The shape of popular athletic shoes from childhood to adult

Sid

Barefooters
Jan 1, 2011
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Florida
I've been wondering about how the shape of shoes might change from childhood through adulthood.

Barefoot TJ's post got me motivated to finally start a thread.
http://www.thebarefootrunners.org/threads/natural-foot-health-vs-shoe-industry.17588/

So, I went to Amazon.com, and looked in the Shoe department for baby, toddler, big kid, and adult female shoes.

I picked the first athletic shoe listed, unless it was a novelty item (such as Heelys). An athletic shoe is intended for function and movement (or at least the manufacturers would probably like us to believe that.)

The shoes shown below were also very popular, with hundreds of reviews. So, these are the shoes that people are wearing.

Baby girl
g1.jpg

Toddler girl
g2.jpg

Big kid girl
g3.jpg

Adult woman
g4.jpg
 
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And there's no rhyme or reason to it! That's what p!sses me off about this crap! Shoes should be considered medication as needed, like a prescription, but no one regulates this industry's footprint on our health! Instead, anything goes! You like pointed toes? We've got them! You like high heels, so high who cares if you break your neck when you trip? We've got them! You like your bones crushed together? We can do that too? Aholes!

Someone needs to wake up and realize that shoes are more than just a fashion statement. They can be detrimental to our health and to our lives!

Thanks for putting that together, Sid!
 
An article in today's paper ran an article on a sports shop that has been open for 36 years. Towards the end of the article they interviewed the current owner who is herself a runner. I bought my pair of VFF's from her store about 4 years ago. I remember her telling me that she had sold "hundreds" of pairs of the VFFs.

She mentioned the minimalist/barefoot trend that started "about 8 years ago" and made the statement that "For some people that was very successful, but not for everyone. A lot of people did not put in the time and effort that was needed.".

She then goes on to state that the trend for zero-drop running shoes appears to be over. Even the Vibram company, which was at the forefront of minimalist running shoes has started putting a thicker sole on some of its range.

"The zero-drop shoe is dying. Shoes are trending towards a 4 mm to 10 mm drop sole." She then said "the next trend coming down the line appears to be maximalist shoes, which boast beefed up, cushioned soles."

Is this the trend - going towards a MAXimalist shoe????

Say it ain't so Joe!!

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