Shoe flares Medial and lateral. Do you want both.
/Wow, this shoe has incredible medial AND lateral flares at the rear foot ! But do you want both ?
Want a shoe that controls rear and midfoot pronation ? This Adidas shoe has features that will do it. Want a shoe that controls rear foot supination, this Adidas shoe also has features that will do it. Want a shoe that SHOULD put that rear foot in a nice tight gutter, and keep the calcaneus on a nice tight fence between pronation and supination, this one has some potential. But, will the foot comply with the mandates of the shoe ? (That is the question, and i will address that tomorrow. ) But, do you even want both in a shoe ? What are the chances that someone pronates AND supinates too much at the rearfoot ? We have never see it that is for sure. But, just look at that wide platform, thing about the potential use of this shoe in someone with neuropathy who cannot "feel" the ground well, hmmmm. Now there is a thought.
We talk about the function of the medial and lateral flares of a shoe, and their effects on rearfoot medchanics in our National Shoe Fit Course
link: (http://store.payloadz.com/results/results.aspx?m=80204)
A lateral flare, grabs the shoe and forces the shoe (and the foot we hope) into a medial direction, pronation. A medial flare, does the opposite, it resists the pronation tendency. Which one does your rear and mid foot need ? Maybe you should consider our Shoe fit course, we take you through hours of material to teach you how, when, why etc. Shoe choices for you and your client is a complex algorithm of knowing your foot type and the right shoe anatomy for that foot type to give you cleaner mechanics. The wrong shoe can be devastating to a foot and to ones gait.
Furthermore, this shoe as a dual density built into the medial midfoot. At least they wisely did not waste the dual density on the medial rear foot. It is not necessary with that huge medial rear foot flare. But some companies do not use the flare, they will opt to extend that dual density back into the rear foot to control some of that pronation. (think Brooks Adrenaline shoe for example).
However, you approach should always be to help your client earn better foot mechanics, awareness, skill, endurance, strength and power so that they do not need super duper shoe accoutrements like this shoe has. But, some feet will just never get the gold medal for function, and they will need a little help (or a lot of help in terms of a shoe like this one).
- Dr. Allen
