The Real Problem

I remember reading in a newsletter a couple of years ago about how the incidence of foot problems were on the rise. And the thought behind the article was that all these new jazzed up shoes and latest orthotics were contributing to the problem. It does make sense. We evolved from people who walked and ran in their barefeet to people who try to squeeze our feet into a pair of shoes just because they look good. Rather than your foot and toes being able to spread out like it wants to, it becomes encased in this tight, leather mold. Rather than your foot becoming strong, we've weakened it by basically giving it a crutch. Rather than allowing our ankles to achieve true mobility, we've taken that away through motion controlled shoes and high tops.

But the problems are not just occurring at the foot. It drives me crazy when I hear someone complain about back or knee pain and then watch them parade around in high heels or some sneaker that has a jacked up heel like the Nike Shox.

The reason I bring this up is because I was just flipping through The Boston Globe Magazine and an article caught my eye. Apparently not much catches any one's eye in the Boston Globe anymore, since it's projected to lose about 80 million dollars this year. But the following article caught mine:

What Ruins Running

Makes sense, doesn't it? It may not be the foot that's the problem.

Some of the sneaker companies have done a great job at going back to sneaker designs that almost resemble being in bare feet. The Nike Free is one of these designs. I have yet to try these shoes, but everyone that I know who's tried them, loves them. Forget those $175 Asics I saw the other day that are supposed to guarantee you a top 10 finish in the Boston Marathon. Yes, $175. You could go out and get yourselves 2 pairs of Nike frees for that price. Two pairs of sneakers that are going to allow your foot to do what it's supposed to do.