I love my cushiony Brooks running shoes that feel light and soft under my feet. We all have our preferred running shoes, especially avid runners. Interestingly, one runner aptly nicknamed Barefoot Bobby decided to ditch shoes altogether and run a marathon with naked feet.
Lately, you might have heard about zero-drop shoes helping runners enhance performance. Let’s look at what zero-drop shoes are and the potential benefits.
What are zero-drop shoes?
Many podiatrists, trainers, and elite runners swear by zero-drop shoes, which refers to the angle between your toe and your heel in a shoe. Stilettos, heeled boots, and most sneakers and work shoes place your heel higher than your toes at an angled position. These shoes have a drop. Zero-drop shoes don’t have any elevation. Instead, they have the same sole thickness from heel to toe.
Zero-drop shoes position your heel and toes at the same level, similar to how you would feel walking around barefoot. Some minimalist-style shoes are zero-drop, but others aren’t. Zero-drop shoes vary, with some providing more cushion than others, but all of the shoes don’t have any elevation.
What are the benefits of zero-drop shoes?
Those who recommend zero-drop shoes point out that the typical slanted heel-drop shoes can alter your gait and make you more likely to develop misalignment, particularly in your knees and lower back. Because zero-drop shoes mimic the barefoot position, advocates say that they’re the more natural choice that can improve your posture and help strengthen and train the muscles in your feet, ready for when they go naked.
The research
Interestingly, there is some research showing the benefits of these shoes. For example, researchers found that zero-drop running shoes could effectively reduce the load on the joints and save your energy output. Wearing zero-drop shoes leads to a 17% reduction in negative knee joint work compared to 15 mm drop running shoes, suggesting that zero-drop shoes can reduce the knee joint load while running.
More studies are needed, but the researchers also pointed out that because zero-drop shoes reduce the knee joint load during running, they could also decrease muscle fatigue and the risk of injuries to the knee joint. They added that runners with poor ankle strength might not be suitable for zero-drop running shoes.
Do zero-drop shoes help you run faster?
More research is necessary to come to more precise conclusions about how zero-drop shoes affect running speed and performance. However, many runners will tell you they love their zero-drop shoes, and they definitely help put a pep in their step.
It’s up to you which running shoes you decide to wear, but you won’t know how you feel in zero-drop shoes until you try them. Minimalist shoes aren’t necessarily always zero-drop shoes, but they do have a lower heel-to-toe drop. In a similar fashion, minimalist shoes are also designed to closely mimic barefoot running or walking conditions and provide minimal interference with the natural movement of your feet. Researchers have discovered that running barefoot and wearing minimalist running shoes produced greater running efficiency in some experienced runners, with a tendency toward a midfoot or forefoot strike and a shorter ground contact time, so there could be something to it after all.
