Should you replace your athletic shoes?

We are all guilty from time to time of wearing our favorite workout shoes too long. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Sports Medicine, exactly when athletic shoes should be replaced depends upon the amount of usage, signs of wear and age of the shoe.

One key component to check for wear is the mid-sole. The mid-sole is normally composed of a foam material and is intended to be shock absorbing.  Midsoles are considered worn out:

• After 300-500 miles of running or walking, 45-60 hours of basketball or tennis
• When the shoe shows signs of unevenness when placed on flat surface
• You see noticeable creasing

Steven Gasser, fitness specialist at the Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Health and Wellness Center, offers seven tips on how to buy shoes and keep them in tip-top shape:

1. Buy two pairs of shoes at the same time, especially if there is a sale. Rotate the shoes to share the mileage and wear and tear.
2. Anyone use their fitness shoes for every day walking around? Instead, only use exercise shoes for exercise. Walking around in the athletic shoes affects the shock absorbency and the fabric part of the shoe.
3. Resist buying the cute pair online.Visit a specialty store with knowledgeable staff who can fit you properly.
4. When you first purchase the shoes, walk around in them so it molds to the actual foot. If you participate in a competitive sport, it is best to just walk and not run in them right away. This also goes for track spikes, wrestling shoes, etc. Gasser says he learned his lesson with pain and a bloody foot.
5. Running on the same slanted surface will add to the demise of one or both shoes. Try running in both directions and on a more level street.
6. Do not go into a steam room or dry sauna to warm up with your shoes. The heat in there is 100+ degrees and can have adverse effects of the glue that helps keep the shoe together.
7. After a year or so, it is best to replace your athletic shoes.