The main difference between male and female feet lies in the width, "the female foot is generally narrower and therefore more prone to the appearance of bunions," says Rut Delgado Hernando, Podiatrist and Posturologist. These differences have a direct impact on performance and progress, on this occasion, in Runnea, we point out the main characteristics of the female foot so you can choose your next running shoe for women, these are the 5 keys to get your purchase right!
As we always defend, choosing Running shoes adapted to our type of footprint and the profile of the training to complete, will be key to obtaining good results and, of course, to avoid suffering future injuries. "In general, women tend to be more lax than men, which translates into a greater tendency to pronation and the appearance of the famous bunions," warns Rut.
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Characteristics of the female foot, needs and frequent injuries
Women and men are anatomically and physiologically different and, therefore, these differences are also reflected in the lower extremities of the human body; the feet. An anatomical structure that allows locomotion and supports the entire weight of the body and , even in that, women and men have differences that can affect our performance.
"Women have a greater tendency to pronate, which can lead to certain injuries such as overloading of the posterior tibialis, shortening of the posterior musculature or pain in the plantar area, which is often misdiagnosed as plantar fasciitis," warns Rut.
Likewise, the female foot is more prone to the appearance of bunions and, therefore, "it can be a problem when buying footwear because many sneakers have seams in the bunion area," reports Podiatrist and Posturologist Rut Delgado once again.
The importance of choosing the right footwear
The characteristics of the female foot call for certain features that should be included in good women's Running shoes. The reality is that the main brands in the world of running are committed to creating more specific products, aimed at meeting the needs of a specific audience. "Women are also more likely to have claw toes," says Rut, hence the need for the front of the shoe to be higher and with fewer seams to avoid uncomfortable rubbing.
Women's running shoes, their own specifications
The reality is that the particularities of the female foot are also reflected in the different running models. For example, the successful Nike Pegasus 35 had an exclusive version for women that included a softer Cushlon foam, which is specifically adapted to the female foot.
Something similar happens in the case of the Adidas Ultraboost X, a high-end model from the German company, designed exclusively with the morphology of the female foot in mind. A design that adapts to the curve of the female foot to offer total freedom of movement. In short, the female or male version of the model in question must have a structure that adapts to the shape, bone structure and muscular movement of the runner's profile.
Weight
Weight is another technical specification that makes a difference in the female and male version. Regardless of the trail running or running shoe in question, the weight in the male version is always higher than the female version.
The key to success lies in always choosing a shoe that suits the runner's anatomy, the terrain and the training profile for which it is intended. "It's not the same for someone who has a very good running technique and runs faster than someone who trains at a lighter pace, each one will need a different drop," advises Rut.
Drop
"A person who has a very shortened posterior musculature will probably run better with a shoe that has more drop than a person who has no problem at all, who will probably run better with a shoe that has less drop," says Rut. Hence the importance of knowing our needs to achieve maximum performance during training and/or competitions.
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Width
As we highlighted at the beginning of the post, the main difference between male and female feet lies in the width. Generally, the female foot is narrower and therefore, the main brands in the sector adjust the width of their models in the female and male versions.
Why a footprint study will help us to know ourselves and run better?
" Professionals are the ones who have enough training to be able to diagnose the real problem of the footprint", warns Rut of the importance of resorting to expert podiatrists. She also points out that it is very common to see runners who use footwear that is not appropriate for them, "a sprain, a knee injury that has been prolonged over time, can cause the runner to change his or her footing and this in turn generates other injuries".
In short, the characteristics of women's and men's feet are very different. That is why, from Runnea, today we wanted to put the focus on women's feet, to know their characteristics and thus highlight the most common needs and injuries that women runners may suffer. From here, we want to warn once again of the importance of choosing good shoes to continue enjoying our favorite sport, today, tomorrow and always.
