With so many styles on the market, buying athletic shoes can be a daunting prospect. But the choice is crucial to ensure that your body gets the best support for your workout.
As founder of Ryka Inc., a women`s athletic footwear company and the country`s only female chief executive of an athletic gear firm, Sherie Poe, is an expert on the subject. She`s also a jock and her passion is aerobics.
”The most important thing for a woman athlete is to buy women`s fitness shoes,” says Poe, 39. Obvious advice, perhaps. But consider that in the Dark Ages of the fitness-shoe industry, as recently as the mid-1980s, women had few choices other than men`s shoes in smaller sizes.
That`s what motivated Poe in 1986 to launch her now $15 million business. ”I was always frustrated with my sore feet and sore lower back after aerobics classes,” she says. ”I couldn`t figure out why I couldn`t buy a good pair of athletic shoes made just for women.”
She learned, while consulting experts to design her shoes, how women move differently from men, primarily due to their wider pelvises, which skew the angle of the femur, or thighbone, slightly. As a result, women`s feet, which also are shaped differently from men`s, strike the ground differently.
When scouting for shoes, Poe says to consider:
Heel support. As a rule, women`s heels tend to be narrow, so look for shoes that cup heels slightly to hold the feet steady.
Comfort in the arches: Because women`s arches traditionally are higher, look for shoes that provide plenty of support.
Lightweight and breathable materials: Look for predominately nylon construction if you plan to exercise vigorously.
Sport-specific shoes: If you are loyal to one form of exercise, it`s wise to invest in shoes made specifically for that sport. For instance, Ryka`s aerobic shoes have lots of padding in the forefoot ”because in jumping, that`s the part of the foot that takes the most impact.”
When shoe shopping, it`s hard to ignore some emotional factors: the appeal of athletes` endorsements, catchy mottos and hi-tech features.
Poe believes her company, which is based in Norwood, Mass., which is venturing into workout wear, has a competitive edge in this arena. ”Ryka`s shoes are made for women by women,” says Poe.
Poe also is committing 7 percent of company profits to programs and resources for women through its ROSE Foundation. The acronym stands for Reasserting One`s Self-Esteem. The first project for the foundation, which offers resources and services for women who have survived violence, is funding a nationwide hotline for abused women in conjunction with the National Victim Center in New York. The hotline (800-FYI-CALL) begins operation Tuesday.
”We can give our female consumers an opportunity to have their buying dollars go to support women in need,” says Poe. ”That is a powerful, powerful message and an uplifting mission for our company.”
Ryka is venturing into workout wear and currently offers leotards, bra tops, bike shorts and capri tights. In February, it plans to debut an entire apparel line.
Where to buy:
All-white, low-rise step aerobic shoes, $59.95; mid-cut step aerobic shoes, $64.95; walk/run shoes, $69.95; high-rise step aerobics shoe, $74.95;
capri tights, $22; leotard, $24; all available at Lady Footlocker stores, some Footlocker stores (call 800-644-4880 for locations), and the Spiegel catalog. Socks, $6 a pair; from the Lakeshore Athletic Club, 441 N. Wabash Ave., 312-644-4880.
