Walk which way?
Shoes.
(sigh)
So I read an article called Learning to Walk. The article challenges conventional ideas about shoes and walking. Take, for example, the proper step.
Think about this.
What is the proper way to step when you're walking?
If you wear shoes, you'll probably say that one should step from heel to toe. That's the way everyone I know walks. The writer of Learning to Walk calls this cow walking. He then goes on to describe a walking style called fox walking in conjunction with walking barefoot. The article fascinated me. I have wide feet, and it can be hard to find a good shoe that doesn't squish my feet. The main thrust of the article is that modern shoes distort the foot and interfere with using a healthy gait. I like walking.
So...
Does is cow walking (heel-to-toe) more harmful than fox walking (ball-to-heel)?
I did some googling. First I checked out the Barefooters web site. They were saying the same thing: shoes get in the way. Not that this proves anything. I just like what I'm hearing, And I'm not sure I like shoes anymore. So I tried to look for something a bit more authoritative. I found an article by William A. Rossi called Why Shoes Make "Normal" Gait Impossible and an article called Athletic Footwear and Running Injuries by Joseph Froncioni. While I can't vouch for the authors of these articles, I found their arguments persuasive. Maybe standard shoes aren't such a healthy thing after all.
With all that said, I'm changing how I interact with my feet. What am I going to do for shoes? Here's one idea, Five Fingers. ... Mmmm... Maybe. It's definitely an interesting shoe. How about something a bit less unconventional? Perhaps a shoe with a negative heel? Perhaps it's worth a try. I'm not so sure that the opposite of a good idea is a good idea. Maybe I'll try them. Until then, I'll stick to sandals and experiments in fox walking.
One more thing: Tire Sandals and Moccasins. Why not? I do like making things.
(sigh)
So I read an article called Learning to Walk. The article challenges conventional ideas about shoes and walking. Take, for example, the proper step.
Think about this.
What is the proper way to step when you're walking?
If you wear shoes, you'll probably say that one should step from heel to toe. That's the way everyone I know walks. The writer of Learning to Walk calls this cow walking. He then goes on to describe a walking style called fox walking in conjunction with walking barefoot. The article fascinated me. I have wide feet, and it can be hard to find a good shoe that doesn't squish my feet. The main thrust of the article is that modern shoes distort the foot and interfere with using a healthy gait. I like walking.
So...
Does is cow walking (heel-to-toe) more harmful than fox walking (ball-to-heel)?
I did some googling. First I checked out the Barefooters web site. They were saying the same thing: shoes get in the way. Not that this proves anything. I just like what I'm hearing, And I'm not sure I like shoes anymore. So I tried to look for something a bit more authoritative. I found an article by William A. Rossi called Why Shoes Make "Normal" Gait Impossible and an article called Athletic Footwear and Running Injuries by Joseph Froncioni. While I can't vouch for the authors of these articles, I found their arguments persuasive. Maybe standard shoes aren't such a healthy thing after all.
With all that said, I'm changing how I interact with my feet. What am I going to do for shoes? Here's one idea, Five Fingers. ... Mmmm... Maybe. It's definitely an interesting shoe. How about something a bit less unconventional? Perhaps a shoe with a negative heel? Perhaps it's worth a try. I'm not so sure that the opposite of a good idea is a good idea. Maybe I'll try them. Until then, I'll stick to sandals and experiments in fox walking.
One more thing: Tire Sandals and Moccasins. Why not? I do like making things.