vibrum five fingers

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
I understand PADPM.

My thing is that I strongly suspect the vast majority of cases where these shoes don't "work" are among the quick adopters. Healthy runners with normal feet who don't take the time to slowly adjust to barefoot.
Members don't see this ad.
 
This has NO reflection on my view, but I read today that the U.S. Army has banned any shoe where the toes aren't all in one unit. I guess this is aimed at shoes with individual toes such as the Vibram Five Fingers(Toes). I'm curious as to how and why they implemented this policy.
 
PADPM said:
This has NO reflection on my view, but I read today that the U.S. Army has banned any shoe where the toes aren't all in one unit. I guess this is aimed at shoes with individual toes such as the Vibram Five Fingers(Toes). I'm curious as to how and why they implemented this policy.
Click to expand...
I have read from some active duty soldiers that it was because the shoes "detract from a professional military image." The shoes are banned from unit fitness sessions for the sake of uniformity but they are allowed for individual physical training use.

ALARACT 239/2011
DTG: R 231424Z JUN 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN SENT BY THE PENTAGON TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTER ON BEHALF OF DA WASHINGTON DC//DAPE-HRI//
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR EXCEPTION TO POLICY TO PUBLISH ALARACT MODIFYING WEAR OF IMPROVED PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM (IPFU)

  1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO MODIFY THE EXISTING WEAR POLICY FOR THE (IPFU).
  2. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF MINIMALIST RUNNING SHOES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND WEAR. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, ONLY THOSE SHOES THAT ACCOMMODATE ALL FIVE TOES IN ONE COMPARTMENT ARE AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR. THOSE SHOES THAT FEATURE FIVE SEPARATE, INDIVIDUAL COMPARTMENTS FOR THE TOES, DETRACT FROM A PROFESSIONAL MILITARY IMAGE AND ARE PROHIBITED FOR WEAR WITH THE IPFU OR WHEN CONDUCTING PHYSICAL TRAINING IN MILITARY FORMATION.
  3. HQDA POC FOR UNIFORM WEAR POLICY IS SGM JAMES A. MCGRUDER, [email protected] , DSN 664-0620, (703) 604-0620.
  4. EXPIRATION: THIS MESSAGE EXPIRES UPON NEXT PUBLICATION OF AR 670-1.
  5. EXPIRATION DATE CANNOT BE DETERMINED.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Members don't see this ad :)
Thanks for the in-depth investigative report!! Sounds like a bizarre reason to me.
 
PADPM said:
Thanks for the in-depth investigative report!! Sounds like a bizarre reason to me.
Click to expand...
Apparently the edict is not based on any medical or performance reasons but rather for the sake of appearances. I guess I can see their point if they want to strip away individuality since the VFF shoes are pretty noticeable and freaky.
 
More data:

http://peakperformance.runnersworld...ne-from-heel-landing-to-forefoot-landing.html


The author is in high school (!)
http://runningtimes.com/rt/images/BarefootStudyReport.pdf

"A final note: Leong's paper reflects a sample-selection problem that has appeared before, and may prove difficult to eliminate. While we know little about what causes running injuries, many experts believe that prior injury is perhaps the best predictor of future injury. It also seems likely that those who are injured the most will follow the most drastic injury-prevention path. They will be willing to buy very expensive running shoes (hoping for a cure) or to try the barefoot-minimalist approach (also hoping for a cure). If these strategies don't work, it doesn't necessarily mean that expensive shoes, or no shoes at all, are the culprit. It might just be that some of us, sad to say, are more prone to injuries than others."
 
PrionBurger said:
I understand PADPM.

My thing is that I strongly suspect the vast majority of cases where these shoes don't "work" are among the quick adopters. Healthy runners with normal feet who don't take the time to slowly adjust to barefoot.
Click to expand...

I still don't understand this statement. If someone is running comfortably in regular shoes, why would they then switch to something they would need to get used to? There have been no published real data to suggest there is any real benefit to doing this.
 
Kidsfeet said:
I still don't understand this statement. If someone is running comfortably in regular shoes, why would they then switch to something they would need to get used to? There have been no published real data to suggest there is any real benefit to doing this.
Click to expand...
True. If a person was using "normal" shoes without any problems then there is no need to change anything.

However, speaking from personal experience, minimalist shoes feel really good. They are super-light and I like the way my feet stay supple across the ground in them. It's analogous to liking chicken enchiladas; a person doesn't need data to tell him he enjoys it. He just feels it.
 
NatCh said:
True. If a person was using "normal" shoes without any problems then there is no need to change anything.

However, speaking from personal experience, minimalist shoes feel really good. They are super-light and I like the way my feet stay supple across the ground in them. It's analogous to liking chicken enchiladas; a person doesn't need data to tell him he enjoys it. He just feels it.
Click to expand...
Im totally going to the grocery store to get stuff to make chicken enchiladas now. I blame this craving 100% on you.
 
Kidsfeet said:
I still don't understand this statement. If someone is running comfortably in regular shoes, why would they then switch to something they would need to get used to? There have been no published real data to suggest there is any real benefit to doing this.
Click to expand...

I had three essential reasons to try out minimal shoes:

1. It makes perfect sense from an evolutionary biologist's perspective.

2. Constant knee injuries.

3. Curiosity.

There's firm scientific support that humans are highly adapted to running (we have adaptations more similar to running species than to chimpanzees, essentially). This is confirmed by the behavior of hunter gatherers, who can literally run down their prey, running for hours at a time without Nikes.

Why would humans evolve a fundamentally flawed foot while simultaneously being a running species? The obvious answer is that they wouldn't, and the human foot is perfectly fine the way it is. There must be reasons our foot evolved to its current form, and I wanted to explore this for myself.

Those are my reasons.

Oh, and my knees don't hurt anymore, and I just went on a 4-day 60-mile backpacking trip in the mountains in Vibrams, with no blisters. Chicken enchiladas.
 
The incorrect spelling in title of this thread drives me absolutely crazy. :laugh:
 
From my email, FYI:


Barefoot Running Claims and Controversies
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 06/08/2011  

Exclusive author commentary


David W. Jenkins & David J Cauthon (06/13/2011) comments:
Barefoot running continues to be a popular topic for debate. Unfortunately there are some exaggerated claims being made on both sides of this issue. Although the performance and injury reduction benefits touted by barefoot runners and their advocates have never been proven in the scientific literature, it is the authors' opinion that many of these claims will be substantiated. When well designed clinical trials are performed, the running community will finally have some answers to this debate.



http://www.mdlinx.com/orthopedics/news-article.cfm/3621271/253/foot

 
NatCh said:
From my email, FYI:


Barefoot Running Claims and Controversies
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 06/08/2011  

Exclusive author commentary


David W. Jenkins & David J Cauthon (06/13/2011) comments:
Barefoot running continues to be a popular topic for debate. Unfortunately there are some exaggerated claims being made on both sides of this issue. Although the performance and injury reduction benefits touted by barefoot runners and their advocates have never been proven in the scientific literature, it is the authors' opinion that many of these claims will be substantiated. When well designed clinical trials are performed, the running community will finally have some answers to this debate.



http://www.mdlinx.com/orthopedics/news-article.cfm/3621271/253/foot
Click to expand...

I read this as well. I love how someone formulates an opinion based on nothing more than, well, his opinion. I don't believe any true studies will ever be done to prove or disprove the theories. The companies making these minimalist shoes are making a fortune without the literature. Why would they invest money in anything other than making more money?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread
Top