Sport Podiatry Shoe Review: Nike Zoom Structure 20

An Introduction to the Perth Podiatry Blog & Nike Zoom Structure 20 Review:

Being a Perth Sports Podiatrist I’m constantly asked by patients – “What’s a good shoe for xxx activity?”.

This is typically completed after a thorough history is taken and a lower limb examination of their feet and legs completed. The reason I do this is so I can confidently and competently recommend the proper shoe to the individual. So why the blog? Well I like sport, I like not being in pain during sport and I happen to know a thing or two about shoes and treating lower limb conditions – being a university-trained podiatrist. Plus the Nike Zoom structure is a great shoe that I had been wanting to try for a while now.

This is why I’m embarking on a monthly mission to find, test and review shoes that fit 3 key criteria:

1. I like and personally wear the shoe myself.
2. I don’t like the shoe and explain why.
3. I find a really awesome shoe/health-related gadget which I feature instead because…it’s my blog.

Full disclosure this is not a personal recommendation of a shoe/product/activity plan for YOUR feet and any advice on this blog is general in nature. It’s simply a reference of shoes I like and their features to look out for that may benefit your desired activity aspirations.

Speaking of features, in these blogs I’ll be reviewing a few key metrics of the shoes I discuss to serve as a reference. These features should highlight and help you understand what I – a Perth Podiatrist, look for when buying shoes.

These metrics typically fall into 7 categories:

1. Is it comfortable (to me)?
2. Does it look good (to me)?
3. Does it bend in the arch?
4. How light or heavy is it?
5. Does it have a heel raise?
6. Does it grip the ground?
7. How much does it cost?

Now with that lawyer talk and feature overview out of the way let’s get down to introducing today’s blog on my favourite ‘daily driver’ shoe of 2017 – the Nike Zoom Structure 20.

First up – the metrics overview of the Nike Zoom:

1. (Comfort)
   1. Very – my toes aren’t cramped together meaning the shoe is wide enough for my foot and there’s even a good thumb between the end of my first toe and the end of the shoe. This helps prevent trauma blood blisters forming when nails are repetitively forced against the end of your shoe as you walk or run.
2. (Looks)
   1. They’re actually a testament to my calming sense of style being shades of grey, black and white (I typically like bright and in your face colourful shoes). Can you wear them to work…well I wear them to work but I can since I’m a Perth Podiatrist – comfortable feet is what I stand for. Your boss may not be as lenient.
3. (Arch Bend)
   1. They’re moderate in the arch meaning I can bend the arch but not easily so at least the shoe has a bit of integrity. I wouldn’t go running a marathon or walking 5km+ a day in these but as I’m fairly sedentary at work and throughout the day – typically reaching 10k steps. They suit my needs and are a great casual weekend to light activity shoe.
4. (Light or Heavy)
   1. Light – coming in at 317g a shoe, they’re not as light as a pair of thongs but they might as well be.
5. (Heel Raise)
   1. Yes but slight – being 10mm inclined they don’t hold ‘barefoot’ (0 incline) credentials but they’re not loading up your forefoot unnecessarily.
6. (Grip)
   1. I’m not likely to fall over but when they’re wet they do make a loud noise on tiles/wooden floors and become a tad slippery. Not for massive adventure trails but I wouldn’t shy away from a short dirt trail walk in them (except if It’s wet – then I’d prefer to keep my feet dry).
7. (Cost)
   1. I bought mine from Myer in Perth when they had a 20% off sale for $112. I feel quite comfortable spending this money on this pair of shoes especially since it’s under $150 and I know I’ll be wearing them A LOT. If you follow the link which I’ll post below you can buy them and have them shipped to your place even cheaper!

Having worn these shoes for over a week now I’m loving them and am confident they’ll help me get my intermittent standing work done pain free. I also know that If I was wanting to run long distances (further then 3km+) I wouldn’t be wearing these shoes – instead i’d go for something much stiffer in the arch (next shoe blog perhaps). The Nike Zoom Structure 20 is an epic daily driver – they’re my daily driver of 2017 and you can check them out by going to a reputable shoe store in your area or buying online. I found them on Amazon at a price that’s even cheaper then what I could get in store so do yourself a favour – try them on, get your size and buy them online or find a pair using the link below.

Amazon Shoe Purchase Information.

Bonus Topic:

How long do shoes last?

What’s the difference between a good hairdresser and a bad hairdresser?….2 weeks!.  This timeframe unfortunately doesn’t hold up for sport shoes. Practically shoes last as long as you feel comfortable wearing them. My general advice for someone, like me who gyms regularly and runs every second day is to replace your shoes every year. When signs of wear such as wrinkling of the sole and wearing down the sole in certain areas (especially in the forefoot) set in – it’s also time to upgrade. if I don’t wear them as much I might just hang onto them for 3 years + but these are typically dress shoes or the such. NOT regularly worn sport shoes.

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