It is not uncommon to hear experts give advice as to the type of shoe that you should buy. In addition to the usual standard recommendations of having a good fit with plenty of room for the toes, etc., they also give recommendations in regard to your foot arch and type of runner that you are.
For example, according to the American Council on Exercise, “if you have high arches, you probably need more shock absorption . . . and if you have low arches (sometimes called flat feet), you need a shoe with a sturdy heel counter. . . to keep your heel from moving around.” However, they give no substantiation to these statements.
What is not examined is the amount of give (compression and decompression) that the foot arch has. For example, a high arch in itself does not mean that it requires a particular type of shoe. The key is how much does the arch depress (compress) on landing and how quickly does it come back to its normal position.
If you get a shoe with a high built-in arch, which is also often recommended, it will not allow your foot to function normally; It will not be allowed to compress. Also, why does a runner with a high arch need more absorption? The foot does this (as well as withstanding the landing forces) with a well functioning foot arch.
In regard to a low arch — does this mean that when you have flat feet your heel moves excessively? All shoes, regardless of arch, should hold the heel in place. In addition, it is necessary to know if the arch is capable of compression and how much. This is the most important factor.
Rather than looking for a shoe to take care of “problems” such as a high arch or flat feet, it is more important to look at how you can strengthen the muscles of the foot to regain more arch and more importantly, a well-functioning arch. To this end, you may wish to examine The Barefoot Science Foot Strengthening System. Studies have shown that it helps to build the foot arch to give you a more normally functioning foot.
It often seems that we merely perpetuate myths rather than taking a look at what is truly needed by individuals with different foot structures, abilities and mechanics of running. Shoes should not be purchased merely for foot type. The shoes you buy should allow for the normal functions of the feet.
For more information on the role of the foot in running and how you can strengthen the muscles involved, see Explosive Running