Here’s How Often Experts Say You Should Replace Your Workout Sneakers
A fresh pair of workout shoes is a wonderful thing. Whether you’re a runner, a HIIT enthusiast or someone who likes to mix things up, there’s comfort in feeling supported by a solid set of sneakers.
But as your shoes absorb the impact of your sprints, squats and skips, they wear down over time and need to be replaced once they’re no longer properly protecting your feet. Ideally, you want to replace sneakers before this happens to avoid injury.
Technically, running shoes are meant for running and cross trainers are meant for HIIT workouts, but the reality is that most people usually wear the same pair of sneakers for all their athletic endeavors (which isn’t recommended ― read more on that below). So for the purposes of this article, we’re referring to the sneakers you wear for the bulk of your movement.
Paul Hunter, a personal trainer and the owner of Grayton Beach Fitness in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, put it succinctly: “Shoe bills are less than doctor bills and time off.”
But how often do you need to replace running shoes or workout sneakers? We tapped some experts to get answers.
How often should I be buying new sneakers?
The exact answer will depend on a number of factors, but in general, experts recommend replacing your sneakers every 300 to 500 miles (that’s helpful if you use an app to track your runs) or every six to eight months, whichever comes first. For super active individuals, this time frame may be as short as three months.
Where your sneakers fall in this range will depend on things like frequency of use and type of activity. For example, Dr. Saylee Tulpule, a podiatrist for Foot and Ankle Specialists of the Mid-Atlantic, said a person who does HIIT workouts multiple times a week will need to replace their shoes more often than someone who takes a leisurely 30-minute stroll a few times per week.
“There are many other factors to take into consideration as well, such as shoe material, the terrain a runner runs on (treadmill versus trail) and a person’s weight and foot type (flat versus high arched),” Tulpule said.
How to tell when your sneakers are toast
Even if you’re not tracking miles, there are physical signs that indicate it’s time to buy a new pair of sneakers. Excessive flexibility is one of them.
“Running shoes are designed to be flexible in the forefoot because that’s where your bones are flexing, so if you’re seeing flexibility in the forefoot, that’s not a super big concern,” Brittany Gleaton, associate footwear product line manager at Brooks Running, told HuffPost. “But if it starts to flex in the midfoot and heel, that’s a really good sign that you need a new shoe because shoes are not designed to be flexible in those parts of the foot.”
Not sure if your shoes have too much flex to them? Dr. Wenjay Sung, a podiatrist at Methodist Hospital of Southern California in Arcadia, California, recommends taking each shoe in your hands and twisting it.
“If the shoe feels weak, as if a simple turn of the wrist can bend it out of alignment, then it’s time to replace your sneakers,” Sung said. “Even if one shoe is still strong while the other is weak, it is prudent to replace both sneakers.”
Excessive wear on the outsole of the shoe is another red flag. This can take the form of the tread wearing down or even disappearing in some parts.
“Typically, the midsole will break down before the outsole. If you are seeing wear in the leather or even the foam on the outside of the shoe, that’s a good sign that the midsole is probably already broken down,” Gleaton said.
Tulpule has her patients inspect their shoes for wear and tear, especially if they don’t know how many miles they’ve already put into the shoes. Noticeable signs of wear and tear include holes in the toe box or upper, a worn-down outsole (in extreme cases, the shoe rocks to one side when placed on a flat surface) and a general lack of cushion in the midsole.
Health problems that can plague you if you don’t replace your sneakers
“Shoes are meant to provide arch support, shock absorption and cushion, and over time these factors wear out quite easily with walking and exercise,” Tulpule told HuffPost. “Achy or sore feet can be a sign of poor shoe quality and can indicate a need for replacement.”
Wearing sneakers past their prime can “result in strain to the joints, ligaments and muscles of the feet and ankles and can certainly lead to injury and pain,” she said. “No one wants injury while trying to stay active!”
Sung said regularly replacing sneakers can help prevent athlete’s foot. Plus, it’s useful to keep up with the technological advances of sneakers.
In short, safety is the top reason to replace your sneakers regularly.
“Often the cushioning of the midsole, the area between the insole (where your foot is) and the outsole (the harder rubber part that touches the ground), is the first to go. It’s responsible for the overall cushioning and arch support,” Hunter said. “A decrease in cushioning leads to an increase in shock to the body, while wearing of the arch support leads to the ability of the arch to fall, thereby increasing demands of the body’s supportive structures, including bones, ligaments, tendons and muscle overuse.”
Tips for extending the life of your sneakers
If you’re the type of person to splurge on sneakers or have a favorite pair you’re not keen on getting rid of in a few months, there are some things you can do to keep them around for a bit longer.
First, have an extra pair of shoes (or two) on hand so that your sneakers get a break. This is particularly relevant for sneakers used for running and other high-impact activities. Gleaton recommends rotating running shoes daily (at the minimum) to give the foam in your shoes time to fully decompress.
“By rotating your shoes, you’re giving them time to breathe so they can come back to their full potential versus running in them again the next day and continuously flattening them,” she said.
Second, have activity-specific shoes and do your best to only wear those shoes for their intended activity. If you’re the type of person who exercises and then immediately goes to do errands or meet up with friends, you may want to consider packing an extra pair of shoes to prolong the life of your workout sneakers.
“Walking adds miles to your shoes, so to extend the life of shoes — particularly for running, where you need the most protection — I’d suggest keeping those shoes only for running,” Gleaton said.
