A lot of people wear the same pair of shoes for every workout, and they are either comfortable or not. Some workout shoes feel as if you are walking on clouds, providing excellent support that cushions not only your feet, but also your knee joints. Are you wearing the right shoes for your workout needs? Are you in need of a new pair of workout shoes? This article aims to detail three signs that you need to replace your workout shoes. 

The key is to pay close attention to the support of your shoes. Even if your shoes look new, the support can be worn out. When your support is minimal, the risk of injury is much higher. In fact, most podiatrists recommend that you replace your shoes every six months, especially if you wear them a lot. Broken down cushioning in your shoes is a major sign that you need a new pair. Keep an eye out for the other signs below. 

You Experience Aches And Pains

The more you wear your shoes, the more you notice discomfort in different parts of the body. For example, you may feel more pain in your knees after wearing the shoes for six months. You buy insoles that support your feet and reduce knee pain, but these don’t last long. Shoes can easily lose their shock absorption, and you can feel aches in your joints as a result. Pay attention to the following areas of discomfort, and get a new pair if you experience one or more of them frequently:

• Ankles
• Hips
• Knees
• Joints at the base of the toes (most commonly in the big toes)
• Frequent blisters

You’ve Worn Them For 300-500 Miles

The vice president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine stated that the average lifespan of a walking or running shoe is between 300-500 miles. For gym or sport sneakers (basketball shoes, pickleball shoes, or tennis shoes), the gauge is different. The general rule of thumb for those shoes is that you should replace them after 40-60 hours of playing the sport in those shoes. That means that you should replace your shoes around every nine to 12 months if you play a sport in them a couple times a month. If you only wear athletic shoes to the gym and engage in strength training, they may last longer. For runners, consider looking for a new running shoe at the 250-mile mark. Statistically, that is when shoes start to break down and lose support. You don’t want shoes to reach their limit before and then decide that you need a new pair.

Cosmetic Wear And Tear Have Taken Over

You may obsess over a great pair of workout shoes. The comfort, look, and more are all cause for obsession for several weeks, even if they start to look tired. Look at the tread on your shoes as they start to age because the last thing you want is for the tread to flatten. Your shoes are like tires: you don’t want them to bald and then get new ones. If your tread is getting flat, you need to go get a new pair of shoes. The midsole of the shoe tends to wear out first, and you can check it by squeezing the shoe to see if there are small cracks or indents along the midsole. You’ll see a lot of those lines if the shoe is worn, but you shouldn’t let your shoes get to that point. Depending on how you walk, you may also see wear on your inner or outer heel. 

General wear and tear is fine, but wearing the shoes that are compromised can increase the risk of injuries. This is especially true for runners or people who are highly active in those shoes. 

If you want to lengthen the life of your shoes, rotate through a few different pairs at once. It is very tempting to pick one comfortable shoe and stick to that. It’s actually better to lean into different styles for different workouts or sports. Just keep these things in mind when choosing your next pairs of shoes.

Vincent Stevens

Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.