I was in the airport coming home from a trip with the family and I was wearing my Vibram five finger shoes. I was waiting with my daughter while the boys went to the bathroom after our long plane ride and a nearby man was talking on his cell phone chuckling as he made his way over to me. "I've got to take a picture of those shoes. My wife has GOT to see these." He took a picture of my shoes and off he went chuckling. Now this is typical reaction I get from wearing them but not the only ones.
These amphibious looking shoes are intriguing to many. "What is the purpose", "Are those really shoes", and "How do they feel" seem to be the major questions I get asked. I originaly was looking into this type of shoe for a client of mine who needs more strengthening of her lower leg and foot muscles. When they arrived at my doorstep I decided to try them to have a better understanding. I had my babysitter there and she and I laughed uncontrollably at my struggle to get each one of my toes into them. I instantly fell in love with them! The inside sole is soft and so comfortable I brought them to my client and they were too big and in an absolute outburst I said..."I guess I'll take them!" I was so psyched. I ordered her another pair. Lesson #1: Trying them on is more accurate than ordering them online, dispite the measuring chart! When ordering they say to measure, heel against the wall, from your heel to your longest toe. Well, I suppose, we were off.
There are many different types of Vibram five finger shoes. I picked the Bikila because I read they are the best design for running. They were named in honor of Abebe Bilkila, who raced, won and set a new record running the 1960 Olympic marathon .....BAREFOOT!!!
Our feet have been inside these incredibly supportive sneakers, highly engineered for the purose of supporting our feet. As a result, our feet, according to the literature, are becoming weaker. Bones, muscles, ligament and the whole kit and caboodle. So how does Vibram solve this issue? Making little support and letting our feet feel what is under them!
The soles aren't cushy by any means but they do protect the integrity of the skin. It has proven to be true in my case. As you can see, they are pink and orange with a velcro strap that goes across the top of the foot. On the bottom are well placed I couldn't wait to run in them! The first run I went a little longer than recommended. These shoes, by the way, come with their own instruction manual! One's body needs to build up strength in both muscles, bone integrity as well as other tissue endurance! So in the beginning, less is more. It makes sence, right!? One is a beginner when they put the Vibram's on because those lower leg/foot muscles have not been worked as they will be with less support. MOST importantly, YOUR BODY helps to reduce impact because your feet no longer have the cushioning and support. Therefore, the body won't tolerate slapping. Your body learns to control it by lightening up (aka using your core!).
So less impact, more muscles in your body working more efficiently, and your body will tell you when it had enough. If you are running on barefeet your feet will blister, turn sore and tell you to stop. With the Vibram bikila, the protective sole watches out for your skin but the same forces will allow your body to know when it has had enough. Your body will need time and frequency to learn how to run properly in the Vibram Bikila's. That is exactly what I experienced. I went out feeling quite naked in my Vibram Bikila's running around my 3.5 mile block. I was so enthusiastic about getting out I didn't want to go any less! I could feel instantly going down my hill that I needed to control my foot strike and I could NOT heel strike or it felt uncomfortable! Lesson #2, running more efficiently entails hitting the ball of your foot versus the heel of your foot! I immediately turned the corner and climbed a steep 3/4 mile hill as light as air! I could feel my feet and lower leg muscles grip the ground and float up the hill! Although it wasn't necessarily faster I felt more controlled and lighter!
Around the block I flew no pain just conscious of my lower leg/foot placement and core muscles. IT FELT GREAT! After the run I came in and stretched my calves (hanging heel on a step with knee straight) and lower calf muscles ( hanging heel with knee bent), and foot muscles (standing with weight on my opposite foot for support and stretching the bottom of my foot with ball of foot on floor and heel lifted high). LOVED my Vibram Bilkila's, LOVED the run, Loved the feeling the next two days...
So, woke up the day after and FELT my calves. Soreness, not pain. No discomfort in my feet, though I have no high arches/or excessively pronated feet to work into new muscles). It went away in two days, which is my rule of thumb. When working out one shouldn't feel discomfort for more than 48 hours or else they over did the exercise.
There is an actual manual for the Vibrams which is helpful to read when one get the shoes. Most importantly, you know your body best. Go light in the beginning. No use in pushing past the point of progress into injury! Love to hear your comments or experience with the Vibrams.
