There are a lot of different types of shoes and it's important to wear the right shoes for the right purpose. I've noticed it's fairly common for people to think anything made by Nike or Addidas can be used for working out. Consider, most manufacturers design shoes created specifically for running, cross training, basketball, soccer etc. I notice a lot people wear running shoes to train in the gym. For some types of training that can be fine, but depending on what type of training you're doing, you may need to consider a different pair of shoes.
One shoe that I've recommended for a lot of my clients are zero drop shoes. These shoes have no rise in the heel and provide a flat surface for your foot to be on. Meaning, most shoes have a certain degree of elevation for your heel. Zero drop shoes eliminate this. One of the outcomes is it allows your Achilles and hamstring to lengthen. For people who sit all day in an office, this is a great benefit. Office workers usually have very tight hamstrings and achilles because while sitting your hamstrings are in a contracted position. Your legs are bent at the knee for most of the day. By wearing these shoes, you'll increase your flexibility some, but it will mean you need to stand more and wear these shoes when you walk. Be aware, that some people can experience discomfort or pain if they are really tight and aren't use to the shoes. So, you may need to start out only wearing them for a couple hours a day and work up to wearing them all day.
Check out these brands for zero drop shoes.
- Altra (all models)
- New Balance (select models)
- Inov-8 (select models)