Have you been thinking about getting more cushioned shoes? Here are some things to consider.
When to get more cushion:
Beneficial to help absorb shock when the joints are unable to do so (i.e. knee arthritis, stiff joints that can’t be improved with exercises or rehab)
Beneficial for long standing hours on hard surfaces (i.e. nurse/doctor, teacher)
When you need to KNOW MORE before getting more cushion:
If you’re saying: “My back hurts” “My knee hurts”
If you’re saying: “I feel like I need more cushion”
Why do you need to know more before getting a more cushioned shoe?
Our feet provide valuable feedback between the ground and our brains. In fact, they provide the only feedback between the ground and our brain. They have specific receptors that help the body determine how hard we are hitting the ground. They do this through vibration. Natural surfaces such as wood and grass vibrate more than unnatural surfaces such as asphalt. Concrete does not vibrate at all. The more than we have between our feet and the ground, the less feedback we get.
It’s not about how HARD we hit the ground, it’s about whether our body knows how to respond to it through its own shock absorption methods.
Research has shown that the more you put between the foot and the ground, the more force the body absorbs. Peak knee flexion actually decreases, indicating a stiffening of the joints to help absorb the extra load. Think of the body like a spring. You want the body to have a certain amount of rebound. If the spring is too stiff, this can lead to injury. We can show this using the RunDNA 3D Gait Analysis.
Cushioned shoes often have increased overall stack height (the amount of shoe that's under your foot). If you are prone to rolling your foot or already have balance/stability issues, a cushioned shoe can exacerbate this.
Cushioned shoes may be right for you, but we’d suggest reaching out to a running gait specialist to see if it’s right for you, especially if you're considering a change because you're injured.
If you do decide to go with a more cushioned shoe, give yourself time to adapt to the shoe so that your body can adapt to the change in force it is dealing with when you land. Also, remember our email about shoe variety. You can add a cushioned shoe to the mix and see how it goes.
To learn more about our 3D Gait Analysis or how working with a certified running gait analyst can help solve your running issues, please visit our website or simply reply to this email with your questions!
