How to run in minimalist shoes change feet

Dr. Nick Campitelli - orthopedist from the US, which is a staunch supporter of the run in minimalist shoes and leads blog about this theme. Recently, one of the readers had sent him a visible impact on how changed its feet after two and a half years of running in minimalist shoes. Of course, I read a lot, how to strengthen the foot after getting rid of the "heel" and support the conventional running shoes, but did not expect that all changed so much. The debate over the minimalist running shoes and running barefoot continue. There have been many studies, but because of the huge number of variables that need to be controlled, the results are not always relevant. In order to observe what effect the refusal of the excess support of traditional running shoes, it takes time. Years actually. Here is one example, when a 34-year-old runner with flat feet and vulgasnoy deformation of the feet and knee joints abandoned its rigid orthotic Asics in favor of minimalist New Balance Minimus Zero difference between the heel and toe, and two and a half years became noticeable apparent results.

Without external support stops themselves are adapting to stress and become stronger.

Of course, this is just an isolated example, but it shows what changes may occur with the foot adult person in consequence of strengthening the postural muscles of the foot, especially the abductor muscles of the large toe. This is not a direct result of simple wear minimalist shoes, but rather the result of what you are forcing your feet to work the way they should work, which makes them stronger. Without external support stops themselves are adapting to stress and become stronger. Most of the studies carried out over several weeks or months, then we see the result of "research" in the length of two years. Let's see how the stop after the transition from the conventional running shoes to minimalist.

calcaneus

The photo below is noticeable how much leveled the heel bone. In 2012, the calcaneus has arched inward due to the weakness of abductor muscle of the thumb, which in turn provoked the collapse of the medial longitudinal arch. In 2014, the calcaneus is already geared up, it happened due to the strengthening of abductor muscles thumb and, as a consequence, reduce the distance between the thumb and heel and arch strengthen feet.

foot direction

Then you can look at the example of the symptom, which is called the "too many toes." When looking "back" at the photo from 2012th the bend of the foot to the outside, we see more fingers on the outside, what happens when a person has a weak falling through the arch of the foot. In the 2-14-m same direction stops leveled, and we no longer see the fingers.

arch

And finally, we will look at the medial longitudinal arch of the foot. This is a set that most people mean when he speaks of flatfoot. Simply put, the arch height at this point will be zero or minimal with flat feet or weak foot muscles. In 2012, we see that in the stop hardly comes off the floor. And after two years to strengthen the muscles in 2014 clearly noticeable increase in the height of the arch of the foot.

In conclusion we can say that yes, it is not a full investigation, but that the changes we see in runners who prefer shoes with a zero difference. Similar results described throughout the communities of barefoot runners, and a growing number of runners passes to minimalist shoes. This is just one documented example of the many that I have seen in my practice. Why is this so important? Yes, because it proves that run in minimalist shoes strengthens the muscles of the foot and eventually changes its shape and arch of the foot. I hope that these results will be published more. (via)