The thing with recommending running shoes

We all read that wearing the right shoes is so important for running. However, a question in my mind is how important can they be really? I mean anybody can walk into a shoe shop and buy some running shoes and, were we to believe what we read, could be setting themselves up for injury. If this were the case how come we have never seen any litigation against either a running shop (for not selling shoes with expert advice) or a manufacturer (for not attaching a health warning to shoes)?

Discuss!

Comments

  • I think the fact that doing serious training in an unsuitable shoe will end in injury is fairly undisputable. You might get away with running 10 to 20 miles a week in the wrong shoe but any more than that and I'd say it's only a matter of time before you do some damage.

    As for the litigation thing, I don't think the shop of manufacturer can be held responsible for you injuring yourself (despite the advice about getting the right shoe that is made available to us) since it's ourselves who are causing the injury in the first place despite what we're wearing. It'd be nice if all shops made sure that you had the right shoe but I don't think that's going to happen and is the main reason why most of us stick to specialist places like Sweat Shop.

    That's what I think anyway!
  • I'd never have blamed aching balls on not having renewed my shoes...
  • Dan - "I don't think the shop of manufacturer can be held responsible for you injuring yourself". Haven't smokers in the US proven that in todays society it isn't enough to EXPECT people to take responsibility for their own actions?

  • Running barefoot would be better for us biomechanically that wearing even well-fitting shoes, so maybe every runner who gets injured should sue the council for not keeping the pavements and verges free from dangerous and disgusting things that we could tread on.
  • ...but runners aren't litigious. Too blissed out on endorphins to be bothered, no doubt.
  • Oh yeah, hadn't thought of that. If you do your homework before buying a shoe though and train sensibly you should be able to avoid injuring yourself in the first place.
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