As if my shoe shopping experience were not enough, apparently shopping for shoes is making the news.

Another good guideline is every six months or every 300 to 500 miles, retailers said. Most shoes’ cushioning won’t perform well for much longer, and then the benefits of the shoe are lost.

Another good indicator: If you wake up with sore feet after an activity, it’s time to buy new shoes.

I swear, I’ve been through this kind of thing already!

Lohman said he performs a quick gait analysis on customers, then combines that information with the wear patterns on an old shoe and the aches and pains reported by the user, then starts narrowing the hundreds of choices to a few dozen. Runners need the most cushioning to absorb the pounding pavement. Walkers want shoes with a skinnier midsole.

“That helps transition as you pull your toe up, and makes the transition smoother, since you don’t leave the ground,” Lohman said.

All right, kids, I have a lot to do. More from me later. I promise.

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