My personal opinion is that if you have a pretty average arch and foot type

There is currently a lot of debate in the running and fitness world about the minimal, or “barefoot” running shoes.  The Vibram FiveFingers model is probably the best known, with its’ signature individual compartments for each toe, but other respected manufacturers such as Merrell have jumped on board, marketing their Barefoot shoes as a way to “strengthen, stimulate, and realign your body, naturally” (direct quote from Merrell website).  These have had a surge in popularity recently due to their lightweight design and promise of returning the wearer to a more natural running stride.  The questions that I hear from my patients are usually, “Should I be wearing barefoot shoes?”, “Will I hurt my feet if I wear these shoes?”  and, “Can you put an orthotic in them?”

My personal opinion is that if you have a pretty average arch and foot type, and do not have a history of injuries or other overuse problems, go ahead and try them.  However, I caution even the biomechanically-gifted to do so gradually, perhaps wearing them around the home for the first couple of weeks, then for regular daily walking activities, and then, finally-  go for a short run.  The reason is that your feet, like most of your body parts, need time to adjust to the change.

Most of the traditional running shoes have a multi-layer, multi-density midsole portion, with many options available to support even the flattest of flat feet.  If you have been wearing this standard shoe for years (or decades), running on concrete or pavement, it will be quite a shock to your body to convert to minimalist shoes quickly.  The injury mantra of “too fast, too far, too soon” will echo through your head as you limp home in your new barefoot-style shoes, hoping to find an ice pack in your freezer.

You may hear friends mention some of the great barefoot East-African marathon runners who never seem to get injured running miles in nothing but skin, and think, “I can do that too!”  Well, maybe, but most of these great ones have been barefoot runners since childhood, and are extremely fit and slim, and have taken years to get to their current level (NOT too far, too fast, too soon).

The other concern is that walkers and runners in modern society spend a lot of time on concrete and asphalt, not exactly the back-to-nature experience that you envision when trying on your slipper-like new shoes.  Consider venturing to a nearby park or trails for a softer surface which will may help to ease the transition.

As for the final question about whether to put an orthotic into one, I suppose you could, but to me it seems counter to the whole point of wearing a barefoot shoe.  If your foot needs that additional support, it would be better to stick to the traditional running shoe design.

There philosophy challenges much of what the running shoe industry

The following is a full expert from a piece written by Blaise DuBois of The Running Clinic in Quebec City Canada.  Blaise and their team are true leaders in their efforts to better educate the running population on the causes of running injuries and how to develop efficient running technique.

There philosophy challenges much of what the running shoe industry has built itself upon.  It is a very fair and welcomed response to question their statements, but their collection data and research speaks for itself.  I would encourage you to checkout their website, shoot them an email and even better attend a clinic if you get a chance.

I was fortunate enough to attend the New Trends in The Prevention of Running Injuries in January and it was profoundly impactful.  You can see a full list of their clinic schedule here.  They will be in Milwaukee, WI for a conference and lecture on June 10th and Shepherdstown, WV on June 23.

Read on, run free and share it if you enjoy it!

-Patton

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Monday, April 25th, 2011

Modern running shoes and cholesterol

If profit-making companies were to introduce a category of pill to reduce blood cholesterol levels, and the pill became extremely popular, being sold to all hypercholesterolemic patients…
And, a few years later, it became clear that not only was the pill ineffective in reducing blood cholesterol, but it also caused several unpleasant side effects such as muscle pain and digestive problems…
What would you do? Pull the pill from the market, gradually to minimize withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, …and, above all, no longer prescribe it to newly diagnosed hypercholesterolemic patients.

If profit-making companies (1) were to introduce a category of running shoe to reduce skeletal stress (and therefore injuries) (2), and the shoe became extremely popular and was sold to all runners (3) …
And, a few years later, it became clear that not only w as the shoe ineffective in reducing skeletal stress (4) (and therefore injuries)(5), but it also caused several unpleasant side effects such as increased strike force (6) and weakened feet (7) …
What would you do? Pull the shoe from the market, gradually to minimize withdrawal symptoms such as pain in the Achilles tendon (8), … and, above all, no longer prescribe it to new runners (9)!!!

The running shoes heel collar area is extremely thin as well

As much as I try to stay aware of what’s going on in the world of minimalist footwear, every now and then a company kind of sneaks up on me. Such is the case with Somnio.

The small company from the small coastal town of La Selva Beach, California has dabbled in traditional training shoes for a little while, and until very recently had distinguished itself by creating an adjustable component system which creates a customizable fit for each user. This year, they set that strategy aside in order to test the minimalist waters – and for a first-time entry, they’ve done a fairly remarkable job.


Somnio Nada

The product in question is the Nada, which - depending on who you ask – stands for No Anterior Drop Applied, or is the Spanish word for “nothing”. Both descriptions are accurate, as the Nada is a zero-drop trainer that is so lightweight that it feels like there’s almost nothing attached to your foot.

Weighing in at just 3.5oz (the official spec is for women's size 8; my size is closer to 4oz), the Nada is clearly one of the most lightweight running shoes on the market. With a midsole height of only 6mm in the heel and forefoot, it’s also one of the lowest to the ground. Its construction features some of the basics you’d find in road racing shoes, and a few design elements that make it barefoot-friendly. The only drawback I have is that it’s strictly a road shoe, with poor crossover potential for use on trails, largely due to the outsole.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves … so let’s go back and start at the top.


Breathable mesh upper with protective coating at toes

Uppers of the Nada consist of a very breathable stretch mesh that’s ideal for hot days, but still insulates well with a good pair of socks. TPU overlays help secure the upper against the midfoot area, and there’s plenty of width in the toebox for natural splay at foot strike. Laces are asymmetric and do a great job of maintaining tension through the midfoot and across the top.


Thin heel collar and barefoot-friendly interior

The heel collar area is extremely thin as well, and wraps very securely around the ankle. The sockliner is a soft fabric that’s comfortable against sockless feet if that’s your preference. There’s a thin layer of “roadblock rubber” at the heel and tip of the toebox for additional abrasion resistance.


6mm midsole at heel

Specs through the midfoot are simple: 6mm of compression-molded EVA in the heel, and 6mm in the forefoot. It’s a flat platform, just low enough to the ground to be authentically minimalist, but providing a tad bit of cushioning for comfort.


EVA outsole suitable for road use; definitely not for trails

Nada’s outsole is fairly simple as well; it’s primarily a 2mm extension of the midsole material with some token traction lines cut into it for gripping the road. The good news about this design is that with a resultant height of 8mm (6mm midsole plus 2mm outsole), the Nada is only 1mm higher than the shoe I consider the gold standard for road minimalism: Vibram’s FiveFingers Bikila, which has a 4mm insole plus 3mm outsole. The bad news is that there’s very little grip to the outsole, making the shoe practically ineffectual for any off-road use. Obviously as a trail runner this is a major drawback for me, but dedicated road runners shouldn’t have a problem with it.


Super flexible outsole!

If traction of the outsole is the main limitation, here’s its main strength: complete flexibility to allow natural foot function. There’s nothing about this construction that will prevent your foot from moving the way it wants to. Combined with the barely-there weight of the shoe, the Nada might be the closest you’ll come to feeling barefoot while wearing something resembling a traditional running shoe.

To their additional credit, Somnio recognizes the caution that goes along with venturing into minimalist running, so each purchase of the Nada also comes with a training DVD developed by Phil Wharton, a renown musculoskeletal therapist who has an ideal resume to help people safely transition to running with less shoe. The DVD includes form drills and strengthening exercises designed to address running efficiency and prevent injury.

Considering that this is their first effort with minimalist running shoes, Somnio has done a commendable job of incorporating the important elements of natural foot motion along with a bare minimum of traditional design aspects. I'd love to see them develop a trail version in the near future, but in the meantime, the Nada is a solid choice for minimalist road running.