Archive for August, 2009

Are running shoes bad for you?

This is a question that I first asked myself after seeing some of the new types of shoes being offered such as the Vibram Five Fingers. I don’t remember how I originally found out about the idea of  running “barefoot”, but as I started to search and read the arguments it made a lot of sense. Now I am by no means a marathon runner. I run a 3-4 times a week for my own exercise and enjoyment. But I figured I would try to change my running style and see what happened.

I didn’t want to go out and buy new running shoes (even though I thought they looked really cool), so I kept using the ones that I already had. I did change the way I ran. Instead of using the normal heel to toe style of running, I started running on the ball of my feet.Now I have to admit this was very difficult in the beginning. Running this way forced me to use a whole new group of muscles that I hadn’t developed. I was also using the shoes the opposite way they were designed to be used.

For the first week I would run halfway on the balls of my feet and then as I got tired I would run the rest using the normal style. The first couple of km usually felt very awkward. My body just wasn’t used to running that way. My legs, especially my calves would end up very sore for a couple days after each run.

By the second week I had built up my muscles enough (primarily my calves and ankles) and began running entirely on the balls of my feet. I noticed a few interesting things. The first was that I was running faster. It wasn’t that I was trying to run faster, I just wasn’t getting as tired as I was before. After running my normal route of about 5km I was wasn’t even winded and would just keep going (maybe that’s how Forest Gump felt).

The third week I kept running in my normal running shoes, but as my legs and feet got stronger it felt as if they were throwing me off balance. Since my running shoes had a padded heel I was having to slightly overcompensate to run on the balls of my feet. It wasn’t dramatic, but it always felt like I was gona trip forward.

This last week I gave up my running shoes and started running in my generic crocs. So how has it been going from a $60 running shoe to a $4 generic piece of foam. Amazing! For the first time, it feels like my body was really designed to run. My speed has once again increased, I don’t get tired as easily and my feet and legs have once again become stronger.

I should point out that the first couple days of running in sandles (generic crocs) resulted in some sore foot and ankle muscles. so you should probably take it easy if transition. I have been running this way for over a week now and I have no pain at all in my legs or feet. I also seem to get less cramps.

So are running shoes bad for you? I guess that would depend on how you run. I do think that there are better, more healthy ways to run and in those cases the traditional running shoe seems to be bad.

I suggest you take small steps if you plan to try to start running on the balls of your feet. traditional running shoes and hard sole shoes in general have prevented certain muscles in your legs and feet from developing. You need to slowly develope these muscles before you start running without any support.