"Barefoot" Running Shoes - Go Retro Instead and Wear Moccasins

There are a number of shoe brands and some start-up shoe companies that are now offering a "new" nearly barefoot athletic shoe to the public, touting that their minimalist qualities are "natural" for the human body because the athletic or running shoe designs are similar to being barefoot.

Because these companies have a vested interest in their shoe, they'll make great claims and sponsor studies and athletes to support their product marketing. In reality, the trend towards minimalist footwear is a step backwards in shoe design.

Here's why some people like the minimalist shoe:

• Weight: very light and compact
• Perception: shoe buyers perceive the shoe is good for their feet and has high cool factor.
• Direct Foot Power: there is no influence of the shoe in the push off portion of the stride.
  

Here's the problem with minimalist shoes:

• Ancient Ancestry: For the tens of thousands of years humans have been walking, we've been barefoot or wearing minimal footwear. Most of those ancient steps were on natural earth, not concrete, asphalt, tile or other types of uniform hard surfaces. Historically most humans didn't live long enough to reap the results of wear and tear on their bodies. Modern middle-age until just the past hundred years or so was old-age for most of human kind.
  

• Excellent Biomechanics: Only athletes with both excellent gait technique AND bio-mechanics can excel with minimalist running shoes. Young athletes may feel fine with barefoot style shoes not realizing that they are running out of their personal biomechanical "grace period" that everybody has. When that grace period is up, wear and damage to the body sets up conditions that may lead to chronic injury and joint conditions.

If you really want to experiment with minimalist footwear shoe technology, here are my suggestions:

• Gradual Break In: Depending on the mileage you are doing, the break-in time from standard supportive athletic running shoes to barefoot style shoes could be as long as 3 to 6 months.
• Running Surfaces: Avoid ANY hard unyielding surfaces. This includes natural surfaces such as rock paths.
• Age Related Option: If you're middle age and older and want to experiment with barefoot running shoes, only run on soft beach or desert sand.
  

So, if you want to authentically go retro when buying running shoes, buy some good, North American made moccasins. North American Indians are still making moccasins like they have for thousands of years, with a few minor alterations to their technology. Though you can buy very expensive, handmade custom moccasins, my favorite moccasin company is Laurentian Chief. The Laurentian Chief moccasin company, based in Quebec, Canada still employs some workers of indigenous ancestry to make their ancient style of minimalist footwear.

Remember, if you do get biomechanical strain, see me at www.Footform.com. I've experimented with making my own moccasins and used them with and without orthotics.
www.Footform.com
541-389-4547

NOTE:Laurentian Chief does not sell direct to the public. One company I found on the web that is very invested in the Laurentian moccasin line is Get Outside Shoes in Toronto, Canada. They ship to the U.S.

If there are any other moccasin shoe companies that manufacture their moccasins in North America, let us know and we will add you to this blog entry.

Know When to Change Heels for Athletic Shoes and You'll Save Your Feet

Wearing dress shoes is OK for special occasions, but remember to keep your athletic shoes in your bag so you can change when you need to save your feet. My wife, Cristina Acosta, took this photo of a woman changing her shoes from heels to Nikes at the entrance to the Little Rock, Arkansas airport.

If you have to walk any significant distances and carry or pull weight (such as luggage or groceries), you'll be putting a lot of stress on your feet and your body. The proper footwear in this situation, a good brand of athletic shoes, enables you to walk better and balance the strain in your body. Not only will you ensure foot comfort, you'll keep your feet healthy and free of injuries.

www.Footform.com

Note: Footform custom shoe inserts will make most any shoe more comfortable, but there are limits. So, when in doubt, be kind to your feet and change your shoes to comfort footwear. No pain, no complain!

Save Money on Your Athletic Shoes

The old maxim, "It fits like an old shoe," doesn't mean "it's" good for you. Old athletic shoes, even if the uppers look good, wear down where the foot has stressed them. The insole packs down and is no longer functional. This is especially true of athletic shoes. 

The proper athletic shoe for your foot along with a  good orthotic may reduce repetitive strain injuries, the bane of any athlete or casual exerciser who works out regularly.

Athletic shoes are no longer as functional and supportive after roughly 500 miles. Active people walk about 5 miles per day. If you're wearing your sports shoes as your everyday shoes, be sure to add this mileage to your training mileage. As a general rule, a pair of well used athletic shoes has about 100 days of use. After that, the shoes have compressed cushioning (especially in the midsole) and have developed wear patterns that can accentuate poor gait and stance habits.

Here are a few tips to extend the life of your athletic shoes and save money:

• Footform orthotics extend the life of your shoes by spreading out pressures more evenly throughout the shoe. 
• Date your shoe when you start to use it (with a permanent marker) and half-way through the shoe's life add a new pair to your closet and alternate use between the 2 pairs. Continue to stagger the use of your shoes, throwing out the old pair.

At Footform Performance Center in Bend, Oregon, you can set a half-hour appointment for gait analysis and shoe consulting. Call my office 541-389-4547.

Note: Some specialty athletic shoe stores will recycle old athletic shoes. 

www.Footform.com

The Low-down on High Fashion Heels

Six inch dress heels for women are selling. In fact, according to today's article in The Wall Street Journal, "Women Fall Head Over Heels for Shoe Makers' Arch Designs", by Teri Agins, this super-high segment of the shoe industry is selling so well that Manolo Blanik says it accounts for about 30% of his company's business.

Despite the craziness of fashion, the most disturbing thing to me was to read was that Podiatric Surgeons are injecting cosmetic fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm to plump up the balls of the feet (metatarsal area of the foot) in an effort to ease the painful pressures on the forefoot caused by these high heels.

So here's what I have to say about these sky high shoes -- Don't wear them!  Sprained ankles, artificial interventions (like injecting cosmetic fillers), and strained joints(from the gait change the shoes impose) can cause injuries that can impact your life for years.

If you want to appear tall, improve your posture. But more than that, remember that others don't see you statically, like in a photograph or the way you see yourself in front of a mirror. People perceive your age and attractiveness before they ever get close enough to see if you have a wrinkle. How you carry yourself in motion can convey confidence, athleticism, flexibility and strength.   

High heels seen in motion promote the opposite of this. High heels hobble your body's motion and athleticism. You may think you look great standing still, but do you want to be hobbled and risk injury? Hobbling is defined as strapping together the legs of an animal (such as a horse)to slow it down and prevent it from straying, or to cause a person to limp. Psychologically, hobbling yourself for the sake of fashion creates a conflict between the fashion desires of your mind and the natural health of your body.

Your body has a wisdom and intelligence that knows when it's being impaired by a terrible choice of footwear. Choose to look at fashions that hobble your movement as promoting weakness rather than strength.

www.Footform.com

Personalizing Your Footwear with Custom Orthotics

If you want luxury for your feet replace a removable shoe insert with Footform Orthotics. Most mid to high-end sport specific footwear have removable inserts. Taking that shoe insert out and replacing it with a Footform orthotic gives you a custom fit that makes your footwear the foundation of a positive experience. Whether that's in the field, on a golf green, ski slope, bike, bowling alley lane or on the dance floor. During the second half of your appointments at the Footform Performance office in Bend, Oregon, we fit the orthotics to the shoes that you either wear most often, or the shoe in which you specifically intend to use the orthotic. One of our satisfied customers, Terry Scoville, of Womens Hunting Journal, shared her experience of a hunting boot she customized with a Footform orthotic.

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Review from Woman's Hunting Journal: LaCrosse AlpahaBurley Sport Insulated by Terry Scoville

I recently spoke with a representative at LaCrosse Footwear, to find out what they'll be offering women hunters this Fall. I was surprised to learn that they are discontinuing a few styles. The good news is that the model I have they are going to continue providing. Specifically the AlphaBurley Sport Insulated 18" Realtree Hardwood HD 800 Gr. boot, style #200037 (soon to be style # 200044) as of July 2008. I bought mine last Fall and used them alot throughout the waterfowl season. Firstly, they are offered in whole sizes only, so go up to the next whole size if you wear a half size. With that said, mine are awesome and show no signs of abuse after their first season afield. I replaced the factory foot bed with my own custom orthotics http://www.footform.com/ and the fit is wonderful. I found the Alpha Burley boots to be nimble, lightweight and not cumbersome. The sole has sufficient traction and support, so as not to be flimsy in any way what so ever. The fleece lining has held up to my abuse and shows no sign of wear. There is an adjustable gusset at top back with a cam buckle if you want them snugged up, for real nasty mud. They weigh in at 5.5 lbs. per pair. I used mine for late season goose hunting and my feet were toasty warm. Even late season goose hunting in my layout blind, & on snow for 4-5 hours at a time. My backside got a bit frosty, but not my feet. In conclusion for women hunters, I highly recommend the AlphaBurley boots. Especially if you're wanting something other than hip waders or your leather field boots for hunting. http://www.lacrossefootwear.com/

Feet Can Change - Chinese Foot Binding

Have you ever wondered if abuse to your feet changes their form and function?

Ever been a slave to fashion? The Chinese practice of foot binding distorted the feet for fashion to the point that the woman was permanently disabled. Though these photos show you the terrible physical deformation that is the result Chinese foot binding, don't think that the Chinese are the only culture that has a tradition that damages feet. If your feet ever ached in terrible shoes for the sake of fashion, all you have to do to see the painful result of a cultural aesthetic ideal is to look down.

Foot pain caused by shoes is not harmless! These pictures illustrate how much feet can change if abused. The tradition of foot binding was to shorten the length of the foot thus fitting it into tiny, pointed toe shoes. The feet were distorted with tight wraps and crammed into tight shoes to the point where they were permanently disfigured. In turn, the women were completely hobbled.

As arcane as the practice of foot binding seems it is still practiced in the fashions of today in both Europe, Asia and the Americas. These pictures of the sleek new styles are examples of what is hot in Japanese fashion now. Notice the resemblance of the modern shoe to the cultural aesthetic of the past?

Shoes have a purpose and that is to protect your feet. Shoes are unique in the fact that they are absolutely necessary, yet also quite frivolous. Be careful when you buy shoes. Try to make the shoes a healthy choice that is good for you, not the other way around. Don't damage yourself in the name of fashion.

To find out how "dressy" you can go, get your feet and footwear checked at: www.footform.com

Knee Pain Isn't Inevitable

Knee pain isn't inevitable as you age. Barring injury, how you use your knee with each step determines how wear and tear of use affects your body. The knee is a hinge joint designed to bend in a straight line. Knee strains and pains occur when the arc of the bend becomes twisted. The beginning of a twist starts with the foot pronating (or rolling inwards on the big toe side). Twisting the foot results in twisting the ankle which carries the stress to the knee. The knee will rotate inward. Repeating this movement throughout the 10,000 steps you take in a day can result in a repetitive strain injury.

If you're sedentary you take less than 10,000 steps per day. If you have a job that requires walking like a nurse or postal worker you'll be taking even more steps.
So what can you do to protect your knee as you walk?

• Bend your knees slightly (keep a soft knee) with every step and while you stand.
• When you're walking, concentrate on keeping your heel on the ground as long as possible (this discourages toe walking).
• When you walk, concentrate on keeping your foot pointing straight ahead with every step and keeping the direction of your knee bend straight over the foot.
• Keep your hips loose and rotating with each step.
  
• Look for shoes that are stable such as an athletic shoe or walking shoe that bend easily in the forefoot.
• Foot Orthotics help to guide your foot so that it doesn't pronate.
  

All of this may sound a bit complicated. At my clinic I coach clients to walk and stand so that they protect their knee joints. If you are unable to find a gait training specialist in your area, I suggest you find a friend to video you walking straight towards the camera and from the side. When you watch yourself on the video check the alignment of your leg bend and foot position.
www.Footform.com

Ask Randall: Generic Insoles

April 16, 2008 11:45 AM

Hi Randall, I was wondering if you can tell what elements are needed for a generic insole that would bring comfort to a shoe wearer. What material would you use? By the way your blog is amazingly full of facts and I am enjoying reading each post. SA

Dear SA,

In the shoe industry, the term generic insoles refers to what's also called a sock liner, contoured insole, or generic orthotic.

• Sock liners are generally a flat cushion layer, sometimes removable, but usually glued into the shoe.
• Contoured insoles are formed from molded foam to fit the shoes interior and cup the the mid-foot and heel around the edges. Generally this insole has little to no anatomy.
• Generic orthotics are formed from molded foam or/and other materials. It is like a contoured insole, but has actual arch contour and more anatomy.
  

Here's what I think are the best choices in each category:

• Sock Liners: Multi-density foam layers. One layer that forms to the foot layered over one resilient layer that springs back to the original shape.
• Contoured Insoles: The same as a multi-density sock liner, but with the upper layer being a molded foam shape.
• Generic orthotics: Typically an after-market product, sometimes they are actually built into a shoe such as a Birkenstock. The most important thing is that the contour doesn't offend the user's foot contour.
  

The object to orthotic contours is to guide the foot to it's optimal use. The closer the contours are to the foots natural contours, the higher the performance of the orthotic. Peoples feet are different, therefore a mass market product will only address one type of foot over another.

The optimal high performance is a custom orthotic. Because this option isn't available to everyone, the next best thing is to try on a multitude of generic orthotics to seek a good match.

Note: I offer consulting to manufacturers and designers seeking information about foot contours, orthotic shapes and materials. In the past I've patented two systems relating to this research.

3 Things to Know Before You Buy Slip-on Shoes

Slip-on shoes are so convenient that they are a popular segment of the shoe market. People love to put on or take off their shoes without bending over. Despite the apparent comfort and convenience of a slip-on shoe, unless the shoe is a perfect fit, it is a compromise. To fit the tight spots, other places on the shoe are too loose. This isn't a problem if your feet are perfect and you don't have any pain, but if you have any problems at all, proper shoe choices are crucial.

Slip-on shoes often don't have adjustability. Or if they do, they must often be too tight to slip in and out of easily. This can effect your gait, promoting shuffling and toe gripping, which can lead to foot problems. If you must wear a slip-on shoe here are the things to look for:

• Choose a slip-on shoe that fits high onto the foot (towards the ankle).
• Elastic stretch panels.
• Adjustable straps or laces.
  

Custom Shoes & Personalized Shoes: What is the Difference?

Custom shoes are not all the same. Cowboy boots are a good example. You can go to a custom boot maker and they'll trace your foot and make a boot. Sure, it's "custom" but it's not enough. People mistake being able to choose the leather colors and trims with the attributes of a comfort fit shoe. The shape of your foot is only a piece of the shoe-fit picture.

A good shoe conforms to the outline of your foot and supports the bio-mechanics of your foot, including:

1. Structural elements such as rocker-toe, heel counter, heel height.
2. Medial & lateral support.
3. Degree & type of shock absorbing cushion.
4. Compatibility with orthotics.
   

The solution for most people is a personalized shoe. At Footform Performance, we combine our knowledge with a select grouping of shoes we sell that are hard to find in mainstream shoe outlets. Personalizing involves how your foot is fitted to a shoe, considering the length, width, shims, stretching, grinding and custom orthotics. Our shoe selections offer unique features such as comfort, fit, durability, quality, function and compatibility with orthotics that other brands simply cannot provide. We pride ourselves on our ability to deliver a personalized fit that will feel like a custom shoe.

www.footform.com

Jimmy Choo is Not a Shoe

If you're a fashionista or within the range of one, you know what Jimmy Choo shoes are. They're sexy, stylish, elegant, expensive, glamorous beautiful things a woman can put on her feet. But just because something goes on the foot, doesn't mean it's really a shoe.

And designer footwear brands like Jimmy Choo know it. They are not selling comfort and support. They're selling something else entirely. (Though you may see a flat shoe from those brands as their concession to "comfort", it really isn't as most fashion "flats" don't offer support to the foot.)

So, am I saying you shouldn't wear designer women's shoes? No. Just don't wear them and then act surprised when your feet hurt. Human feet are not shaped to tiny points in the front with 4" heels in the back. Be reasonable. If you must wear designer dress shoes, limit the time you're going to wear them, and have a back-up pair of comfort shoes tucked into your handbag. That way, when your feet hurt, you won't push the pain into a lasting injury by continually wearing the wrong shoes.

Barefeet and Babies

"Our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch of our ancestors as we walk over this Earth."
~Chief Seattle, Duwamish Suquamish~

There was a time when bare feet or handmade footwear were the only options for our feet. And, as we all know, all of the earth is not soft sand or soil. Rocks, thorns and rough terrain make walking without shoes a daunting and often dangerous thing to do. The ancients knew this and made shoes out of both animal hides and plant products. The oldest intact shoes (a pair of sandals over 10,000 years old) in North America were found in a cave near my town of Bend, Oregon.

Times have changed. As natural as bare feet are, if you are walking outside, shoes are usually the right choice for the modern foot.

The exception to this statement is young children who are learning to walk. If the walking environment is safe and soft (such as a clean carpet or sandy beach), barefoot is the best for babies. Babies don't have arched feet. They need a lot of toe wiggle-room and a flexible soft surface that encourages their feet to move and to develop without artificial influence. Don't be fooled into thinking that a toddler's foot needs "support" with a stiff shoe/boot. Even a sandal is too much if it has a stiff sole. A stiff-soled toddler shoe is confining and clunky for a kid. Lifting the foot and turning in a stiff-soled shoe is hard for a toddler, promoting tripping and awkward balance.

The best shoe for a baby/toddler is a moccasin or similar type of shoe such as a flexible Aqua sock. Test a baby shoe by bending the sole between the toe and heel. The baby shoe should easily crumple and bend.

www.Footform.com

What is a Good, Supportive Shoe?

There is no correlation between price and support in the shoe world. A beautifully made shoe that doesn't fit well or isn't meant to offer support (like a women's high heel dress shoe or sandal) is not good for your feet no matter how "well-made" or expensive it is.

What is a supportive shoe? It's a shoe that puts most of your foot in contact with the ground (through the surface of the sole) while offering your foot protection from twisting, pounding, and strain. Here are the main things that make up a supportive shoe:

• Wide solid platform for the sole.
• The shoe has a heel counter - the stiff structure of the shoe surrounding your heel.
• The heel is slightly elevated - approx 1/2" to 5/8"
  
• The shoe has a primary bend point (or flexion point). This is at the ball of the foot. Hold the shoe between the toe and heel and bend it. Where it bends is the flexion point. If it's behind or ahead of where the ball of your foot is, it will stress your foot.
  

So what do you do with any gorgeous designer high heel shoes that kill your feet? They are beautiful objects, sculpture really, not fit for feet. Fill them with plaster and turn them into paperweights.

If the Shoe Fits

How do you know if your shoe fits?

It may seem like this question has an obvious answer. Most people would say, "Because it feels good." The surprising answer to that is, "That's not enough." Sometimes how the shoe initially feels doesn't mean it's the right shoe for you. Surprised? Clients may say to me when describing a shoe they really like, "It feels like I'm wearing slippers." Forget about slippers. A shoe needs to support you as you walk on hard unforgiving surfaces all day. Slippers don't give you support. Neither do most women's dress shoes, but I'll talk about those types of shoes another day.

Today we are talking about sensible shoes like athletic shoes or a walking shoe (usually a model that ties and has a low heel). Here's how you know if the shoe fits.

1. Get measured. No matter what you think your size is, get measured to be sure. Feet change over time.
2. Put your bare foot (you can leave your sock on) next to the shoe before you put it on. Look at the front of the shoe and the shape of your foot. They should be similar.
3. While you are sitting down, loosen the laces, put your foot in the shoe and cram your toes into the end of the shoe to check compatibility of your toe shape and the shoes toe shape.
4. Ideally, all of your toes should contact the end of the shoe with equal pressure.
5. Insert your index finger between the back of the shoe and your heel. (Remember, you're still sitting down.) If you can't get a finger in there when your toes are crammed to the front, go bigger in size.

If the front shape of the shoe matches the shape of your foot and you have enough room, you are on your way to finding a shoe that fits.

www.Footform.com