Best Insoles for all Shoes

The whole concept of minimal shoes is to give the runner an experience similar to what they would get if they were actually barefoot. A primary goal is to get the athletes in the least amount of shoe that is safe for them and gradually reduce the shoe as the foot strengthens. One of the main benefits about being truly barefoot is maximizing proprioception the valuable sensorimotor information we receive from the foot!ground interface. The foot"s dense proprioceptive system plays a critical role in the activation and efficiency of the muscles controlling gait posture and alignment. #hen we introduce a layer between the sole of the foot and the ground we add a layer of sensory insulation. So let$s loo% at the role of a critically important aspect of the shoe & the insole layer the layer that is in contact with the foot. Insoles have traditionally been bro%en down into ' main categories( cushioning support and custom orthotics. )ecently a *th category foot strengthening or proprioceptive feedbac% insoles has been introduced.

+. The cushioning products use terms li%e shoc% absorption and energy dissipation. The basic premise is that the material through physical changes in its properties and !or brea%down dissipate harmful impact energy and provide cushioning. Top products in this category SofSole and Spenco use materials with viscous properties. These tend to be heavy and the softness of the product dampens our interactions with the ground. This does not produce the desired effect for efficient wal%ing and running activities. ,. The second category of insoles support the foot and most commonly the foot$s medial arch. -ariations of these insoles exist which feature wedging effects to alter pronation. These insoles mimic the custom orthotic concept.

-ariations of these insoles also exist where you can heat.form the insole to match your foot ma%ing it more li%e a custom orthotic. In the support category are Sole A./ine and Superfeet. In many cases the brands offer devices that both support and cushion. '. Another device is the prescription orthotic. The #ebsters" 0ictionary defines an Orthotic as 1a device 2as a brace or splint3 for supporting immobilizing or treating muscles 4oints or s%eletal parts which are wea% ineffective deformed or in4ured.5 Although typically not sold at retail virtually every retailer has a percentage of consumers who must ensure that their orthotic will fit into their new shoes. Although I believe there are several structural flaws that benefit from orthotics( we often ta%e a structurally normal foot which has atrophied through years of bracing and support ma%e a cast of the wea%ened foot and ma%e a support to brace the wea% foot. #e allow the foot to continue to wea%en and ma%e another pair in a year. Ta%ing the foot and ma%ing it reliant on a brace or support is counter intuitive to those wanting to strengthen and rehabilitate so the foot can become a self. supporting structure. is Once a 4oint is braced it will often re6uire bracing indefinitely until an active rehab prescribed. Athletes embracing healthy foot movement desire the following7 a3 #e don$t want sensory insulation b3 #e want full foot )ange of 8otion c3 #e do not want excessive bracing cushioning or support *. A uni6ue category of insoles is a Proprioceptive Based insole by Barefoot Science. This is not a new concept . Barefoot Science insoles have been around for almost a decade and the underlying science it is based upon is , decades old. The patented insole focuses on the use of the body$s own sensory perception and

proprioception to introduce a mild stimulus to a region corresponding with the foot$s center of mass. The body$s natural response to the stimulus is to move away and thus a series of continuous and minute muscle contractions are begun. The insole wor%s with a progressive series of inserts much li%e a progressive resistance training program to gradually introduce this muscle strengthening component to the foot. So as opposed to the concept of brace or support or the concept of cushion and insulate here the concept is strengthen ! rehabilitate. 9or those of us that have begun 6uestioning the benefits of the brace. support and cushion footwear products this ma%es perfect sense. Another interesting aspect of the insole is how it interfaces with the foot. The typical science of insoles focuses on primarily supporting the foot$s medial arch and occasionally the transverse and lateral arches. The shape and concept behind Barefoot Science is in interfacing with the foot$s center of mass. This %ey region is also aligned with the body$s line of action through the foot thus creating a dome li%e effect that the foot can rotate about. 9rom an anatomical point of the view the hip is li%e a ball.soc%et the %nee is li%e a simple hinge and therefore the foot to interact multi.directionally with the ground it needs to also have a ball.soc%et multi.directional capacity. This aspect is especially beneficial for those running or doing any sports on uneven surfaces. Apart from the soc% the insole is the layer in most immediate contact with the foot. The features and benefits of this insole comes as close as can be found to bringing the benefits of actual foot!ground interface inside the shoe to the foot!insole interface. It is also transferable into daily footwear effectively providing progressive barefoot li%e stimulation for every step ta%en which in theory should reduce the in4ury rate and shorten the transition time that some have associated with the minimalist!barefoot transition. Overall the advantages of improved foot strength translate into more efficient and a less in4ury prone movement. The natural mechanics of the musculos%eletal system are capable of providing the shoc% absorption and support our body re6uires for most activity.

Insoles focusing on the strengthening and rehabilitation of the foot ma%e the most sense. These insoles are ultra.light weight flexible and come in full and : length. This product ma%es sense for not only minimalist runners but for the entire shoe wearing population.

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