Wasn’t it revealed that these types of running shoes are really horrible for your feet and legs? You don’t really see them anymore.
As someone who has worn these types of shoes for years for various physical activities: I have run Spartan races, played soccer, run in the sand… etc. I have never had any issues or ailments induced by wearing these shoes. I’ve read the studies against and they aren’t very compelling.
Of note:
I don’t use them for street running ever.
I am somewhat flat footed.
I’ve never had knee issues, but have weak ankles (these have no ankle support)
For anyone interested in Vibram FiveFingers: See the comments under the “CVT LS” style for information that may be useful to everyone. Since I wrote them I think they’re helpful but you’ll have to decide. It’s just that the old system Woot used to use provided a comments section that applied to the entire category instead of by individual item. This new idiotic system Woot has gone to about comments only pertaining to each item negates us from seeing info. that applies and is useful to anyone interested in any of the items in the category, unless we just ‘happen’ to look under a particular item’s comments section that has useful info. for all.
No! Vibram’s advertising implied their shoes provided health benefits. Unfortunately they didn’t have any evidence to back up their claims and a woman decided she wanted to sue the company for that reason and initiated a class action lawsuit.
I began using them because two of my doctors always wore them and after talking with them I gave them a try because 1. I like going barefoot and 2. I hoped they would help my lower back pain/issues and joint pain. They have done both.
Normal shoes compress our feet and toes unnaturally which causes many of the muscles in our legs and feet to not be used and atrophy. Vibrams allow our feet and toes to “splay” out naturally as is the case when we are barefoot. It not only strengthens the muscles that go unused in normal shoes which makes our legs stronger but they also discourage heel striking when we walk and run. Heel striking causes tremendous pressure to be applied to our ankle, knee and hip joints. Vibrams promote using the balls of our feet to walk and run which is much less intrusive and alleviates the jarring our joints receive from walking and running. I’m sure that’s why my joints and lower back improved after using them for a while. Caution needs to be taken though when you first use Vibrams because you will begin using those muscles that your shoes allowed to atrophy and if you try to walk a lot or run without first allowing those muscles to slowly strengthen first you will risk injury.
Statistics say your observation about them not being as popular as they used to be is incorrect.