Vibram Five Fingers at When The Shoe Fits
Vibram Five Fingers are those funny little toe shoes you see around that are being used for barefoot running and cross fit training. We’ve been on this barefoot trend for a while now and have many different versions as well as many discontinued styles of Vibram Five Fingers on sale on our sale page.
The trend toward this minimalist footwear has been gaining strength now for several years. The idea is that by letting the foot move freely the way it was intended to move you will build strength and increase the range of motion in your feet. This can be a big part of overall foot and body health. A proper conditioning program can help prevent injuries to the foot and lower leg. A big word of caution is that most of us have worn shoes our whole lives and expecting to go out and use these barefoot shoes for long periods without proper build up is a recipe for some serious foot pain. Common injuries include plantar fasciitis, calf strains, and Achilles tendonitis.
Don’t get me wrong, we are big fans of the Vibram Five Fingers shoes and the whole barefoot running and cross fit revolution when incorporated conservatively into a fitness program. In fact, we have new styles arriving for spring right now. We like to look at these barefoot shoes almost as if they are exercise equipment. If you lifted weights all day long you would most certainly injure something. Likewise, we think going barefoot too long or using these types of barefoot shoes for extended periods is like lifting weights all day and you will get injured. Going to the gym and lifting weights, taking a boot camp style or cross fit training class keeps our muscles and bones strong and fit. We also think recovery and rest are just as important as the actual workout.
We sell a lot of Five Fingers and other minimalist and barefoot running shoe styles but our advice is to GO SLOW! Ease them into your routine and treat them as a piece of exercise equipment that you use to get stronger. After your workout you can slip into a more supportive shoe with an insert that will help support the foot and take the load off your muscles and tendons allowing them to recover and heal. This is how we build strength. Continuing to go barefoot for long periods could set you up for overuse injuries that can take you out of the game altogether. Make sure you stay in the game.
Cheers,
Alan
