One of the most notable problems that people who practice yoga have with regards to their feet is that in some positions their bare feet can slip and cause a fall. There are few things worse in yoga than doing a Garudasana Eagle Pose and end up crash landing on your beak because your foot slipped out from under you! Socks and slippers do not allow the toes to be free enough to grip and balance properly, plus they can overheat the foot causing it to sweat and slip even further.

Maximum traction, foot (and toe) flexibility, and breathability

Stick-e Yoga Socks http://www.stick-e.com/yogaaccessories.html solved all of these problems by engineering special socks specifically for the practice of yoga, pilates, karate, dancing and other athletic pursuits where maximum traction and foot flexibility is a prerequisite. Libby Andrews of Stick-e Products LLC invented this remarkable new form of minimalist footwear, and I can confidently say that she did a magnificent job. They’re really amazing!

 Stick-e Yoga Socks have cut outs for your toes so can better grip the floor or mat, and more importantly, so they can work! Most people do not think much about using their toes when walking or doing activities, yet toes are very muscular or as I say in my FloWalking http://flowalking.com/ workshops: “toes are tiny but mighty.” Men, in order to keep your self-respect, only use this motto about your toes and no other part of your anatomy.

Andrews has also designed the socks with a Stick-e bottom, so the next time you are doing the Adho Mukha Svanasana Downward Dog pose, you are less likely to end up sprawled out like a greyhound on a skating rink! The Stick-e surface held up well, even after I spent 90 minutes on the treadmill doing my FloWalking workout.

1/3 of yoga practitioners still wear basic socks or shoes

It’s estimated that yoga currently has over 20 million followers and about a third of them continue to wear socks or even shoes during their exercises because they are shunning going barefoot. All yoga enthusiasts, whether barefoot or wearing socks or shoes should try the Stick-e Yoga Socks to experience the ultimate in foot comfort, traction, and flexibility. Once you try some of the most basic yoga exercises while wearing these socks, you’ll never do yoga in any other way!

Superlative for FloWalking

I recommend Stick-e Yoga Socks to all my patients who do yoga, but now I’m able to encourage people on yet another activity which these amazing socks are absolutely perfect for: All of the features that allow Stick-e Socks to provide such superlative advantages when practicing yoga are equally applicable to individuals who are engaged in FloWalking [http://flowalking.com/]! The additional comfort, freedom, control, and traction allowed by the Stick-e Yoga Socks can be a boon to any FloWalker! Let me leave you with a bit of yogic wisdom: Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape!

To learn more about Stick-e Yoga Socks and Andrews’ other amazing Stick-e products go to http://www.stick-e.com/yogaaccessories.html

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Some people consider the fact that more and more people are successfully running barefoot some kind of scientific enigma. The “Free Your Feet” graphic below makes some of the science behind barefoot running easy to understand simply and eloquently. This artistic and pleasantly graphic interpretation of the various statistics and historical facts which support barefoot running makes some exceptional points:

Bulky Shoes Are Failing Us – Running while wearing athletic footwear exerts more strain on the joints of the leg and foot than walking in high heels!

The History Of Running Shoes – The Tarahumara of Mexico can run for two full days, covering up to 300 miles non-stop, wearing only leather thongs or tire strips!

The Science Of Barefoot Running – A comparison of the heel strike which is predominant when running with shoes vs. the more relaxed position of the bare foot landing on its ball.

The graphic goes on to show that traditional running shoes have been proven to create an extra:

• 54% hip rotation torque
• 36% knee flexion torque
• 38% knee varus torque

The graphic does close with a warning that transitioning to barefoot running is a process which should be done gradually, starting out with brief jogs before graduation to longer runs. It’s a recommendation which I heartily endorse!

Check out the entire graphic at: http://www.xraytechnicianschools.net/free-your-feet/

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Dr. Nirenberg wearing his Vibram Five Fingers

Mark Anders is one of those top journalists who live the sort of romantic adventurous lives the rest of us can only dream about. Whether he’s surfing the Zambezi River, racing mountain bikes in the 24 Hours of Moab, or is embedded with Navy SEALs in desert war games, he brings to his readers a vivid portrayal of the esoteric experiences to be found in the most exotic locales on Earth. Mark’s work has been featured in Life, Wired, Popular Science, Outside, Men’s Journal, New York, and many other major magazines. He recently wrote an article for the American Council on Exercise Certified News which dealt with an University study of the benefits of minimalist footwear for runners.

Mark writes that John Porcari, Ph.D., and Caitlin McCarthy, M.S., researchers from the Exercise & Health Program at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, conducted a study on 16 young adult female subjects who were habitual joggers and free from injury. Two weeks before the testing each was fitted with a set of Vibram FiveFingers Bikila model, and asked to run with that minimalist footwear three times a week for two weeks. Once this “breaking in” period was passed, the test runners were brought into the laboratory at the University for 3-D motion analysis under three separate conditions: barefoot, with the Bikilas; and with New Balance 625 running shoes.

The results of the testing showed that all 16 subjects landed primarily on their heels when wearing the running shoes, while half of the subjects became forefoot strikers when wearing the Bikilas or running barefoot. Even though the researchers were encouraging all the runners to adopt a forefoot strike, the heel strikers were not able to make the switch. The reason for preferring the forefoot strike is that the ankle becomes more plantar-flexed at the moment the foot hits the ground, and it is this greater degree of flexion which seems to absorb the running impact forces to a greater degree. The research also showed that the barefoot and Bikila runners displayed a lower degree of flexion in the knee which is generally correlated to fewer injuries.
 
The research proved that when some runners adopt minimalist footwear they do not necessarily display the correct running stride, in which case the possibility of discomfort and potential injury actually increases over conventional running shoes. The reason for this phenomenon is that minimalist footwear such as the Vibram Bikilas have virtually no cushioning in the heel area and thus subject the foot to higher impact loads. Dr. Porcari concludes that runners “may need very explicit instruction and time spent practicing how to land on the ball of the foot” when first starting to run in minimalist footwear such as Bikilas as continuing to run in a heel strike gait pattern actually negates the benefits of ditching the running shoes. The increased flexion advantages displayed by the forefoot striking runners in both barefoot and minimalist footwear styles are notable as the impact loads are minimalized and that can lead to a decreased risk of injury.

The bottom line is simple: Minimalist footwear works but has to be matched with a forefoot strike. All you heel strikers out there, start practicing your forefoot gait pattern to gain the maximum benefit from your Vibrams!

Check out Mark Anders’ unique life experiences at http://www.markanders.com/markanders.com/home.html , and you can read more about the study at http://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/1641/

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Myfivefingers.com’s attractive website badge

Brian Patterson is a Vibram Five Fingers enthusiast who has been driven by his dedication to minimalist footwear to tackle the task of compiling and meticulously maintaining an encyclopedic site dedicated to the sport and science entitled myfivefingers.com. The site is segmented into various sections featuring specific articles, reviews, and guides relevant to minimalist footwear with content which continues to burgeon by the day.

Brian’s reviews are especially illuminating, with numerous large clear photos dealing with every aspect of the footwear he is testing, as well as complete specifications and even recommendations as to the type of person that would be best suited to that particular set. The site also features a remarkably easy to use Five Fingers Sizing Wizard which in a few simple steps will allow anyone to find the perfect fit in the minimalist footwear of their choosing. Brian has also created a set of very striking badges which other minimalist footwear aficionados can place on their websites to link back to myfivefingers.com, complete with the necessary HTML code ready to drop into any page.

Brian recently interviewed me for his site, and we covered the medical reasons supporting minimalist footwear, and touched on a variety of different topics, from the scenarios whereby I recommend inserts or orthotics, and the specific cases where minimalist shoes are not recommended due to neurological or circulatory impairments or other significant deformities.

I gladly share Brian’s enthusiasm for this important subject and highly recommend that any reader should check out myfivefingers.com, especially if you are interested in learning about the state of the art of minimalist footwear, and would like to delve into the most suitable models for your own needs and preferences. It’s an extremely well-produced website and best of all it is very obvious that the entire project is a labor of love for Brian.

Check out Brian’s site at http://www.myfivefingers.com

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Barefoot activity has proven medical benefits

Do shoes contribute to knee pain, joint deterioration and arthritis? According to new research published by Drs. Andy Oliver Radzimski and Gisela Sole at the prestigious University of Otago, and Dr. Annegret Mundermann at the University of Constance, Germany, in most cases the answer appears to be a resounding yes.

For many barefoot runners and walkers who have avoided or alleviated their painful knees by shunning supportive shoes, arch supports, and orthotics (custom made arch supports), this research is nothing new. The barefoot community has known for years that barefoot activity is good for our knees, but now science is catching up.

Dr. Radzimski and his co-researchers reviewed the scientific literature on the effect of footwear and arch supports/orthotics on the knee. They looked at the external knee adduction moment (EKAM) when we are wearing shoes and when we are barefoot. EKAM represents knee load distribution from the inside to the outside of the knee joint. The higher the EKAM is, the greater and faster the progressions of deterioration (osteoarthritis) of the knee joint. In simple terms, a high EKAM is bad for our knee, while a low EKAM is good for the knee.

These researchers stunning findings came about after looking at a grand total of 348 scientific articles and including 33 studies in their research. In plain English: these highly educated and respected scientists evaluated all current knowledge and scientific information on the effect of footwear on the knee joint of healthy people and those with knee disorders with regard to EKAM. This impressive analysis of the literature is important because the ardent lovers of supportive shoes believe that our feet need to be encased in footwear will have a difficult time refuting the voluminous amount of scientific research analyzed.

Remarkably, these researchers found that sneakers and running shoes increased EKAM when compared to barefoot walking and barefoot running. Specifically, the knee has a greater load on the inside of the joint when wearing shoes as compared to going barefoot. In fact, the authors of this astounding research say that shoes that provide “stability” (or support) create increased load on the knee joint (again when compared to simply going barefoot).

Radzimski and his co-writers conclude by suggesting that people with knee arthritis on the inside of their knee joint should consider walking barefoot when possible. I recommend this too. Not only will your knees thank you, but your whole body will too.

This new, groundbreaking research is not proof that barefoot is better than wearing shoes, but if you will excuse the pun, it is yet one more step (in fact, a big step) in that direction. I do not expect this amazing research will convince the tiny percentage of supportive-shoe-loving zealots out there to take a step without their feet firmly encased in their thickly-padded shoes, but for the vast majority of people with an open mind, I urge them to give this research a read. More importantly, give barefoot activity a try!

Note: if you do decide to make the leap to barefoot walking or running, begin slowly, read up on the techniques of giving up your supportive footwear or shoes, and if you have any medical problems, proceed only under the care of your physician.

References:

Radzimski AO, et al, Effect of footwear on the external knee adduction moment – A systemic review, Knee (2011), doi:10, 1016/j.knee. 2011.05.013

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The Most Famous Barefoot Man Since Fred Flintstone

As the co-host of The Discovery Channel’s popular Dual Survival series, Cody Lundin is becoming one of the most recognized survival experts in the world. Cody is the author of two bestsellers 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive and When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need to Survive When Disaster Strikes, and he has become famous for walking through swamps, deserts, forests, and mountainsides in his bare feet.

Cody’s expertise in survival skills is a result of a lifetime of personal experience in exploring self-reliant living. He spent two years in a deep forest brush shelter sleeping on pine needles, and has recently designed and built a solar earth Arizona home where he captures rainwater, composts all his organic waste, and has brought his heating and cooling bills to zero: A tall order in the Northern Arizona high desert where temperatures can range from -20 to +110 degrees F.

Cody is now in his twentieth year at the Aboriginal Living Skills School which he founded in Prescott, Arizona, and where he trains people of all ages and from all backgrounds Skills Courses to provide hands-on experiences of primitive and survival technologies; and Adventure Courses which include prolonged cross-country treks while hunting and gathering for food.

CY Interview magazine called Cody The Most Famous Barefoot Man Since Fred Flintstone, and I had the opportunity to discuss his trend setting shoeless lifestyle with him in a recent conversation.

Cody explains that his choice to spend more than two decades in bare feet is a personal lifestyle choice which makes him feel comfortable. As an aboriginal skills expert he is well aware that many native people did not use footwear, and he reminds us that shoes are a fairly recent homo sapiens invention and that “human history and time” is on his side.

The barefoot lifestyle has its limits for Cody, but they are only in the most extreme settings. In Peru, he had to craft makeshift sandals out of a Volkswagen tire in order to cross searing hot, sharp volcanic rock expanses covered in prickly cactus. He will also put on three pairs of woolen socks for extended forays into arctic snow. Civilization forces Cody to compromise as well. He claims that he has to force himself to wear flip flops to enter restaurants and board airplanes.

Cody Lundin testifies that his barefoot Abo Dude image which Backpacker magazines termed Heavy Metal Meets Ancient Native American “is a lifestyle for me, not just a way to make a living.” His commitment to walking barefoot is a reflection of his overall philosophy about outdoor survival: “Most backpackers today travel in a gear bubble. And when your livelihood is totally reliant on modern gear technology, the prospect of that technology failing can be pretty scary.”

My conversation with Cody proved him to be a worthy torch bearer for the advantages and healthful benefits of the barefoot lifestyle. Walk on, Cody Lundin, walk on!

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Biomechanics of Sport Shoes by Dr. Benno Nigg

A middle-aged woman arrived at my office last week complaining of heel pain and carrying a bag of custom-made foot orthotics (orthotics are custom made arch supports that are fabricated from a mold of the patient’s feet). Each orthotic this woman had with her was expertly fabricated by a different podiatrist and yet none of them had come close to alleviating her heel pain. At first I thought maybe these podiatrists didn’t know what they were doing. But, when I learned their names, I knew this woman had seen competent, skilled and reputable physicians.

I asked myself “how could this be?” More interestingly, no two sets of orthotics were even remotely alike. Further, given that nearly all podiatrists learn similar principles of biomechanics, shouldn’t orthotics for a given patient be the same regardless which podiatrist makes them?

After reading Biomechanics of Sport Shoes, Dr. Benno Nigg’s newest book, I have the answer. It is sobering, disturbing and I don’t want to believe it. Unfortunately, Nigg is one of the top biomechanic researchers in the field sport shoes, foot inserts and foot orthotics in the world. In fact, I imagine that Nigg spends more time thinking about biomechanics than a 17 year old boy spends thinking about sex. 

Foot Orthotics Debunked!

Nigg reveals that foot orthotics, which are devices designed to align misaligned feet, are actually not aligning the skeleton at all. In fact, Nigg’s book reveals many disturbing facts about orthotics, shoes and inserts: including that there is weak evidence orthotics lessen injury. Furthermore, changes in skeletal alignment due to inserts or shoes are inconsistent and minor.
 
Most importantly, Nigg goes on to warn that one of the dangers of the consistent use of orthotics is that they reduce functional demand on muscles may be associated with the deterioration of the muscles’ strength and function. So even though a foot orthotic often helps in the short term, over the long term Nigg warns their use may cause problems.

Repetitive Impact Not As Bad As We Thought!

Beyond orthotics, Nigg dispels the notion that running injuries are due to directly to impact forces and suggest that the new paradigm should be “muscle tuning” and the minimizing of vibration of the runner’s soft tissue. Nigg asserts that injuries are generally a result of intensity, duration, and recovery time.

Excessive Pronation May Not Be A Problem

Nigg then reviews foot, ankle and leg biomechanic research and shows that there is no evidence that excessive pronation when walking or running is a cause of injury. This finding is dramatic because many podiatrists believe excessive pronation is the root of many foot problems. 

Barefoot Running May Not Be Any Better

Despite Nigg debunking shoes, inserts and orthotics, you may be tempted to believe he must be a proponent of barefoot running. Not so. Nigg does not believe there is any evidence currently that barefoot runners sustain fewer injuries than shod runners. However, rather than closing the proverbial shoe box lid on barefoot running, he does say “barefoot training” is important and admits that barefoot running has a “small” performance advantage, but it may only be beneficial for a small group of runners.

He speculates that the functional adaptations of footwear based on the bare foot are positive and may persist, but the fashion adaptations based on the bare foot will disappear in relatively short time. 

Are You Ready To Be Unplugged?

One has to wonder the long term effects of the Biomechanics of Sport Shoes. Clearly, it should be required reading for every podiatrist. However, it may be difficult for some podiatric physicians, particularly those who have spent their life doing sophisticated biomechanical exams on their patients and meticulously fabricating foot orthotics, to open their minds to the content of this book.

Beyond health practitioners, patients themselves still generally believe arch supports, running shoes and foot orthotics are well-understood and the answer to their running injury woes. Until people begin thinking for themselves and asking questions both to themselves, to their doctors, and to the running shoe and arch support companies, the system will feed them what it always has.

I am reminded of a great quote from the film The Matrix:

“The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you’re inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it.”

On a personal note, I vigorously applaud Nigg for not only puzzling-out the mysteries sports shoes, orthotics and running, but for having the courage to put his theories into the public domain.

If you are ready to open your mind to the latest information and theories on running, sport shoes and foot orthotics, I urge you to read Biomechanics of Sport Shoes.

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The Mysterious Foot Orthotic

Orthotics Sales Approach $5 Billion Per Year

The term “Foot Orthotic” refers to everything from the inexpensive drugstore pre-fabricated insoles to costly, custom-made devices specifically molded to the foot. Podiatrists generally consider orthotics to be custom-made devices, specifically made from a mold of the patient. Podiatrists spend a great deal of time and energy understanding the biomechanics of the foot and when designing an orthotic for patients, consider the patient’s biomechanics and other factors. The CMAJ article quoted a study by Global Industry Analysts showing that the orthotics market is booming and could reach total sales of nearly five billion dollars in the next few years.

I Discussed the Problem of Possible Muscle Atrophy

The CMAJ article quoted me in saying that “You can’t guarantee anything is going to work for everyone, because people are so variable. Orthotics can do amazing things for many people, but not for everyone.” I stated that “there isn’t even a consensus on what an orthotic is,” and discussed the risk of foot muscle atrophy when relying on orthotic devices. “When you brace the foot, that may alter the function of the foot for the better, but in doing so it negates the need for many of the muscles in the foot to do anything. Common sense tells us that if you don’t use a muscle, it’s going to weaken.“

The Mechanics Of Orthotics Are Still Largely Unknown

Benno Nigg, professor of biomechanics and codirector of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Calgary, Alberta stated that there is no conclusive evidence of the actual mechanism of function of orthotic devices. “Orthotics can work and can have fantastic effects, but we don’t know how they work,” adding that “we don’t really understand what we do.” Nigg discussed the hypothesis that orthotics help shift improper skeletal alignment. “Maybe we should not think of pushing the skeleton around, but rather about finding ways to give signals to the body to do the right thing,” Nigg said.

Dr. Nigg has just published a new book, Biomechanics of Sports Shoes, and I’ll be posting a review of that work in an upcoming blog.

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As soon as you key in the words toe salad, you know that you are in for an unusual and entertaining experience, and that is definitely the case for the exciting new website toesalad.com. The name was first coined by founder Damien’s 11 year old daughter to describe the greenery collection left between your toes when you walk through tall grass wearing Vibram FiveFingers. If we consider a salad as a cornucopia of healthy and nutritious variety, we definitely arrive at a successful definition of the Toe Salad website.

A One Stop Site For Every Minimalist Footwear Need

In building what is truly a maximalist website for minimalist footwear, Damien has been able to incorporate:

• A directory listing every brand and model of minimalist footwear to be found anywhere
• A review system which allows participants to review and rate any footwear in the directory
• A “cork board” where links and photos can be shared
• A forum which is a great place to meet other minimalist footwear enthusiasts, chat, and get your questions answered

… and much much more.

Minimalist Footwear Donated By Manufacturers Is Being Raffled

Damien has integrated a marvelous spectrum of attractions and incentives into his new site, and has been amply supported by the minimal footwear industry which has contributed various sets of products to be given away to the site’s participants on February 15th. Anyone who creates an account; introduces themselves; writes a review; submits a link; or uploads a photo onto Toe Salad before that date is automatically entered into the draw.

The Review Department Covers A Burgeoning Number Of Products

One of the most remarkable aspects of Toe Salad is the concept whereby an ever burgeoning number of reviews are submitted by the site’s participants in the form of a review Wiki. The information provided by the reviewers is first-hand and personal thus the reader can be assured that they are not being submitted to a thinly disguised rewrite of a manufacturer’s spec sheet or press release. These are real people writing about their actual experiences with a wide variety of minimalist footwear, and no punches are pulled: If an aspect about that product is exceptional, it is lauded; if it is substandard, it is panned.

The Forum Is A Great Meeting Place For All Minimalist Runners and Walkers

The forum is a lively hub of conversations and discussion, with a popular section where new Toe Salad participants can introduce themselves, and various sections to discuss custom footwear designs and modifications, and even swap, buy or sell footwear. There’s also a department for each major manufacturer, and even an area where barefoot enthusiasts can gather. Damien is exceptionally open to advice on how to further improve the site and has thus set up a suggestions forum where he encourages a free interchange of ideas.

Toe Salad is a welcome addition to the online world of minimalist footwear and is a site where any runner can be educated, informed, and entertained!

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The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) has just published a two part news feature article on barefoot running, The Rise of Barefoot Running  and Low Tech Running Shoes in High Demand. Its conclusions as to the state of current medical research and the overall progress of the sport are definitely worth reviewing.

CMAJ Scrutinized The Research On Both Sides Of The Issue

The CMAJ articles are extremely fair and balanced, eloquently discussing both sides of the issue. On behalf of barefoot running, the association stated that it “encourages people to take shorter strides and to land more softly on the middle or front of their feet, which some people believe reduces injuries and strengthens foot muscles”, and “there is no scientific evidence that all the cushioning in high-tech running shoes provide a health benefit”.

Experts Agree That More Research Is Needed To Support Barefoot Running

CMAJ quoted a number of experts in podiatry and running kinetics supporting barefoot running, including articles published in Nature and Dan Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University who stated “the key thing is not being barefoot, but using a barefoot style, and not colliding into the ground with your heels.”

Dr. Kevin Kirby, an adjunct associate professor at the California School of Podiatric Medicine in Oakland examined the paucity of clinical research in the field on both sides of the issue and stated that “there is also no research that indicates running shoes reduce injuries.“

I Provided CMAJ With Information To Bolster The Benefits of Barefoot Running

The CMAJ articles quoted me in stating that “there is a lot of research that is leaning in (the) direction” of supporting that running barefoot has beneficial effects. To help bolster the case against running shoes, I stated that “there are four layers of muscle in our feet. The majority of the muscles are used less, if at all, when the feet are in supportive footwear.”

In my CMAJ interview I also stated that “there’s an idea that our feet need a lot of help or support. The truth is that feet are really strong and resilient”.

Runners Of All Styles Can Look Forward To More Rigorous Scientific Dialogue

The CMAJ should be lauded and commended for focusing on the full breadth of scientific evidence with regards to barefoot running. Further clinical research is certainly called for in this field, and all runners can look forward to more authoritative medical organizations like CMAJ publishing their findings and supporting the sport through rigorous scientific dialogue.

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