I'm sure everyone has seen those shoes with all the toes that you've always wondered if they really work. They are called barefoot sports shoes, and most often referred to as "Toe Shoes" They are shoes/sneakers that have five toe slots in them to promote natural movement for your feet during your active day.
You might be someone that thinks they look like alien sneakers, or you think they totally fit in with ym style and love them! Well There has a been some controversy over the shoe and whether or not it is actually better for your feet or not. The main reason for the shoe is to get back to that natural movement that your feet should have. According to Vibram Five Fingers, it does take some getting used to and training to properly use these shoes.
When running most people land on the heel of their foot, well Vibram suggests landing on the ball (front) of your foot to reduce harsh impact on your joints. Vibram posted two videos comparing the difference between landing either on your heel or the ball of your foot.
The first video is on heel striking and the second is the proper barefoot form of running.
On the contrary to these videos there have been studies on the difference between running landings conducted by Journal of Applied Psychology.
“‘In the end, this data showed that heel-striking was the more physiologically economical running form, by a considerable margin. Heel strikers used less oxygen to run at the same pace as forefoot strikers, and many of the forefoot strikers used less oxygen—meaning they were more economical—when they switched form to land first with their heels.”
I think it's safe to say just like any other product there are pros and cons to whether its actually benefiting you. But I would love to try them for myself, especially after doing some further research. I think they are worth a shot, and if they aren't the right fit for you, well atleast you tried.
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