Most people buy the wrong running shoes; Avoid these common mistakes

Buying the right running shoes starts with proper fit, surface choice and comfort, helping reduce common injuries and improve every run.

Choosing running shoes based on fit, running style and terrain can make every workout more comfortable and help prevent common injuries. (canva.com)

By Neha Ravi Khandelwal

Neha Khandelwal
Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist
With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow.

Career Journey & Experience
Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences.

A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism.

Subject Expertise
Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces.

Education & Professional Background
Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces.

Editorial Philosophy
"As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."

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We've all done it. You walk into a sports store or scroll through an online sale, spot a flashy pair of running shoes and convince yourself that the most expensive option must be the best. A few clicks later, they arrive at your doorstep. A few runs later, your heels hurt, your knees complain, and the shoes end up sitting in the wardrobe.

The truth is, buying running shoes is not as simple as picking the latest launch or the pair everyone is talking about. Sports medicine research suggests that up to 75 per cent of runners experience an injury each year. Poor shoe choice is one of the reasons many people struggle with sore feet, blisters and joint pain.

The good news is that you do not need to be a professional athlete to choose the right pair. A few simple checks can help you avoid expensive mistakes and keep every run far more comfortable.

Mistake 1. Buying the shoe everyone else is wearing

The latest running shoe on social media is not always the right one for your feet. Many runners spend money on carbon-plated race shoes or heavily cushioned models designed for elite athletes. These shoes are built for speed and race day performance, not for relaxed evening jogs or weekend fitness runs.

Why can this go wrong

• Carbon-plated shoes work best at faster speeds.
• They can feel stiff during slower runs.
• They may change the way your foot lands.
• Casual runners can end up with tired feet instead of comfortable ones.

What should you buy instead?

Think about your actual running routine.

• Running two to four times a week? Choose a dependable daily wear sneaker.
• Training for your first 5K or 10K? Comfort matters more than speed.
• Preparing for races every weekend? Then specialist race shoes may make sense.

For most people, a reliable daily trainer will last longer and feel better during regular workouts.

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Mistake 2. Buying your regular shoe size

This mistake is far more common than people realise. Your office shoes, sandals and casual trainers are not a good guide when buying running shoes. As you run, your feet naturally spread out and become slightly larger because of increased blood flow.

A simple sizing checklist

Before paying for a new pair, check these points.

• Leave about a thumb's width of space in front of your longest toe.
• Try both shoes, not just one.
• Wear the socks you normally run in.
• Walk around the shop for a few minutes.
• Buy shoes later in the day when your feet are naturally a little larger.

Ignoring these simple checks can lead to:

• Black toenails
• Blisters
• Bruised toes
• Pain during longer runs

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Mistake 3. Wearing the wrong shoe on the wrong surface

Not every running shoe is built for every type of ground. Many people use road shoes on muddy trails or trail shoes on city pavements. Both choices create unnecessary problems.

If you wear	You may end up with
Road running shoes on muddy trails	Poor grip and a greater chance of slipping or twisting an ankle
Trail running shoes on roads	Faster wear on the rubber sole and a less comfortable ride
Daily trainers on smooth roads	Comfortable runs and better durability for regular use
Hybrid all-terrain shoes	A sensible option if your routes include roads and light trails

Ask yourself one question

Where do you run most often?

• Mostly roads or pavements? Buy a road running shoe.
• Mostly parks, hills or forest trails? Pick a trail running shoe.
• A mix of both? A hybrid shoe is usually the better option.

Matching the shoe to the surface improves comfort and helps the shoe last longer.

Mistake 4. Guessing your running style

Many runners try to work out their foot type by looking at their arches or taking a quick online quiz. That is rarely enough. Buying the wrong level of support can change your natural movement and place extra pressure on your knees or hips.

Try the wear pattern test instead

Take an old pair of running shoes and look at the sole.

The inner edge is worn the most

• You may overpronate.
• Mild stability shoes could suit you.

The outer edge is worn the most

• You may supinate.
• Shoes with generous cushioning may feel more comfortable.

Even S-shaped wear

• Your stride is likely to be neutral.
• Neutral running shoes are usually the right starting point.

This quick check is not a replacement for a professional gait assessment, but it gives you much more useful information than guessing.

Before you buy your next pair

Keep this checklist handy.

• Ignore marketing hype.
• Do not buy only because the shoe is on sale.
• Pick shoes based on your weekly running routine.
• Always check the fit before buying.
• Match the shoe to the surface you run on.
• Pay attention to comfort above everything else.

The best running shoe is the one that feels right

A running shoe does not need to be the most expensive model in the shop to be the right one for you.

Visit a specialist running store if you can, preferably in the afternoon or evening when your feet are naturally a little larger. Try on several pairs, spend a few minutes walking around and trust how they feel.

Again and again, research shows that the shoe which feels the most comfortable is often the one most likely to reduce the chances of avoidable running injuries. Your feet usually know the answer long before the marketing does.

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