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Last shape refers to the shape of the shoe.

The 3 lasting shapes are – curved, semi-curved and straight. These shapes help describe how the upper is attached to the midsole and have different benefits to the wearer.

A Curved last makes the sole appear C shaped. Most racing and running spikes shoes are this type of sole. These shoes are often extremely lightweight and provide minimal midfoot and rearfoot stability. These runners often have no or only minimal heel pitch (height). Athletes with Achilles/Calf and plantar fascial injury history need to be very careful when wearing these runners.

A Straight last is often found in motion-cont rolled runners and are for athletes whose feet flatten or over pronate.Straight shoes have more support under the arch of the foot and are therefore often heavier. They also have a stiff heel counter so to minimise rearfoot movement. Athletes with lateral ankle and/or llio-tibial band (lateral knee) need to be careful when using this type ofrunner.

A Semi-curved last is a hybrid of the two already mentioned. The majority of running shoes are semi-curved and offer a combination of speed and support. Its when selecting a runner in this category that the athlete must be careful. Trying on three or four different brands of this last may be wise so to ascertain which ‘feels’ the best.

A Tip – If uncertain which way runner to select (especially if in the semi curved category) then have a chat to your Podiatrist or Physiotherapist. Many of the specialist runner shoe stores also have experienced staff that will also help with the finer points of runner selection.

One final tip – Try not to feel like you are floating (or are loose) in the runner. Last shape can often control this. A floating shoe can regular cause lower limb soft tissue overuse as the body is often trying to ‘hold’ on to the runner when in motion .

Good luck with your running
Russell Dovison