Toronto is full of gyms, fitness classes, and unique outdoor spaces perfect for running and exercise throughout the year. That said, it’s imperative to remember to invest in supportive footwear for your fitness activities! Stable and secure footwear can help protect you from sudden foot and ankle injuries. Furthermore, supportive workout footwear can provide cushioning technology and structural designs that lessen the impact of your steps on your joints, accommodate your gait pattern and foot type, and help reduce pressure and strain on your joints and muscles. This keeps your feet from tiring out quickly, so you can exercise for as long as possible. There are even more reasons to ensure you have supportive footwear, which we’ll break down in today’s article.
With that said, let’s look at why you need supportive footwear, and discuss three footwear products that will keep you exercising comfortably.
Supportive Footwear For Your Workout
- Saucony runners
- Superfeet insoles
- Custom orthotics
Saucony Runners
This one is obvious, but the most important thing you’ll need for your workout is an excellent pair of supportive shoes. Your shoes need to complement your workout routine while giving your feet enough arch support, toe room, cushioning, breathability, and accommodating your foot type and gait. One unique brand that deserves praise from seasoned athletes and gym newbies alike is Saucony.
When selecting the right supportive running shoe for your workout, it’s important to base your decision on your foot needs, foot type and gait pattern – not the colour and look of the shoe. Believe it or not, the shoe model does matter. Different models are constructed and designed for different purposes and needs.
That’s why Saucony carries an array of running shoes for different purposes. Whatever your needs, workout routines and preferences, Saucony has the right shoe for you. In this article, we are featuring Saucony’s most supportive running shoes:
- Triumph
- Hurricane
- Endorphin
- Guide
- Omni
Triumph
The Triumph is one of the most well-known shoes from Saucony, and receives high ratings and reviews from notable running websites. It is one of our top picks for people with normal sized arches and a “neutral” gait (meaning your ankle and foot stays in a neutral position and doesn’t roll when you move). An excellent all-purpose shoe, its supreme cushioning is perfect for people who love being active. More specifically, Saucony’s signature PWRRUN+ foam cushioning ensures endless comfort during your workout and provides that cloud-like feeling. This goes for beginner runners, marathon enthusiasts, and anyone in between! If you enjoy running for long distances, you can sport the Saucony Triumph and enjoy a stress-free run that reduces fatigue in your legs and feet and helps prevents onset foot pain.
Hurricane
Do you need structured arch support and stability in your workout shoes? If this sounds like you, Saucony’s Hurricane may be the optimal choice. The Hurricane is a stability shoe, and is our top pick for people who have flat feet, foot pain, need strong arch support, or overpronate (meaning that your ankles and feet roll in when you move). It’s designed as an all-in-one running and medical shoe, and offers the highest level of stability amongst Saucony shoes (second to the Omni).
People who have foot pain, flat feet, or experience issues like plantar fasciitis should seek shoes with structured arch support, like that provided by the Hurricane. Naturally, flat feet do not have a pronounced arch, which affects your biomechanics and causes foot pain, joint strain, stiffness and reduced mobility. A lack of arch support can also affect important aspects of your workout routines, like balance and how you distribute your bodyweight, which can increase your risk of injury.
The Hurricane’s stability features come from its TPU guidance frame, which supports, stabilizes, and essentially guides the foot and ankle as you move so that your ankles don’t roll. Best of all, the shoe provides all this support without feeling restrictive or getting in the way of your workout. The Hurricane can help accommodate the natural shape of your foot and ensure your workout goes as smoothly as possible.
Endorphin Shift
The Endorphin from Saucony is another stability running shoe. It is built very similar to the Hurricane, but is more geared towards the needs of those who want a little extra spring in their step. If speed and long-distance running is your exercise of choice, you might want to give the Endorphin a try. It’s also an especially useful shoe if you like to run on your favourite Toronto trails and areas with harsher terrain. It gives devoted runners an extra spring in their step with its SPEEDROLL technology, propelling you forward and giving you excellent momentum. Like most Saucony shoes, it also includes the exceptionally comfortable PWRRUN+ foam cushioning. The Endorphin is ideal for people seeking a fast running shoe, who also need the added arch support and structure of a stability shoe.
The Endorphin offers a little less stability and supportive features than the Hurricane (in exchange for that extra speed and movement), but more than the Guide (below).
Guide
The Saucony Guide is arguably their most lightweight and free-moving stability shoe, and again, includes the PWRRUN+ foam cushioning. The tonal medial TPU guidance frame and 3D-engineered fascia ensure your entire foot and ankle is secure and stable, without crowding the shoe’s sleek appearance. As such, it also pairs nicely with the day-t0-day outfits you like to wear after your workout. The Saucony Guide promises a flawless fit and lightweight experience for not only your workouts but your everyday activities. The level of stability and support for overpronation is more toned-down than the Endorphin, Hurricane and Omni, which makes it a workout option if you don’t require as much motion control in your running shoe, but still want some stability features. (Note: Puppy not included with shoes)
Omni
The Omni provides the highest level of stability among Saucony’s shoes. It is similar to the Endorphin with its SPEEDROLL technology, extended medial post and “faster take on stability.” The PWRRUN+ foam cushioning is soft on your feet while still allowing for a spring in your step. The Omni strives to prove to athletes that stability doesn’t mean stiff, inflexible and confined. Quite the opposite, the FORMFIT construction and FLEX groove configuration hugs your feet snugly while keeping them flexible.
If you’re more into a walking shoe than a running shoe, you should also check out the Omni Walker – one of our most popular walking and everyday all-purpose shoes for people with foot concerns.
Superfeet Insoles
Superfeet insoles go hand-in-hand with your running shoes during your favourite workouts. High quality, over-the-counter insoles work primarily by giving your feet extra cushioning and improving shock absorption by reducing the force of impact of your steps. They are especially useful for those with plantar fasciitis, bunions or arthritis who want to enjoy the benefits of regular exercise and don’t want to let their foot conditions stand in the way.
For those with plantar fasciitis, Superfeet insoles can reduce the pressure felt by the plantar fascia ligament that connects your heel bone to your toes. When it comes to bunions, Superfeet notes that the shape of their insoles helps reduce excess motion. This lessens the exertion of your big toe, reducing stress and strain (people with bunions experience painful bony protrusions that extend from the joint at the base of the big toe).
Superfeet insoles include a stabilizer cap heel, which helps with alignment. The foam used to make the insoles also provide great cushioning. Lastly, the insoles contain a deep heel cup that provides shock absorption with every step. Superfeet insoles come in a wide variety of colours, with each offering different benefits and levels of cushioning and support.
Feet First Clinic notes that Superfeet Green and Superfeet Orange are excellent choices for foot pain management. Superfeet Orange is similar to the green but includes more cushioning. Superfeet Blue are an excellent choice for people with flat feet who enjoy vigorous exercise, like running and hiking. What’s more, Superfeet Berry insoles are designed especially for women. You can use them for everyday activities and while playing sports and exercising. Lastly, Superfeet Carbon is a good performance enhancement option for running shoes and cleats.
Custom Orthotics
Investing in a pair of custom orthotics prescribed by a Toronto chiropodist is another supportive footwear option that works wonders for performance enhancement. If you’re finding your foot conditions and foot pain is getting in the way of your physical activity goals, then custom orthotics may be the solution!
First, orthotics can give you more ankle stability during your workouts. This is essential for people who overpronate. Even if you don’t have any particular foot concerns, ankle stability is highly beneficial for both cardio and strengthening workouts where your form is incredibly important. During exercise, you can often feel shaky and unstable on your feet and ankles when trying to master the right form and stance, which can increase your risk of a workout mishap or injury. Working out with a pair of custom orthotics fitting snugly inside your sneakers can help reduce this risk.
Wearing orthotics during your workouts can also prevent your feet, lower legs and ankles from tiring out quickly. If you have a certain foot condition, they can help you manage foot pain by favourably realigning your feet. Specifically, people with flat feet, high arches, plantar fasciitis, bunions and other musculoskeletal foot conditions can exercise more comfortably. This will help you perform for longer periods and exert energy more efficiently. This benefit is most noticeable in workouts with a lot of walking or running, such as playing sports or running on a treadmill. In essence, orthotics can inspire you to exercise more if you know you have an extra layer of comfort and support for your feet.
