Sometimes experience trumps marketing. Case in point: For years I ran in the latest running shoes with air pumps, shock absorbers, cushioned heels and other technological breakthroughs. And for years, I always sensed that all the high-tech features were creating more problems than they were solving.Every time I ran, it felt like the super-cushioned bottoms were causing my feet to land or adjust to landing slightly off. Often, this led to ankle, knee or hip pain. Shin splints were a chronic problem, too.
A recent report published in the December issue of the journal of American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation confirmed my suspicions. A research team led by former University of Virginia medical researcher Dr. D. Casey Kerrigan found that too much cushioning causes increased pressure on the ankle, hip and knee. The cushioning creats torque -- or twisting -- that would increase stress on a runner's body. The report stated that the damage inflicted could be greater than that experienced by women wearing high heels.
Long before this report came out, I stopped buying high-tech sneakers in favor of more basic designs. My favorite running shoe for the last three years has been Salomon's Techamphibian model. The shoes, reviewed on my Web site RuggedReviews.com, are as basic as it gets. They have a much flatter soul and bottom than high-tech running shoes, but they also feature a single-pull lacing system and adjustable heel strap that ensure they stay on firmly.
The Salomon Techamphibian shoe is intended for use in marine environments. They're made of synthetic materials and have a wide mesh upper that's suitable for warm-hot conditions. I wouldn't use them in off-road running-- the shoes will fill up with sand, pebbles and twigs. But for regular road-running, they can't be beat.
