Pegatina 1 Vuelve a lo natural

Do you know why you shouldn't wear traditional or cushioned shoes if your knee hurts?

• The foot has more than 30,000 nerve endings. If we cover these ends with a thick, cushioned sole, the foot's ability to pick up the tactile signals emitted by the ground is nullified, so it is confused and instead of interpreting that we are stepping on hard asphalt, it interprets that we are stepping on a soft, cushioned surface. In response to this erroneous information our reflex system increases joint stiffness in an attempt to seek stability, as it is believed that we are treading on unstable ground. This causes the footprints to be more harmful. In other words, cushioned shoes eliminate the foot's ability to inform the rest of the body of the type of terrain we are treading, as they prevent the normal functioning of the tactile receptors.

• Cushioned shoes increase the stress on the skeleton, including the feet.

• Cushioned shoes do not allow the impact moderation mechanisms to come into play. Such runners often attack the ground well in front of the centre of gravity, with the knee straight or slightly bent, so that the impact is received by the skeleton, rather than cushioned.

• On the other hand, cushioned shoes usually have arch support, a stabiliser for the calcaneus, a system for controlling pronation, a very rigid sole, a high difference in height between the heel and the forefoot (high drop), etc... all of this influences the restriction of movement of the foot and a change in the motor pattern, with the consequent muscular and structural weakness of the foot.

Complete article on cushioned shoes and knee pain.

And don't forget to download the Guide to Learning the Natural Running Technique...... is FREE!