OH! Magazine - Australian Version August 2016 | Page 22
(OH COOL!)
GRANT
DUONG
ANATOMY OF A
CROSS TRAINING SHOE
Podiatrist Dr Grant Duong provides this guide to the cross training shoe.
he cross training (CT) shoe is what
I call the ‘lifestyle shoe’. It is an
all-rounder, offering some of the benefits
of a walking and a running shoe, but do
you really know what its best used for?
What is it made from? The pros and cons?
•
In the late 1980s, Nike shoe designer
Tinker Hatfield decided to make a multisport shoe and did so with the Nike Air
Max 1. Since then this multi-sport shoe
evolved into the CT shoe. The CT shoe
fuses the features of a walking and a
running shoe making it extremely
versatile.
Outsole:
• Must be made from durable carbon
rubber
• Made wider to allow for side-to-side
movements from different exercise
activities
• This is where shoe manufacturers
alter the support thickness to suit
your feet – whether you pronate or
supinate more or if you’re blessed
with a neutral foot.
T
•
Made from EVA rubber, ensuring
lightweight although not durable
cushioning.
Made from polyurethane, providing
dense,
durable
and
heavy
cushioning.
•
Should be replaced after 100 hours
of wear or approximately 6 months
•
Good for trail running
The Cons
What are they made from?
The construction of a CT shoe typically
consists of:
Upper:
• Made of leather, which increases the
ankle stability.
• Made with synthetic mesh, making it
more breathable and lightweight.
• Made with a combination of leather
and mesh, to allow breathability and
provide lateral movement (side-toside) support.
Insole Cushioning:
• Aimed at maximising cushioning
and support.
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AUGUST 2016 (OH! MAGAZINE)
The Pros
• Affordable and economical – one
shoe to suit most of your lifestyle
needs.
•
Provides more
walking shoe.
support
than
•
Versatile, so you can use it for a
variety of actvities.
•
Provides heel and forefoot cushioning
and support.
•
Great for general amateur or casual
bodybuilders and personal trainers.
•
Not suitable
running
for
long
distance
•
More stiffer than a running shoe
•
Heavier than a walking and running
shoe due to the usage of materials to
make the shoe
As with prescription glasses, you would
see an expert such as the Optometrist.
With shoes for exercise, it is best to
consult with a Podiatrist who will assess
your lower limb biomechanics and then
recommend the best type of CT shoes for
your lifestyle exercises.
a
Grant Duong is a podiatrist at the
Triumph Institute, which is located in
Bankstown (Sydney). Grant specialises
in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment
and rehabilitation of problems and
issues that affect the lower limbs, from
the lower back right down to the feet.
Learn more about Grant at
triumphinstitute.com.au