HONG KONG PODIATRIST DISCUSSES MINIMALIST SHOES

PODIATRIST DR. DOUGLAS HORNE WHO PRACTICES IN DISCOVERY BAY IN HONG KONG STATES, "COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL RUNNING SHOES WHERE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HIEGHT OF THE HEEL AND FOREFOOT (KNOWN AS A 'HEEL-TO-TOE DROP') COULD BE 10 TO 20 MM, MINIMALIST SHOES FEATURE A DROP OF BETWEEN ZERO AND 6 MM.  THE THEORY BEHIND THIS IS THAT IT ALLOWS, OR PROMOTES, A MORE NATURAL RUNNING STYLE, WITH A SMOOTHER TRANSITION FROM REAR-FOOT TO MID-FOOT TO TOE-OFF."

PODIATRIST HORNE STATES, "THIS LOWER HEEL-TO-TOE DROP REDUCES THE OCCURRENCE OF THE TWO-BEAT FOOT FALL - A HEEL STRIKE FOLLOWED BY AN UNCONTROLLED SHIFT OF THE FOOT INTO A FOREFOOT SLAP ON THE GROUND - WHICH CAN BECOME PAINFUL ON THE ANKLES AND SHINS.  THE SCIENCE WHICH WAS TOUTED AS THE REASON FOR MOVING TOWARDS A MORE FOREFOOT STRIKE (AS PROMOTED BY MINIMALIST SHOES) IS NOW BEING QUESTIONED AND CHALLENGED BY OTHER RESEARCH, WHICH IN SOME CASES SEEMS TO SAY THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE."

AT THE PRESENT TIME THEIR ARE MIXED REVIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT, BUT OUR FOOT CLINIC RECOMMENDS THAT BEGINNERS SHOULD NOT START OUT WITH MINIMALIST SHOES.  THOSE WHO DO CHOOSE THESE SHOES SHOULD START OUT SLOWLY A WORK YOUR WAY UP.  IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY FOOT PAIN OR INJURIES, HAVE THEM LOOKED AFTER BY A QUALIFIED FOOT SPECIALIST SUCH AS A CHIROPODIST OR PODIATRIST.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY DR JOHN A HARDY, OWNER OF ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS.