Originally Posted by
Rex G
Holy necro-post revival! Four days short of ten years, between posts #110 and #111!
Well, anyway, I have been using minimalist, barefoot, and zero-drop shoes since some time last years, and, quite notably, a knee problem that had bothered me, for decades, went away, and my lower back feels better, too. The shoes that are really working well, in my case, are Merrell Trail Glove shoes, and New Balance Minimalist shoes, which I do wear with Smartwool socks. Smartwool is made from a blend of Merino wool, and I have been using them for decades, including when I would be in my duty boots, for what sometimes worked-out to be 36+ hours, without removing the boots.
I also have some Xero sandals, which do not stay on my feet very well, so, are really just for short periods, such as the first, early-morning dog walk. I have seen some you-tube tutorials, about reconfiguring the lacing. Some people run marathons in Xero sandals, so, presumably, it is possible to make them work, even when running.
Notably, it takes time to re-condition one’s feet, to do without the support and padding of most of today’s athletic shoes. Ideally, the user of such shoes should re-learn how to run, with a gait that results in less impact. (I have yet to try to resume serious running, as I considered myself to have aged-out of running about two decades ago, but I did a short, gentle run last week, off-pavement, and did not seem to have caused any notable damage.