FiveFingers

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Soldato
Joined
26 Jun 2005
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20,224
Location
Australia
Anyone tried these shoes out before?:p

Every where i go to look for info on the Posterior and Anterior Posterior muscles and shin splints I end up finding someone recommending these for some reason :p

Im tempted to get some just to try them out and see if they really do help/work:p:D

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

What’s wrong with my shoes?
Each of our feet has 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. These moving parts in our feet need to be worked to keep them healthy.

Experts believe the shoes we wear are not only reshaping but weakening our foot and leg muscles, leaving them lazy, underdeveloped and more prone to injury. Add to this the fact that our walking environment has changed so much over the last 100 years - we have flattened everything from roads to pavements – and the result is lazy, understimulated feet.



Issues with wearing traditional training shoes
Heel/Achilles Support Allows runner to heel-strike without the benefits of accurate sensory feedback, leading to poor biomechanics.
Raised Heel Shortening of Achilles tendon and hamstrings.
Encourages heel-striking, especially downhill which can lead to shin splints.
Cushioning System Only the bigger muscles in the foot and leg are used.
Smaller muscles used when adjusting to changing terrain are switched off.
This leads to greater muscle fatigue, reduces venous return and increases the chances of repetitive use injuries.
Arch Support A weaker, longer planter fascia causes the arch to flatten.
Pronation Control Addresses the symptom but not the cause. Alters foot, knee, hip and spinal alignment during stride and may increase the risk of injury.
Superior Comfort Decreased sensory feedback, disconnection from environment.


Why train barefoot?
Whether training for strength, endurance or speed, all our movement originates from our centre. Training barefoot keeps you aware and focused on your shifting centre, increasing gluteal and core activation and working the smaller muscles in your feet and legs. Postural alignment, balance, bio-mechanics and weight distribution are all altered unnaturally by wearing shoes.

More performance, less injury.
“Athletes that train barefoot run faster and have fewer injuries. It’s common sense” Vin Lananna, legendary track coach.

Vin uses barefoot sessions on grass to build foot/ankle strength, improve range of motion and increase awareness of foot positioning. Michael Warburton, an Australian physical therapist, wrote that running barefoot decreases the chance of ankle sprains and foot injuries such as plantar fasciitis.

Shoes do a good job of protecting from the elements, but over time they desensitize the tiny sensors in your feet that tell them how to react to the terrain. Eventually our feet grow lazy and weak, triggering a chain reaction up the entire leg that can lead to shin splints, runner’s knee, and iliotibial band strains. Cushioned running-shoe heels add to the problem by shortening calf muscles and the Achilles tendon.



9 reasons to wear FiveFingers

Enhanced running efficiency - research has shown that running barefoot results in a 4% increase in efficiency.
Decreased blood pressure - as your feet strike the ground at a slightly different angle with each step, multiple muscle groups are activated resulting in greater blood flow back through the venous system.
Decreased ankle sprains - better awareness of foot position from direct contact with the ground and reduced leverage and twisting around the ankle may decrease risk of ankle sprains.
Lowered risk of shin splints - shin splints, ITB syndrome and peri-patella pain are often caused by altered biomechanical loading of the limbs. Barefoot runners land mid-foot, increasing the work of the foot's soft tissue support structures, increasing foot strength and possibly reducing the risk of injury.
Reduce back pain - by removing the heel lift we bring our hips back to their natural alignment, taking the load off the facet joints in the lower back.
Enhance proprioception - our feet are able to sense and relay data back to our brain, allowing us to better handle challenging terrain.
Stronger foot muscles - if you don't use it you loose it. Wearing FiveFingers engages and strengthens our foot muscles.
Diminish risk of bunions - conventional shoes press our toes together. Fivefingers gently spread them and encourages the big toe to work.
Optimise balance - superior sensory feedback to the brain means better balance and faster reaction time. Important for athletes and seniors.
 
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Soldato
Joined
16 Dec 2005
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Found some for £72, I'm in need of some new runners for the summer so I think I'll try these on pay day. Not to sure about running cross country in them though.
 
Soldato
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^^ They are supposed to make you run properly. Humans are meant to run barefoot and using large padded shoes makes us run differently which causes issues.

I've had them recommended for me, although some people suggest you should never use them on tarmac or if you are heavy.

Far too expensive for me to just try them :(
 
Associate
Joined
12 May 2005
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Location
Chester
I have a pair of these. They are very comfy although they are a proper **** to get on until you get used to them!!

I generally wear them for wandering about in. I find that if you do use them a lot on tarmac or a hard surface I get pain in my Achilles but this is due to the different walking motion whilst wearing them and basically means I need to wear them more to toughen up the weaker areas :p

Just checked the website; I have a pair of KSO's.

I tend not to wear them much over the winter, only indoors, as they are not that warm or waterproof!!
 
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Soldato
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26 Jun 2005
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20,224
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Australia
Found some for £72, I'm in need of some new runners for the summer so I think I'll try these on pay day. Not to sure about running cross country in them though.

Tell us how they go:cool:
Ill bump this up in a weeks time so you remember:p

I have a pair of these. They are very comfy although they are a proper **** to get on until you get used to them!!

I generally wear them for wandering about in. I find that if you do use them a lot on tarmac or a hard surface I get pain in my Achilles but this is due to the different walking motion whilst wearing them and basically means I need to wear them more to toughen up the weaker areas :p

Just checked the website; I have a pair of KSO's.

I tend not to wear them much over the winter, only indoors, as they are not that warm or waterproof!!

Thanks for the reply :)

Do you think they are strengthening your leg muscles by wearing these? Do you notice much difference?
 
Man of Honour
Joined
24 Sep 2005
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35,487
When I did a conservation project in Hawaii, all of the locals involved in the project used these. I was frequently left lagging behind in my clunky walking boots, although maybe I was just relatively unfit :p
 

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Soldato
OP
Joined
26 Jun 2005
Posts
20,224
Location
Australia
God I hope not, what is it with people and ugly shoes ! or maybe its just me who has indifferent tastes to everyone else

In my eyes, if they actually do manage to strengthen my legs and Ankle Muscles then ?I want them and will wear them.

If they work who cares what people think. I certainly dont.

BTW i hate crocs and see no advantage in wearing them:p
 
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