Support

Many shoes have a “support system” built into them. This may be a simple insert or a complex arrangement of built-up stabilizing structures with fancy names. Most of these exist for marketing reasons and not real function. When you support the feet when they don’t truly need it, you’re asking for trouble. And for most athletes, this need usually does not exist. Some people, however, may need extra support because they have stayed in shoes with too much support for too long, thereby weakening the natural support mechanisms within the foot. For these individuals, their feet don’t feel right without the added support. This vicious cycle can be broken by weaning off over-supported shoes and strengthening the muscles of the feet.

Support systems in many shoes contribute to a thicker heel area. When barefoot, our heel and forefoot are about the same level, but most shoes are made so that our heel is higher than the rest of our foot. This unnatural state can ultimately result in reduced muscle function in the gastrocnemius, soleus, and tibialis anterior.

广告：个人专属 VPN，独立 IP，无限流量，多机房切换，还可以屏蔽广告和恶意软件，每月最低仅 5 美元