The inov-8 Philosophy
Interesting news piece on the inov-8 site, regarding the off-road shoe specialists’ drive towards ‘neutrality’, and how some of today’s running shoes could be adding to runners’ injury lists…
Imagine running down a trail in a normal pair of running shoes, you step onto a rock, and the shoe does not flex laterally (side to side) but suddenly tips to one side or the other and you tweak your ankle and send all those torqueing forces through your knee and hip.
The majority of running shoes do not flex sufficiently (laterally) because of the support, posting, cushioning and other such technologies that are squeezed into the midsole. All those air pockets, gel pads and control zones change how your foot ‘feels’ the ground and how forces are directed upwards.
Consider what would happen if you had been running barefoot. When you stood on the rock you would have received instant feedback that the ground was uneven (allowing your body to make instinctive adjustments to your balance and position) and rather than your foot tipping, it would mould round the rock as the metatarsal bones all moved independently of each other and unhindered by the shape of a shoe.
Think about these facts when you read the inov-8 philosophy to footwear…
Read the full article
