The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. All those steps equal several miles seven days a week, and they add up to about 115,000 miles in a lifetime. That's more than four times around the globe! It's important to choose a pair of shoes that will keep you walking tall and keep your feet happy and healthy.

Take a few minutes to think about how you want the shoe to perform, what you'll be doing while you're wearing them, and consider (and look at if necessary) your feet. What do your feet need?

All sneakers are designed to support your feet, protect them from injury and provide traction so that you won't slip in addition to making you look great. But despite these common features, different sports have different requirements for footwear. For example, a running shoe has more cushioning for shock absorption than a basketball shoe, but the basketball shoe has more ankle support for sudden stops and starts on the court.

New technology is constantly replacing the old, so that the retro Air Jordans that were on the cutting edge of technology in 1985 have been replaced by newer models like the Nike Shox. Although Nike Air Jordan shoes are the hot fashion item, new technology from other companies doesn't always make them the first choice for a long hard day of playing basketball.