A key aspect of the design of the Vivobarefoot shoes is the sole . The sole is made from an extremely flexible material which is so soft you can roll the sole up into a cylinder. But this alone would risk the possibility of your foot being hurt by a sharp item puncturing the sole. So a thin layer of a material known as Duratex sits above the sole to create a puncture resistant layer.
When combined with the anti-bacterial insole you only 3mm have between the sole of your foot and the surface you are running on.
The softness of the material means that there is no filtering out of feedback information about the running surface. Though conventional running shoes screen out this information, your foot has 200,000 nerve endings that your brain wants to use to improve your sensory perception while running.
Ultimately barefoot running is largely about forefoot striking instead of the heel strike that most runners have adopted within the last 40 years. To be realistic you just cannot run with Vivobarefoot shoes if you heel strike. With no cushioning under your heel, the pounding would rapidly become too uncomfortable (if not painful). Vivobarefoot shoes are designed for you to use the natural energy absorption of the 28 bones in your foot, but this is only possible if you you land on your forefoot.
The flat sole of the shoe means that the front of the foot is at the same height as the heel. This is know as zero heel to toe differential. This is quite different to conventional running shoes for heel striking that often have a differential of 9mm or more. |
