About two weeks ago, my curiosity got the best of me...I decided to join the minimalist footwear movement and purchased a pair of Vibram Five Fingers.
I had been intrigued by these shoes since the first time I saw the Navy SEALS training in them on Guam. I remember thinking, "what are those guys doing running in those silly shoes?"
I spent some time researching the shoes online and really liked what I found. Natural running biomechanics, strengthened foot and lower leg muscles, fewer injuries, etc... Sounds too good to be true, right? Well that's what I was thinking too, for a long time.
That's until I bought a pair and started wearing them. I've given it a couple weeks to let the novelty wear off a bit and I'm still very satisfied with the experience.
They were a little hard to get on at first, especially getting my pinkie toe in it's pocket. When I first started wearing them, it took all my mental faculties to get my pinkie toe to so much as move a millimeter. Now, after a couple of weeks, I can easily fan my toes and slip right into the shoes.
Wearing them takes a little getting used to. Especially the feel of having your toes in individual pockets. There is very little cushioning, however, my feet feel well protected. They are sort of like gloves for your feet.
Running in Five Fingers is very different than traditional running shoes. Traditional running shoes are cushioned for heel strike running. Heel strike running is not a natural way for humans to run. Fore strike running, where you land on the forward pad of your foot, is the natural biomechanical running gait for humans. There is a growing body of research that indicates not only that fore strike running is the natural biomechanical form, but also is less likely to result in common running injuries than heel strike running.
The big difference between heel strike running and fore strike running is the way the impact of running is absorbed by your lower extremeties. Heel strikes are sudden and forcefull, transmitting a large shock up the leg. Fore strikes are gradual and smooth and result in a more balanced transfer of running shock to your lower extremeties.
I had to retrain myself to run with fore strikes after years as a heel strike runner. It felt a little weird at first, like I was prancing around the yard. It took a little while to get the feel for my stride while fore strike running. At first, I felt like my stride had shortened. After a little more running, it seems that my stride is very close to what it was when heel strike running.
So far I have only run short distances in the shoes. I need to run some longer distances with the shoes to see if the supposed benefits are realized for me. So far, I can say that my feet feel great, they seem stronger and more connected to the ground. I have had an ankle problem that has plagued me for years. It is always a little sore and every time I start a running program it gets worse. So far, I have not had my ankle discomfort increase with these shoes. If fact, I think my ankle feels better the more I wear the Five Fingers.
I'll post an update in a few months after I have put the shoes through their paces.
