Minimalist Shoes

Do I need added support? What if I have a high arch? What about a raised heel? Should I get a shoe with extra ankle support such as a high top basketball shoe? Did you know that running shoe companies make billions of dollars each year? In addition, they have to market shoes year after year, when most of the changes they make are cosmetic. As with the seasons, the same holds true for the norms of running shoes - they change constantly.

The US shoe companies combined made almost $27 billion in revenue during 2010. They make this sum of money through lucrative and enticing advertisements.  They sell their products effectively through the use of key words - Stability, Cushioning, Fit Styles, Pronation, Flexibility, Smooth, etc.... The list goes on.  Throughout the years, we have become a materialized society, buying items because they are the latest and greatest in today's technology and this holds true for running shoes.  Attractive advertisements with vibrant colours and appealing vocabulary lead the way for consumers.  But do we really need the latest and greatest shoe technology?

Lets go back about 2000 years ago, what kind of shoes were employed at the time?  Handmade, flimsy, uncomfortable sandals.  Delve even further back and we will find ourselves back in a time where bare-feet was all the rage.  Why today have we suddenly decided to cover our feet with shoes that offer added cushioning and extra stability?  We seemed to do just fine over 2000 years ago without anything on our feet... but now, especially with the increase in hi-top basketball shoes that 'protect' against ankle sprains, why do we so many feet problems?  One simple answer - our feet and accessory muscles become lazy.

When we are not wearing shoes, our feet must call upon many muscles arising from the lower leg to maintain stability.  This constant stimulation will fully develop these muscles and strengthen the ankle joint.  By wearing a shoe, we assist these muscles which take care of the stability, ultimately making a weaker ankle joint.  This weakness can lead to an increased risk of injury... not what an avid runner would like to hear...

I am not implying that you should throw out your shoes and run barefoot, heck I don't even run barefoot.  I like to know that there is something between my foot and the pavement because stepping on a rock barefoot - especially while running since you will hit the ground with more force - will suck.  However, I am a big advocate of minimalism shoes, which are a class of footwear with barely any material supporting your foot.  This lack of support allows your foot to fully develop its intrinsic and accessory muscles around the ankle to increase your stability.  Through the use of minimalist shoes, you can decrease your prevalence of injury (if you train smart).

If you are wishing to make the transition from high cushioned shoes to minimalist shoes, you will notice a difference immediately.  The best thing is to take it slow and cut back on your mileage since your feet muscles are not fully developed.  Over time you can gradually increase your mileage and actually feel stronger.  Below is a video which shows a comparison of various types of running shoes:



Thank you for reading! :)