Running Better: The Scoop on Shoes

"Running Better" is the first project that I've completed for the 2012-13 school year. Over the course of my project, I've researched many aspects of running and even tested a few out on myself.

  

Because of the advanced and constantly evolving technology of the running shoe, it seems that as humans, we have an endless void of possibilities for running in comfort at our fingertips. However, this has not always been the case. Long ago, ancient peoples ran as a means of livelihood, wearing light leather moccasins. Because they had sufficient foot protection, our ancestors could sufficiently hunt and flee anything threatening; those runners that couldn’t keep-up with the pack were unable to survive. Although the running shoe has evolved considerably since that long-ago time period, it still provides a traditional way for the human race to get from point A to point B,

Up until the early 20^th century, runners generally made their own shoes. They were usually crafted from whatever materials were on hand such as wood, cloth, yarn, rubber, nails, and leather (according to Danny Abshire’s book Natural Running). In time for the 1908 Olympic Games, the Spaulding Co. introduced the first-ever designated commercial running shoes, which were basically leather slippers with rubber soles. The running shoe industry only really began to take shape in the late 1960’s in response to the emerging running boom. The Onitsuka Tiger Co. From Japan (later ASICS) was the first industry to formally manufacture running shoes for public consumers. It was quickly followed by opponent company Adidas of Germany. Early running boom shoes mainly consisted of a hard rubber outsole, a thin rubber insole, and a nylon upper cover with laces. Along with the popularity of running there grew the popularity of jogging.  Joggers tend to need more padding in the sole of the shoe and EVA foam, which still helps to absorb impact in the sole of the shoe today, was introduced. Soon after, Jogging author Bill Bowerman did some experimentation with rubber on his wife’s waffle iron and co-founded the Nike Co., which featured a wedge of support under the heels of its shoes for maximum comfort and allowing for a longer stride, making it the first-ever shoe that allowed runners to land exclusively on their heels . The idea of a supported heel was mimicked by other companies and consequently started a 30-year “shoe war” during which running shoes got increasingly cushier, softer, and more comfortable.

The modern running shoe is quite a long shot from the basic models of the early industry. Today, nearly all marketed running shoes are supported by a 2-inch heel wedge of EVA foam and are sometimes equipped with built-in gel packs and air pockets. They’re also more fashionable; coming in almost every color combination imaginable. Today’s running shoes help us to run on almost every type of terrain and give us initiative and incentive for longer stride length. However, this type of running was not all roses for everyone. Since the 80’s, modern running shoes are starting to become increasingly supportive which, ironically, was actually starting to make them slightly dangerous. The extravagantly overly-cushioned heels can cause over-supination (outward rolling of the feet), which may lead to alignment issues in the hips and back. Also, overly- cushioned heels give runners an excuse heel-strike on impact which negatively affects your feet, ankles, and knees. The EVA foam is posing a problem a problem for a lot of people. By absorbing the impact of the foot, it also absorbs energy needed in the push-off phase of running. The cushion of EVA also prevents the nervous system in the foot from relaying information about the running surface to the brain. This is causing many people to land off-balance. In 2004, Nike conducted a study of barefoot biomechanics during which they had people run without shoes while monitoring the places of impact on their feet. Naturally, all participants ran on the balls of their feet with their heels barely touching the ground. It was starting to seem as though the standard running shoe might not be the best for mankind after all.