Product Review Week 1
Alright, so exactly one week ago I received my new running shoes. Before I get into my opinion of them so far, let’s go over why I picked this running shoe.
I was taught (as many people were) that the traditional shoe was the way to go. Enhanced stability control, maximum shock absorption, heel striking. You may have been hearing the buzz over the past decade or so (that has really picked up speed lately) that the traditional shoe is to blame for a number of orthopedic injuries that are very common in our society. Some of the injuries that have been associated with the traditional shoe are plantar’s fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, joint pain, bunions, and stress fractures from improper heel striking. Being an avid traditional shoe supporter, I was extremely skeptical of these claims.
Then the minimalist shoes came out, of which I was even more skeptical. The thin soles seemed to be asking for injuries to the foot, especially if there were preexisting conditions (like having shattered your foot previously…more on that to come in The Unlikely Runner). The separate toe compartments I thought were downright weird (sorry, toe-shoe lovers!) and reminded me of the toe socks I used to wear with a passion in middle school. The research was split according to many experts. Some said these new minimalist shoes were the answer our ankles were looking for; others remained loyal to the traditional shoe as the safest bet for all feet.
I stuck to my personal favorite traditional shoe for a few more years, looking into research on my own and never getting convinced that I should change my shoe. And then I was reading an article in a runner’s magazine on Altra. Maybe I’m behind the curb, but I had never heard of this company before. It seemed to me that they combined the best technology from both worlds: great materials used to help absorb shock in the sole of the foot, but without the higher heel which has been attributed to all those pesky injuries (they call this “zero-drop” because the height of the sole under the heel is the same as the height of the sole under the toes). They also added something very important that I hadn’t seen before: a foot-shaped toe box.
Seems obvious, right? Of course your shoe is shaped like a foot! Or is it? Look at your foot in a sock, and then look at the toe of your running shoe. They look different, right? My mind was blown! The science in the article made sense, too. If your toes are all squished together, they can’t spread and distribute force the way they were designed to. If you’re still skeptical (which I encourage you to be; it’s your opinion after all), check out their website and decide for yourself.
So I decided to experiment on myself. If allowing your foot to spread naturally was the secret to fixing over pronation, weak ankles, and a slew of other foot and ankle related problems, then I was the best candidate I could think of. With severe over pronation in both feet, a fractured foot and a shattered foot in my past, numerous sprained and strained ankles, knee problems (early arthritic signs from overuse and frequent stress on the joint), hip problems (sloppy, not very stable)…well, if these shoes could fix even a little bit of that I’d be impressed.
So I ordered a pair of shoes after online chatting with one of their representatives to navigate me to the best pair for my feet (thanks, online consultant person!). When I took them out of the box I was so excited!–and then immediately devastated. They looked too small. I put them on, and they felt too small. My big toe felt like it was all in the wrong spot. I almost put them right back into the box and returned them, but decided I should at least lace them up and see what I think. Apparently that was the thing to do, because once the shoes were laced my foot seemed to find it’s “happy place.”
It’s recommended, since the shoe is different than what you are accustomed to wearing, to take it easy during the first week with the shoes. My first three days I spent walking in the shoes, and I’ve gotten three runs in them since then.
My Official Review:
The shoes so far are meeting my highest expectations. The areas of my foot that I had shattered ten years ago no longer hurt while I run or afterwards, something I thought I would just have to deal with. My toes do not feel cramped on each other, which is really refreshing; you know we’ve all been there where you take off a shoe and have to pull your toes away from each other! I am very very sore through my arches and up my calves, especially on my right leg which has the most severe pronation. However, I know that this is part of the strengthening process and it’s not unbearable. Because of these shoes helping my feet and legs train muscles that have been neglected, I’m using more time for stretching and foam rolling to prevent tightness or overuse injuries. My knees also have some tenderness, but it feels like soft tissue/stabilization and since I’m learning a new way to run the soreness is to be expected. All in all, I am very pleased with these shoes and will keep you updated as I continue to adapt to them. By the end of four weeks I should be fully adapted and be able to give a more complete review.
Like what you’ve heard? Altra also has a blog, which you can follow here.
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