Lifespan of a pair of sneakers
It's a bit of reading, but well worth the time to look through. Don't take all of this as a rule of thumb, as each person is different, this is just some information and you can ultimately choose what pretains to your child. I've been doing a bit of research on sneakers over the past week or so and came upon some interesting information I'd like to pass on to you to look at. The middle section of the first article on the "rotating of pairs " is the most interesting especially for the kids who are practicing multiple time per week. Your child's sneakers may have the presence of looking fine from the outside cosmetically, but depending on the amount of use and the shoe itself (as brands and varieties varies) the insole cushion may be broken down or compressed to the point of causing physical damage to a player's body, ie: feet, heels, knees, hips and back. Please be assured that I'm not telling you to just go out and buy another pair or two of sneakers, but maybe to check the cushion and interior of the shoe for defects from time to time.
How to Tell When Your Shoes are Dead (Dick's sporting goods website)
How Long Should They Last?
As a general rule most running shoes provide cushioning up to 500 miles, though many runners may find breakdown in cushioning after as few as 350 miles. Shoes with compression-molded EVA midsoles vary in durometer, or density. This means that the cushioning elasticity and life span of each midsole is relative to the shoe. Most shoes with polyurethane midsoles break down at a slower rate keeping their "feel" for a longer period of time.
Rotating Pairs
Worn out shoes often result in aches and pains in legs, knees and hips, signalling that it is time to replace your shoes. To avoid injuries, it's a good idea to rotate your shoes every 250 miles so that you have two pairs of shoes to wear at all times.
The first pair, the newest pair, should be worn for the majority of your activity, especially longer and high-performance sports.
The second, older pair should be used for short runs, inclement weather, and casual practice or working out.
Wear the second pair until you have compressed the midsole (see "The Press Test" below) and then remove them from the rotation.
At this point, the 1st pair becomes the 2nd pair and it's time to get a new 1st pair. If you use two pairs of the same model, be sure to mark them with some sort of easily identifiable mark so you don't confuse the old and new pair.
The Press Test
When an EVA midsole is compressed, it creates visible lines or wrinkles in the midsole material that can be seen from the sidewall of the shoe. As the midsole is further compressed, the lines multiply and grow closer together. The first appearance of these lines indicates that the midsole is compressing normally. A simple pressure test will help you determine whether or not your midsole is compacted.
Using the broad part of your thumb, push on the outsole upward into the midsole. It should be easy to see the midsole compress into these lines.
As the shoe breaks down, the midsole will compress less with the same amount of pressure.
When the midsole shows heavy lines and the press test yields a minimal degree of compression, the midsole has been compacted to a point where little or no cushioning remains.
====================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================== http://www.aapsm.org/mlbball.html <-------------------- is another good article on shoes and injuries. Every sport is played with some type of specific equipment, but when it comes to basketball the shoes are the most important part of the gear worn. Every company that markets athletic equipment talks about how great their products are, but basketball is a sport where shoes really do make the player. Basketball is a sport where your feet are put under constant stress and so there must be extra protection for them. That’s why you have to be careful when shopping for basketball shoes, and the following tips should help you find the perfect ones. You can’t really shop for basketball shoes before you set a budget for yourself, as they come with such a variety of price tags. Keep in mind that basketball shoes, even the best ones, have to be replaced regularly if you play all the time. So if your budget is limited, you may have to rule out the styles that are on the high end of the spectrum. Prices for basketball shoes generally range from under fifty dollars to over two hundred, and the higher prices don’t always translate into better quality. You will sometimes see low priced sneakers for close to ten dollars, but these are not recommended for basketball. The game is simply too gruelling for low end shoes. In some cases you can find quality brands at surprisingly affordable prices, especially if you shop around a little. It almost goes without saying that comfort is a major factor when it comes to basketball shoes, but it’s worth stressing because it really is that important. You also need to ensure that the shoe is the right size, which may not be the same across the various brands available. For example, if you normally wear a size 11 shoe, don’t simply assume that this is the right size for your next pair of basketball shoes.If you’re a 10 and it’s slightly too small, you may want to try a 10.5. The feet will get slightly larger when they are overheated, and so it’s necessary to get shoes that leave breathing room for your feet when they get this way. Once you’ve found the right basketball shoes, make sure you care for them in a way that makes them last as long as possible. If you don’t wear your basketball shoes when you’re not on the court, they’ll last a lot longer. Playing will subject your shoes to enough wear and tear, so you don’t want to add the punishment everyday use will put them through. Aside from this, keep your shoes in a place that’s dry and with good ventilation. Wet, damp or humid spots are not good for the health of your footwear. To keep your basketball shoes longer, treat them like specialized gear that you only use for playing ball. When it comes to basketball shoes, you can find new styles coming out every year. Some people, meanwhile, like to buy tried and true classics. There are lots of things to keep in mind when looking for basketball shoes, and we’ve covered a few here. Only you can choose the best shoe for yourself, and this comes down to how you play the game and your own preferences.If you find a shoe that works for you, there’s no need to keep switching around, you may as well continue to buy that one as long as it does the job. One more topic relating to Basketball sneakers........the odors Anyone who is an athlete has had a problem with smelly sneakers. This is a perfectly natural phenomenon. Sweat due to physical exertion provides a hot, moist environment for bacteria to grow. As a result of their fermentation metabolic processes, these bacteria will cause your sneakers to smell bad. Although the process might be natural, it doesn't remove the embarrassment or irritation of a pair of smelly sneakers. So, how does one remove said odors from said pair of smelly sneakers? The best way to eliminate odor is to eliminate the cause of the odor. Many commercial deodorizing products cover up the odor, but they don't eliminate the bacteria that cause them. The problem with sneakers is that they contain a lot of padding material in order to cushion the feet during exercise. This padding provides numerous nooks and crannies for bacteria to hide. This means that if smelly sneakers are treated with deodorizing agents that come in spray cans or bottles, they will continue to smell because the liquid can't permeate the padding material. Also, if one uses special deodorizing balls that they sell at sporting goods stores, he will be eliminating the smell temporarily, but once those sneakers go back on the feet they will continue to smell. So, if we really want to eliminate the odor from smelly sneakers we need to combat the bacteria. Bacteria like to live in hot, moist, and dark conditions. These are the best conditions for their metabolism and reproduction. The first thing we want to remove is the moisture that bacteria love. This moisture comes from sweat, and sweat is best dealt with by something that can absorb it. The most common way of dealing with sweaty hands or feet is to use a medicated powder that absorbs the liquid on the skin. We're going to use the same principle with the smelly sneakers. Take some baking soda, which has both deodorizing abilities as well as moisture absorbing tendencies. Put some inside the sneakers as well as in any crevices on the outside that you can find. The next thing we want to deal with after the moisture is the temperature. One of the best ways to kill bacteria is through temperature extremes. Since we can't realistically heat sneakers to the point where bacteria die off without the material melting or warping, we need to go on the opposite temperature extreme. That's right, one of the best places for treating smelly sneakers is in the freezer. The chilling cold will kill most kinds of bacteria, and the cold will permeate the thick layers of padding. Once you have your sneakers treated with baking soda, you're ready to put them into the freezer. Ideally, you want to put your sneakers into a sealed, plastic bag that will prevent any contamination of the other items in your freezer as well as keep air out of the sneakers. However, if you have shoes as big as mine you'll know that there are few plastic bags out there to fit a pair of large sneakers in. If you don't use the bag, don't worry, you won't find your freezer green with odd growth the next day. Put the treated sneakers into the freezer and let them sit overnight. This should be done at least once a week to help deal with the odors of your smelly sneakers. Also, remember to take the sneakers out of the freezer at least an hour before you need to wear them to exercise in. Unless you want to chill your feet, you need to let the sneakers thaw out before wearing them. I hope some of you will find this information useful, thanks for taking the time to read through it, Craig
