Forward Motion Sports, Inc. takes considerable pride Footwear is the cornerstone of our business. We pay special attention to each one of the shoes we have in stock and how they will interact with your foot. To help guide you through our inventory we have assigned ratings for cushioning and PRONATION CONTROL based on a 1-10 scale (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest to distinguish their different qualities).

PROPER BIOMECHANICSJust about everyone goes from heel to toe during either the walking or running stride. This process is called the gait cycle. The gait cycle is comprised of two major phases:

THE STANCE PHASE (heel contact, mid-stance, and propulsion)
THE SWING PHASE (foot lift and recovery while the opposing foot is in the stance phase)

For runners, the STANCE PHASE is by far the most important. At this point, the force of up to 3.5 times your body's weight is absorbed by one leg. After heel contact, you pass through into the mid-stance phase. If your foot strikes on the outside heel and then pronates toward your body's center-line in a well-aligned fashion through the STANCE PHASE, you have a neutral foot strike. If, however, your foot collapses or overpronates toward your body's center-line excessively during midstance, then you are an overpronator and will need a specific type of running shoe. Overpronators are susceptible to over-use injuries such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, IT band tightness, and other potential problems. For this type of foot, PRONATION CONTROL is a critical element for proper fitting and the prevention of these potential problems. If you are unsure about your foot type have any of our Forward Motion Sports Associates provide you with a foot analysis and some recommendations!

CUSHION SCORERates the softness and overall shock absorbency of the shoe. Neutral shoes are going to have the highest cushion rating of all of the categories.

PRONATION CONTROL RATING (PCR)This rating is crucial to the proper fit of a running shoe. After foot analysis, customers are assigned a PCR corresponding to the level of overpronation observed.

DROPDrop is the height difference between the back of the shoe and the front of the shoe. Example the back of the shoe your heel sits on the shoe at a height of 29mm, Your toes sit on the front of the shoe at a height of 25mm. That equals a 4mm drop. A "Zero" drop would be that your heel and toes are on the same plane. A traditional shoe might have a differential or drop of 10 – 14 mm. To be considered a "Minimal" or "Barefoot" shoe the drop needs to be somewhere between 7 and 0mm.