Vibrams. Just Do It.
I will be the first to admit that I’m not a fashionista by any means – What Not To Wear would have a field day with me. The most recent fashion faux pas that grabs the attention of my clients, the bagger at Krogers, and the random people in line at the post office is my footwear. I’m one of those people sporting the latest trend in athletic equipment, Vibram Five Fingers.
Dear God Why.
When training for the Austin marathon, a few years back, I was experiencing a lot of lateral ankle pain, knee pain, and hip tightness. My IT band was rolling over my hip and creating a really loud “POP” anytime I would stand from a seated position. I had to tape my ankle every time I ran and was popping NSAIDs and fish oils like they were going out of style.
…and then I discovered ugly shoes.
I stumbled upon Vibrams at an REI, Inc and was instantly hooked. Let me explain how they work, why they work, and why some people think they don’t work.
I’m hesitant to jump on the latest bandwagon in the world of diet, exercise, and gimmicks, so I did some research into the Vibrams and uncovered the world of barefoot running (which also introduced me to the Paleo movement, that is another blog, another day). The idea behind the barefoot running ideology is that our bodies evolved to be bipedal with certain caveats to protect itself in the upright position. Namely, the strength and alignment of our feet being the most important because this is the very start of our whole kinetic chain.
Daniel Lieberman, a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University said, “People have been running barefoot for millions of years and it has only been since 1972 that people have been wearing shoes with thick, synthetic heels.”. The devil’s advocate would say, “Well, we didn’t have paved roads either”. CUE THE VIBRAMS! There is a movement of barefoot running that includes b a r e f o o t r u n n i n g. This means NO SHOES. Do you know what dying of tetanus is like? There is no reason, in my opinion, to go militant and run around the streets of NY asking for ringworm, diseases, and injury, just so we can move in a way that is more ancestrally fit.
I digress.
For whatever reason people seem to think that the arches in our feet are some mysterious body part to be treated completely differently from every other muscle, joint and bone. In fact, the arches of the foot are composed of tendons and ligaments connecting the tarsal and metatarsal bones. These soft tissues need to be strengthened, stretched, and exercised just as much as your killer hamstrings or beefy biceps. You would never start benching 200lbs when all you’ve been doing is curls of Miller Light, but you would slowly work up to it. Slowly increasing the strength of your feet will make your WHOLE body stronger.
My feet are strong, aren’t they?
The average person wears 3 pairs of shoes a day. (I made that up.) Think about it though. We wake up, put on some house slippers and walk around like a zombie until we put on our work shoes – high heels, dress shoes. Then we run over to the gym and throw on our sneakers with arch supports because when we run our feet hurt. Then because our bodies are nice and toned we switch to our fancy shoes and go out on the town. How in the world do we expect the muscles in our feet to ever get stronger?
An Olympic high diver jumps off a platform with substantial spring. They aren’t on a concrete slab. Reducing the mobility of our feet, reducing the sensation of our feet to the ground, and changing the biomechanics of our stride is the same as trying to SPRING off a concrete slab. Think of how much more explosive power, endurance, and strength your feet and legs would have if you strengthened your feet to the same powerful output of a spring board!
I have flat feet, I have high arches, my mommy didn’t hug me as a child.
Your feet will adapt. To anything. In fact, our poor footsies have adapted to RUNNING SHOES. It is not normal for our foot to strike heel first in a normal stride and this is only possible with the advent of lots of padding that we can even accomplish this. The natural motion is altered and will then change how the lower leg handles the shock – this translates to stress fractures, shin splints, tendon/ligament.meniscus tears. Le sigh.
Don’t believe me? Check out this video.
I firmly believe that changing your gait will normalize a lot of structural abnormalities and muscular imbalances. Get some. Try them.
Words of Wisdom:
Start slow. At first continue running in whatever shoes you’ve got, slowly acclimate yourself, introduce your feet to the world of working out by walking around the house in the vibrams, then walk the dog, then go on a slow jog. START SLOW.
5 Reasons to Wear Vibram FiveFingers:
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/
1. Strengthens Muscles in the Feet and Lower Legs—Wearing Vibram FiveFingers will stimulate and strengthen muscles in the feet and lower legs, improving general foot health and reducing the risk of injury.
2. Improves Range of Motion in Ankles, Feet and Toes—No longer ‘cast’ in a shoe, the foot and toes move more naturally.
3. Stimulates Neural Function Important to Balance and Agility—When wearing Vibram FiveFingers, thousands of neurological receptors in the feet send valuable information to the brain, improving balance and agility.
4. Eliminate Heel Lift to Align the Spine and Improve Posture—By lowering the heel, your bodyweight becomes evenly distributed across the footbed, promoting proper posture and spinal alignment.
5. Allow the Foot and Body to Move Naturally—Which just FEELS GOOD.
*For those interested in running in Vibram FiveFingers, please go to our Running page for further information.*
Vibram FiveFingers and Barefoot Running FAQs
www.vibramfiverfingers.com
If my Vibram FiveFingers® hurt while running, should I continue using them?
Minor initial discomfort is not unusual for some individuals, depending on your foot type and running style, but you should not continue if pain persists. Transitioning slowly to build proper strength is imperative when beginning to run in Vibram FiveFingers.
I have always used motion control shoes. Should I drop down into a mid-range shoe before entering into a pair of Vibram FiveFingers®?
While some customers have transitioned successfully using this method, we’ve found that it is not the most effective way to make a transition. More minimal sneakers tend to continue enabling a heel-strike running form, whereas running in Vibram FiveFingers means learning to run on the forefoot. We recommend running first completely barefoot on a hard flat surface. This serves a dual purpose. One, it naturally forces you to run with a very light forefoot strike. Two, it allows your skin to function as a failsafe, so that you don’t push yourself too hard too soon. As you develop a solid forefoot running form you can begin transitioning to Vibram FiveFingers. Slowly building your mileage is critical as your body needs time to build the necessary lower leg strength for forefoot running.
Vibram FiveFingers® do not have a cushioned heel pad. What will that mean to my biomechanics?
In your typical running shoe, the heel is higher than the forefoot. In FiveFingers both the heel and forefoot lie on the same plane, so there is no cushioned heel. If you are a traditional heavy heel-strike runner or walker, you might have a biomechanical change to make, but this change is likely a good one. Humans are not meant to heel strike heavily, particularly when running. Try running without shoes on; you will see what we mean. Running barefoot with a strong heel strike will send you to the sofa to let your bone contusion or fracture heal. One of the goals of Vibram FiveFingers footwear 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 running may be safer and lead to fewer injuries, in addition to being biomechanically more sound from an energy and force distribution standpoint. Basically, it is a smarter way to ambulate.
Can I still run in my regular running shoes and use my Vibram FiveFingers® for training?
Yes. Training in Vibram FiveFingers will enhance your proprioception and foot strength and help you run better, especially if you utilize the technique adaptations you learned while using Vibram FiveFingers. That said, if you do continue to use running shoes in rotation with your Vibram FiveFingers, we recommend you seek out flat, thin-sole running shoes that allow you to maintain the good technique you will have learned using Vibram FiveFingers. Many have used Vibram FiveFingers® as a training tool at first, but often make the full switch as their form improves and feet strengthen.
How long until I see results in my training?
A change in your running style (to a more natural forefoot strike) should occur almost immediately, with lasting adaptations within a few weeks. As your form and foot strength improve you will become more adept at forefoot running and therefore be able to increase your speed and mileage. Maintaining a patient outlook is critical in transitioning to Vibram FiveFingers. Remember, you are learning to use a new athletic skill. Many runners will feel driven to regain the mileage they were used to doing in sneakers in a short period of time. Doing so can lead to overuse injuries, because muscles and tendons need sufficient time to build the strength required for running with a forefoot strike. Sticking to a slow, but steady transition will build a strength base for longterm success.
Some transitioning tips:
- Tips on correct forefoot running form can be found here
- Run no more than 10% of your typical running distance for the first 2–3 weeks
- After 2–3 weeks, gradually increase mileage by 10%–20% every couple of weeks
- If you ever start to feel pain during a run, stop! You can always try again in a couple of days
- Never run 2 days in a row for the first month
- Stretch before and after each run, focusing on calves and feet, because Vibram FiveFingers running will stimulate these muscles
- If, after several weeks of training, you are consistently very sore, you need to rest and back-off on your mileage
