Trainers or sneakers

The great beauty of training shoes, and sports shoes in general, is that they are normally designed with function in mind.

Most trainers adopt orthopedic "design and build" criteria and that is why they have the chunky padded look that makes them so recognisable.

Furthermore, the various parts of the shoe are often highlighted in different colours, rather than disguising the components and parts, as is the case with normal shoes.

Most medium priced training shoes (made by reputable manufacturers) offer good orthopedic support, but may lack features like removable and replaceable in-sole.

What to look for and avoid

Today there are a number of very cheap and poorly made trainers in the high street and there are also some trainers that are more fashion statements than real sports shoes. These trainers should be avoided. The impression of support and robustness that they give is flawed.

Do not buy trainers if the tongue is excessively long, lacking in padding, or has no obvious means of being secured under the collar.

Ensure that the backstay or heel counter of the trainer is firm and cannot be bent or deformed. The heel counter should also be adequately padded.

The sole of the trainer should offer an almost bouncy quality and should have good grip and tread.

The body (vamp) of the trainer should allow the foot to breath. When feet become excessively hot, they can easily suffer damage.

The trainer should have a removable in-sole.

Avoid very cheap trainers, you cannot get a good sports shoe for peanuts.

Finally, you can buy orthopedic trainers both on-line and in high street stores and these are the trainers or sneakers that will offer the best performance.