Tread lightly - Blog

Vibrams FiveFingers shoes have been around for some time now. In fact, they first became available to buy over a decade ago back in 2005. The original prototype was developed in 1999 by the young design student Robert Fliri, who wanted a shoe that would cause him the least sensory disruption whilst exploring and moving through the outdoor natural environment.

Working with Vibram to develop his idea, Five Fingers were originally targeted at yacht racers as a solution that would help them improve grip on wet slippery decks whilst maintaining the advantages that came from being barefoot on deck.

The shoe's potential as a minimalist running shoe was recognized and suggested to Vibrams CEO by Ted McDonald, a runner, popularly known as "Barefoot Ted" because of his reputation for running without shoes and who had developed a successful career as a barefoot running coach.

Today Vibram have developed models of FiveFingers that are suited to a variety of sports and activities including but not limited to: fitness training, martial arts, powerlifting, running, hiking, yoga, kayaking, paddle boarding, and other water sports

Running in Vibram FiveFingers allow and promote a natural running form very close to that of running barefoot but offer the additional advantage of providing the protection of a Vibram sole to reduce the risk of underfoot puncture or cut injury from ground debris.

Which part of your foot strikes the ground first has a significant effect on the efficiency of your running form. Many experts used to argue that the outside back edge of your heel should strike first, then as momentum moves your body over your foot, you should push off from the big toe. This technique requires a stride length that places your foot ahead of your body and means that you are landing with an almost straight leg that contributes to deceleration and causes strain on your body.

Recent scientific studies suggest that a different approach is more efficient. Investigations into the differences in foot strike between running barefoot and running in conventional trainers. When running barefoot there is a clear tendency to reduce stride length which results in landing mid foot allowing the arch of the foot and leg to absorb the energy and spring back to release the energy. This has the advantage of propelling your body forwards whilst reducing the strain on your body. Although the landing is midfoot, the heel is still allowed to make light contact with the ground as momentum moves your body over your foot.

Vibram Five Fingers offer a near-barefoot experience. When used for running it is important to know that you will need to make adjustments to improve your running form and avoid injuries.