Technological advances

The sceptic in me wonders if shoe terms like "motion control" and "cushioning" are simply useful marketing tools. It wasn't so long ago great coaches like Arthur Lydiard encouraged athletes to train barefoot to strengthen leg muscles.

And, against the grain, Nike released a range of shoes which are supposed to emulate barefoot running - Nike Free.

Not just marketing

While podiatrist Anne Riggir agrees splitting sports shoes into types has made for great marketing, she says technological changes to shoes have occurred for a reason:

"A large proportion of the injuries I see are caused by incorrect footwear. For example, people who run in shoes that cause them to over-pronate can experience severe arch pain (plantar fasciitis), Achilles tendonitis and shin pains."

The irony of technological advances is that the wrong pair of expensive running shoes might cause more harm than good. Anne says: "With the way that shoes have changed now, you can either have a shoe that's not supportive enough or one that is too supportive. People can set themselves up for problems if they buy the most supportive shoe in the shop to counter mild over-pronation."

Many podiatrists (including Anne) work with specialist sports shoe stores to offer comprehensive fitting services. For example, the Shoe Clinic website lists nine podiatrists and seven physiotherapists in the Wellington region alone.

We spoke with Dr Daniel Poratt, head of podiatry at the Auckland University of Technology. He isn't associated with a specialist sports shoe shop. He agrees the assessment tools used by some companies (such as video analysis) can be useful. The tools allow the consumer to see how different shoes affect their feet while running.

He says "it's important to consider cushioning, stability, comfort, fit and style" when buying a running shoe. There's some evidence to suggest that poor footwear may contribute to foot and ankle injuries.