There are several different general types of running shoes, depending on how much your foot pronates:

• “Neutral,” or “cushioning” shoes provide minimal support and are usually designed for runners who do not pronate excessively (known as “overpronation”).
• “Stability” shoes provide more support to the moderate overpronator.
• “Motion Control” shoes strive to give the severe overpronator adequate support.
• “Racing flats” are shoes designed primarily to be worn during races.  They have no support, minimal cushioning and a shorter lifespan in exchange for their ultra light weight.
• “Minimalist” running shoes are designed to mimic the natural motion of the foot as you run.  They forego cushioning and support in lieu of strengthening the body’s running muscles naturally.  This new trend has seen a great deal of success in some runners.

(Note–some runners with unique needs (runners whose foot rolls *outward*–known as supination, those with extremely severe overpronation, etc) may consider having orthotics custom made for them.  These, when combined with a neutral shoe, can solve just about any gait problem, though they are expensive.)

To buy a running shoe, first go to a running store (not Sports Authority or Dick’s, but an actual dedicated running store) and have your gait analyzed.  They’ll be able to tell you what general type of shoe you need after watching you run and walk for a few minutes.

Then, figure out which brand you want.  Most quality brands of running shoes make a shoe in all of the above categories.  When choosing a brand, make sure you know what type of shoe you need (stability, motion control, etc), try on a shoe from each brand’s line of that type, and buy the shoe that feels and fits the best.

Remember to support your local running shop by actually making the purchase in the shop in which you try on the shoes, even though you probably could save 20% by buying online.  The gait analysis and the physical “trying-on” process are value-added services that are part of what you’re paying for when you buy the shoe from the shop.

Lastly, keep track of the mileage you put on your new shoes.  Running shoes have a finite life (usually 250-500 miles) after which the support and/or cushioning starts to wear down.  Don’t wear shoes beyond their intended lifetime–your knees and legs will thank you.