Your foot's soulmate

Tonight Dr. Allan Sherman taught us the importance of picking the appropriate shoes for your workout.

Dr. Sherman embodies the Cooper philosophies. He began coming to Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas back in 1976. And since, has run more than 50 marathons and even a handful of ultra-marathons. His active lifestyle has clearly kept him healthy, sharp and in shape. And, most importantly to Dr. Sherman, it has helped him minimize his risk of heart disease, a condition that runs in his family. Really fascinating guy, especially for someone who works with feet all day.

He started off by teaching us the basics of how the foot moves and what impact that has on our joints. From there he took it a step further (pun intended) and taught us how OUR walking/running affected our joints. Then, like a human rolodex, he spouted off the best shoe option for each of us based on our stance, how the heel hits the ground, etc.

Dr. Sherman also taught us how to buy the right shoe, in case he isn’t around to make recommendations:

• Start by finding a shoe store that you can trust.
  Somewhere with real experts that understand the in’s and out’s of feet. What I found really impressive was that he didn’t just give Dallas examples! He offered reputable stores in Houston and Atlanta too!


• Bring in your old shoes and your favorite work-out socks.
  Just seeing your worn-out shoes will help the sales person address what your movement is. How you hit the ground, how you lean, and so on.


• Get sized.
  Dr. Sherman told us that your foot size, much like your weight or hair color, can change year-by-year. Make sure to always get the latest measurement. He also recommends leaving 3/8” between your toe and the front of the shoe.


• Learn your arch type.
  This is where the experts can help. Let them watch you stand and walk to access whether you have a high arch, normal arch or flat foot.


• Identify what function your shoe must serve.
  Learning about how you walk and carry your weight can help an expert identify the amount of stability and/or cushion your perfect shoe will require.

Here is a quick video of my personal assessment.



(Also, Dr. Sherman recommends Nike Free for Zumba classes!)