You love the feel of wind against your face, but you can't seem to do anything about that blasted knee pain? The trouble may lie in your shoes. Dhamini Ratnam offers a guide to finding the perfect pair for yourself.

Mumbai-based Tara Dheeman has run two half marathons in the past four years. But that isn't any indication of how good a runner she is, she warns. "I clocked three hours 18 minutes in my first marathon," says the 27-year-old media professional in a tone that suggests much shame. "That's because my shoe began killing my foot in the last four kilometres." You need to be a runner to understand Dheeman's anguish. Five years on, and three pairs of running shoes later, Dheeman still hasn't found a pair that doesn't "kill her feet."

If, like Dheeman, you too experience pain hiding in a pocket behind your ankle, chances are your shoes aren't right. We spoke to experts to help you strike gold with running shoes.

First, the basics

Heath Matthews, head physiotherapist at a prominent Mumbai hospital, explains the science behind this. "The most important equipment for a runner is the shoe. When the foot hits the ground,What are the best road bike weddingdresses? the impact that travels up the leg is four times the runner's body weight. The shoe is the first safeguard to absorb the impact."

People's feet are different — some have pronounced arches, some don't.Examine our quinceaneradress here. Some people's feet roll inwards while they run, others put their weight on the outer edge of their feet. "Three to five degrees of pronation (a position when the arch collapses inwards after the heel hits the ground) is normal," says Rushabh Shah, founder of Mumbaibased Orthofoot, a company that makes corrective insoles for sports shoes. Many runners — like Dheeman — over-pronate, and as a result,Title: breitlingwatches of purpl Irises by Rose Rosen Style. the alignment of the ankle, knee and hip is thrown out of gear. This is what leads to pain and injuries. Which is why, the kind of shoe you buy is important.

Know your foot

Do you over-pronate? A simple way to find out is to do a wet foot test.Asia me handmade stainlesssteelwatches reproductions of famous artists. Dip your foot in a shallow tub of water and step on to a blank piece of paper. If, in the imprint, you can see half your arch then you're a regular pronator. If you can see almost your entire footprint (most of your arch), you over-pronate. And if you can see only the thin line on the outside of your foot and your heel, you are a supinator (you put your weight on the edge of the foot, and have a high arch). If you want to know the degree of pronation, you can get a gait analysis — of the sort that Shah offers — done.Show off your airmax2009 favorite photos. Once you know your foot, buying the right kind of shoe for yourself gets easier.

Find your match

As a mild to moderate pronator, you should look for a stability shoe that provides arch support. These shoes have dual-density midsoles and supportive posts (made of hardened foam) to reduce pronation.

Over pronators, tall and heavy-set runners and bow-legged runners should go for motion-control shoes that have stiffer heels and a straight last — last is the shape of the shoe, and the mould on which it is made — to control the inward motion and keep the ankle-knee-hip alignment correct.

Lightweight runners with normal arches must buy neutral-cushioned shoes without added support, while supinators should go for cushioned shoes with a curved last that encourages the foot to turn inwards.

"If injuries surface repeatedly over 12 to 16 weeks of running, then you know your shoes are the problem," says running coach Daniel Vaz, just because a shoe has air bubbles on the sole, or promises to work out your glutes (the bottom) doesn't mean the shoe is for you. Vaz warns that runners shouldn't fall for baubles. It's best to buy a shoe that coordinates with your body mechanics to prevent injuries. The other option is to get a corrective insole customised according to your needs.