It appears that toning and 5 finger running shoes are all the rage now. I saw a guy waiting for a flight while wearing them at the airport in Paris???? Are they like slippers comfortable for long flights?
Then upon my return home I ran into a former group fitness participant who sported an aircast on her leg – yikes. I asked her what happened and she told me how she bought those shoes and developed a serious stress fracture because of them. On another occasion a group fitness participant was wearing them during a body sculpting class. Luckily he didn’t drop the heavy weight on his foot or toes!!! Suffice to say – consumer beware!
These shoes could alter the biomechanics of your feet, posture etc. If you already have faulty foot biomechanics, muscular imbalances, flexibility issues and faulty movement patterns, you are putting yourself at risk for an injury. For example, I overpronate on both feet and currently wear orthotics in my shoes to correct the pronation. I am fitted with a supportive sneaker. While those shoes offer no support – you are running barefoot!
There are arguments that say that these shoes strengthen your feet, arches, etc. Again – I caution people to do their research and make wise decisions when it comes to proper footwear. The wrong decision can cause injury!
