Shopping for an Athletic Shoe.

Gait is the most complex motor function of the human body. So much so, that is it the only motor function for which there is no standard. It involves more than 300 muscles and 200 bones. In developed nations we have a “normal” gait. However in shoeless societies they have a “natural” gait. In the 14,000 years of humans wearing shoes we have not yet developed a shoe that allows for natural gait.

At Taiso Fitness and Nutrition we perform all our indoor gym training without shoes. We have to be as smart about shoes and there effects as possibles. And choose smartly to minimize negative impacts. There are many things to consider, but today I will focus on heel height.

When we stand barefoot our body column makes a ninety degree angle with the floor. Raising the heel two inches changes this angle to seventy degrees. Three inches changes it to fifty-five degrees. This places additional stress on the knees, thighs, hips, back and neck. Incidentally, the knees and low back are among the most common problems people have when they come to us for personal training.

But it gets worse. A woman’s natural pelvis position is with an anterior twenty-five degree angle. A inch heel height alters her pelvis to thirty degrees. Two inches to forty-five, and three inches to sixty degrees. The altered pelvis tilt in turn causes her abdominal organs to shift.

Additionally, raising the heel creates an unnatural wedge effect between the heel and the ball of the foot. This wedge alters the bodies center of gravity and prevents a natural step from occurring. It also results in shortened calf muscles and achilles tendons. A quick little test you can give yourself is to see if you can squat with your hips below your knees while keeping your feet flat on the ground while barefoot. More than half the people I see every day cannot do this due to shortened achilles tendons and calf muscles.

One of things you can look for in a shoe is a zero-drop shoe that is relatively flat like the Merrell shoe I use in the video. Not only should you look for the lowest heel height, but you should also check for the ball-of-foot cavity I describe in the video. You want your foot to land as naturally as possible in the shoe. Keep an eye out for more on shoes in the near future.

Taiso Fitness and Nutrition

If you are looking for a unique gym experience try Taiso Fitness and Nutrition. We are Tacoma’s fitness and nutrition gym for people who want to get out of pain or improve performance, who need immediate, measurable results, and want to make educated decisions to take control of their health.

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