need.
After making this determination, your next step is to match up Mizuno shoes with your foot biomechanics:
Normal or neutral pronator: This is the most common foot type. Your feet pronate, but not to excess. You have a normal arch which means it isn’t flat or high (rigid).
Best shoes: Support or neutral. A support shoe is the most common type of running shoe. The Mizuno Inspire—a light, moderately supportive training shoe—supports the arch and reduces foot pronation by using Mizuno’s Fan Wave technology. Many runners who pronate normally can run safely in a neutral shoe which though supportive, isn’t as supportive as a support shoe. These runners do well in the Mizuno Wave Rider. (This is precisely why it is very important to get a biomechanical screening at a reliable running store. Some normal pronators need a bit of added support; some don’t.) The Mizuno Wave Creation is more supportive than the Rider, but less supportive than the Inspire. It utilizes a full-length Infinity Wave to cushion and support the foot through the entire gait cycle.
Overpronator: Often called “flat feet”, overpronators have very low (or no) arches. Their feet may be splayed out (“duck feet”). When an overpronator runs, the arch collapses so much and the feet roll inward to an extent that shock waves are sent up the legs to the knees and hips. If this overpronation isn’t reduced or limited, injuries will result.
Best shoes: Motion-control or maximum support shoes (the terms are synonymous). These are well-cushioned shoes with plenty of medial (inner) support and other external devices that will reduce how much the foot overpronates. The Mizuno Wave Paradox is a relatively light shoe (relative to other overpronation shoes) with excellent cushioning and Mizuno’s Double Fan Wave which provides exceptional support throughout the entire gait cycle from landing to toe-off.
Underpronator: The least common foot type. Typically, an underpronator has high, rigid arches that do not collapse enough and thus, do not absorb shock well. The underpronator may be pigeon-toed (the feet are turned in). This foot type does not need any added support; less is better. What this runner needs is as much foot freedom and cushioning as possible.
Best shoes: Neutral, well-cushioned shoes with minimal medial (inner) support. The Mizuno Wave Rider is an industry leader in light, neutral shoes. The Mizuno Wave Sayonara is even lighter than the Rider. The Mizuno Wave Creation has great cushioning and with a full-length Infinity Wave, supports and cushions the foot. The Mizuno Wave Prophecy also has a full-length Infinity Wave for maximum cushioning.
It can’t be emphasized enough that determining your foot type and then matching it up with the proper Mizuno is very difficult to do on your own. Especially for a new runner. And yet, it is the most critically important step in the shoe selection process.
That’s why the role of the specialty running store in helping you determine your foot type and then putting you in the right shoe is so essential. If you have any doubt whatsoever, go to a running store which specializes in this.
Once there, try on a variety of shoes that match your foot type and biomechanics. Go with the Mizuno which fits and feels the best.