According to a study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, runners who were training for a 10k race with minimalist shoe gear had two to three times the amount of injuries compared to runners in traditional supportive shoe gear. I believe that runners are actually at an increased risk of injuring themselves due to the lack of protection offered by minimalist shoes. This imbalance can then translate upward affecting other parts of the body such as our knees and back.Īdvocates of minimalist shoes believe that because these shoes help shorten a runner's stride, they place less stress on joints. This imbalance may increase the progression of underlying foot deformities such as bunions and hammertoes and lead to painful conditions associated with excessive pronation such as arch/ heel pain, shin splints/ posterior tibial tendonitis, and Achilles tendonitis. Our feet naturally pronate during the gait cycle, however when we walk with no to no support we pronate for a longer period of time which then alters the biomechanics and distribution of pressure and weight across the foot. Walking with little to no support as with zero drop shoes on hard surfaces allows our foot to collapse which can lead to a tremendous amount of stress not only to the foot but to the rest of the body. Currently there are no studies that have proven that zero drop shoes improve performance or reduce the risk of injury.Īre there any drawbacks to wearing zero drop running shoes? As mentioned above the benefits of zero drop shoes are only available to people that already have proper running form to begin with. Differences in anatomy, posture, and individual biomechanics can actually increase the risk of injury when transitioning to wearing zero drop running shoes.Īre there certain people who can benefit the most from wearing zero drop running shoes?Ĭlearly there are people who are die hard fans of zero drop running shoes and for some individuals, these shoes may feel comfortable and help improve performance if underlying foot deformities and/or pain are not present. It's important to be aware that the benefits of zero drop shoes are only available to people that already have proper running form to begin with. The most commonly advocated benefit is that barefoot or zero drop shoes encourage less dependency on shoe gear and more reliance on strong muscles of the feet and legs, which in theory will help improve body posture, stride, and performance overall. The benefits of wearing zero drop running shoes are controversial and can vary from person to person. What are the benefits of wearing zero drop running shoes? Zero-drop running shoes are minimal "barefoot" running shoes that have minimal to no cushioning and leave the feet laying directly flat on a level surface of the shoe. What are zero drop running shoes, and what differentiates them from standard running shoes?
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