Historically, humans ran with bare feet. It has only been in the last two centuries that we have begun wearing shoes for athletic activity.
In 1832, a New York company patented and released some of the first rubber-soled shoes.
It wasn’t until 1964 that the first pair of cushioned running shoes were introduced, the Onitsuka Tigers.
Leading into the 2000’s running shoes continued to become more cushioned and supportive.
The first modern minimalist shoes were developed by Nike who created the Nike Free in 2004.
So what does the term ‘minimalist shoe’ mean?
A shoe is considered ‘minimalist’ if it has a heel drop (the difference in height between the front and back of the shoe) of between 4-8mm. A traditional cushioned shoe will have a heel drop of 10-12mm.
A minimal shoe also features a lightweight construction and minimal cushioning.
Why are minimal shoes making a comeback?
Cushioned shoes are being shown to change our natural running patterns; the higher
heel is encouraging a heel-strike pattern (heel-strike is when your heel hits the
ground first during running).
Minimalist shoes, on the other hand, encourage a more natural running pattern-
landing more on the front of the foot.
More recent studies are actually showing that cushioned shoes increase rather than
decrease impact loading during running (Kulmala et al. 2018). This is being linked to
the high frequency of running injuries around the world.
Should you go out and start running with minimalist shoes tomorrow?
As with any new activity, if you suddenly take it up at a high intensity and frequency
you are putting your body at risk of injury.
The process of transitioning to minimalist shoes should happen gradually and may
not be appropriate for all people.
Your physiotherapist can help you determine if minimalist shoes are the right option
for you.
A physiotherapist can also provide strengthening exercises specific to optimising
your transition to minimalist shoes and give you guidance on a safe and appropriate
program to begin the transition.
Kulmala, J. P., Kosonen, J., Nurminen, J., & Avela, J. (2018). Running in highly cushioned shoes
increases leg stiffness and amplifies impact loading. Scientific reports, 8(1), 17496.
doi:10.1038/s41598-018-35980-6
