subject: You will know more By Vibram's Website [print this page] You will know more By Vibram's Website You will know more By Vibram's Website
According to Vibram's website, one of the main goals of the five finger shoes is to "encourage forefoot striking, meaning your forefoot will contact the ground first, then engage muscles in your feet and lower legs as your heel touches down. This style of vibram five fingers is safer, may lead to fewer injuries, and is biomechanically more sound from an energy and force distribution standpoint."From working with runners and area coaches, Ward said that the cushioning and high-tech assembly of modern vibram five fingers have possibly caused feet to become less trained and less durable than they used to be. Doing some barefoot jogging or post-run striding with five fingers can help strengthen the foot and improve how we run, he said.
In that sense, he said that the five fingers or similar products appear to have the theory working for them.Bartlett said that the vibram fivefinger shoes -- or similar models by Nike or Saucony -- may help strengthen a runner's feet and ankles, and cause less stress on the knees. But in his opinion, they may not be for everyone--vibram five fingers.Blotter, who averages about 28 miles per week, said that the five finger shoes may eventually help him make the transition to running completely barefoot.Still, he's not quite ready to head out on a run with nothing over his feet."I've run completely barefoot on treadmills, but I haven't ventured out into man-made hazards without five fingers," he said. "I'm flirting with the idea, but I just haven't done it yet."
Robert Gotlin, director of orthopedic and sports rehabilitation at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, said it's about biomechanics. When wearing 5 finger shoes, the runner typically lands on the heel of the foot; barefoot runners land on the front of the foot. This "changes the impact of force on the foot and the lower extremities," he said in a news release on October 25. "As such, when you land on your forefoot, the force upon the body is reduced significantly."
