Cross Training Footwear – How to Determine Your Foot Type

No pair of feet resembles another because they all vary in shape, form, and size. Because of this, you may experience difficulties choosing the right CrossFit shoes. There is a growing trend where individuals tend to choose style over comfort when choosing CrossFit Footwear. This is a mistake and can negatively impact the condition of your feet.

This is why understanding your foot type not only helps you in taking good care of them but also in preventing lots of foot problems. Below is a guide that will assist you in classifying your foot type.

Determining Your Foot Type 

Several methods can help you determine the type of your foot.
The Wet Foot Test – This is a test commonly done, and it is very simple. What you need to do is to wet your feet and then place it on cardboard to create a footprint. After that, you analyze the results, and this will give you your foot type.

Checking Your Shoe Heels – This is appropriate especially if you are a runner. You have to identify the part of your shoes that are worn out the most as this determines the part of your feet that endure the most pressure from your daily activities.

Video Recording Your Feet – This is a bit complicated as it involves doing a video record of your feet while jogging. The best and probably the only way to do this is on a treadmill. You position a video recorder to record the motion of your feet from behind. This can be tedious but is considered the most effective. 

Measuring Your Feet 

If you want to measure your feet, the best time to do so is at the end of the day because, after a full day of activity, your feet are usually larger. It is extremely important to remember that your feet are not symmetrical and as such you should measure both feet and buy CrossFit footwear whose size is based on the larger foot.

If you are doing the measurement on your own, sit on a chair and carefully measure every dimension. On the other hand, if someone else is doing it, just stand and let them take the measurements.

Understanding the Type of Your Foot 

Once you have done the above tests, you can now analyze the results. The following elements will help you understand your foot type. 

Size – Contrary to what some people may think, the size of your foot includes both the length and the width. 

Arch – This refers to the midsection of your foot. As the original meaning of the word has it, an arch is simply a curve structure. The reason the middle section of your foot is referred to as the arch is that of its curvature. The arch is divided into three types: flat feet or low arch, normal arch, and high arch. 

Pronation – This occurs at the subtalar joint which sits below the ankle. It describes the motion of the foot and how it rolls inward to distribute the weight each time the foot lands on the surface as you walk or run. The shape of the arch can affect the ability of your foot to roll, and this either causes under-pronation or over-pronation. When buying shoes for under-pronation feet, go for those with a lot of cushioning. For over-pronation, go for well-structured shoes that gives maximum support.

Lastly, the shape of your foot will determine the kind of CrossFit Footwear that you should buy. There are 4 different types of foot shapes which are the angled forefoot, square forefoot, rounded forefoot, and Morton forefoot. Know the type of your foot before getting the shoes you will be using in the CrossFit gym.