Ever wondered why some sports shoes appear super curved, others have a slight curve and still others appear to be completely flat? For those who zero down on the choice of sports shoes by the colour or the design or even the price, there is something more important that you need to look into before you take the plunge. And that has to do with you — the shape of your feet to be precise.

Foot shapes are categorised based on their pronation or the natural inward roll of the foot from heel to toe. This motion is the foot’s natural way of distributing impact and absorbing shock. Without pronation, running or walking would be extremely painful.

But how do you go about determining your foot shape? Is there an instrument available or are there some tests involved. Relax, all you need to do is look carefully at your old shoes, (or even sandals). More often than not they’re worn out in a particular manner. If the lining in the heel area is worn-out or if there is excessive wear on the outer heel of the shoes, it is underpronation or supination. This means that you have a high arch and need extra support.

If the shoe shows extra wear on the inside of the heel and under the ball of the foot, especially the big toe it is called overpronation which implies that your foot is flat. A combination wearing out of the shoe means that there is neutral pronation.

Nike’s Lunar Glide is perfect for those with neutrally arched feet

Can’t figure out how the shoe has worn off? Wet your feet, stand on a piece of paper and check the imprint. Your foot’s flat if you have no visible arch and the footprint is visible with no inward curve between the big toe and heel (overpronation). However, if there’s a clear arch between the heel and the ball of the foot or your footprint has a large curve with a narrow outer edge, or perhaps an actual gap between the ball and the heel, you have a high arch (underpronation). The third type’s the neutral foot — neither flat-footed nor high-arched. The footprint will have a small inward curve of no more than an inch.

Most shoe brands — Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Reebok — have shoes that are specific to the feet shapes. Tushar Goculdas, brand director, Adidas says: “Flat feet tend to tilt inwards which leads to painful feet, shins, knees and even the hips. In an aggravated condition it causes plantar fasciitis (irritation and swelling of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot). Such people should wear a shoe offering greater stability to the foot’s inner side.

High arch feet however, tend to tilt outwards leading to pain in the arch and ankle. Such individuals also lack shock absorption causing thigh injury in serious cases.” Adidas uses a combination of technologies; a “Torsion System” plate in the mid-foot for stability, and Formotion and adiPRENE in the heel to provide optimal cushion on impact.

Reebok’s KFS shoes as well as adiStar by Adidas (below) are specially designed for people with flat feet

Other brands too have introduced innovations providing maximum comfort for different feet shapes. Rajiv Mehta, managing director, Puma Sports India says: “The IdCELL technology in some Puma shoes uses low density material for improved shock absorption. The ArchTec Support in the arch of the foot provides support and decreases the shoe’s weight, while still allowing the natural twist of fore and rear foot movement.” This is best suited for arched feet.

Nike too has products for neutral to severe overpronation. Says Sanjay Gangopadhyay, marketing director, Nike India: “Normal/medium arch feet need shoes with cushioning and arch support. Our range caters to runners with different degrees of overpronation.”

But how important is the right shoe? It reduces the risk of injury and improves the running experience. The parameters determining this are stability, cushioning, support, fit, flex and breath ability.

In fact knowing your foot shape is an integral step to understanding footwear. Sajid Shamim, brand director, Reebok says: “Ill-fitting shoes can distort toe alignment, create blisters, and cause a number of other foot ailments. It can also affect the ankles, knees and hips.” Reebok’s premium line of KFS trainers is perfect for flat-footed people.

Prateek Gupta, consultant orthopedic and sports surgeon and head of sports medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital explains, “Wearing the wrong shoes can lead to corns and even compartment syndrome where the blood supply is hampered.” One of Gupta’s patients who wore a shoe not meant for his foot shape and played basketball was almost on the verge of surgery. It took three weeks for the compartment syndrome, where the hampered blood flow led to a build-up of pressure, to subside. This can also lead to necrosis or death of cells on account of loss of blood supply.

So the next time you step out to pick up a pair of shoes, first check the shape of your feet before venturing further.