Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Correlation is not causation...
By Tipsy McStagger
The reviewer:-athletic, former Big Ten collegiate football player, 6'2", 235#, bodyfat 5-10%-actively athletic in a variety of endeavors-B.S. in Exercise Physiology, emphasis in science, anatomy, and medical aspects-B.S. in Science (physics, biology, chemistry, organic chemistry)-age 32The barefoot running debate... if you don't know of it, don't bother reading onward from here. If you do, I'll add my experience with barefoot running, specifically my experience in barefoot running using these exact Vibram FiveFingers "shoes".Of distinction I did not purchase these FiveFinger shoes through Amazon- I purchased mine through L.L. Bean, at their flagship store.When I lift weights I wear either Nike Shox, or Salomon XR Crossmax Neutral. For distance running (2-6 miles) I wear Salomon XR Crossmax Neutral or Saucony Hurricanes.Over the course of 4 months, I gradually added plyometrics to my workout routine. This I did very gradually with established training protocols and strict adherence to form, as well as incorporating a thorough warm-up prior to every plyometric circuit. This warm-up routine included both a head-to-toe static/traditional stretching routine, as well as a dynamic stretching routine with progressively intensifying movements. Only after this warm-up did I engage in true plyometrics. All workouts were done on well-maintained natural grass.The first month I wore Nike Air Speed Nubbys (mid-height, full-support shoe designed for astroturf-type football). After the first month of 1-3 plyometric workouts per week with the Nikes, I switched for the next three months to these Vibram FiveFingers, again at a frequency of 1-3 plyometric workouts per week, with all above considerations.I found that wearing the FiveFingers for plyometrics was a tremendous benefit to both my comfort with the style of workout and the benefits I derived from the workouts. No traction was lost so long as form was maintained. The greatest benefit came from a change in form I adapted by wearing the FiveFingers when landing from, say, a broad jump- instead of landing mostly on my heels when wearing the Nikes, I landed more so on the ball of my foot, thereby absorbing the shock of landing through my musculotendinous structure, and less so on my aging skeletal structure.This I continued until one day, while wearing these FiveFingers, and after a one mile warm-up run, a ten minute static stretch, and a ten minute dynamic stretch, and halfway through my typical plyometric exercise I suddenly felt an intense "thwunk" sound/sensation in my left achilles area. I stopped immediately without falling, but could from the "pop" onward in no way use my left foot for propulsion. I dragged it somewhat, and couldn't climb any inclination facing forward. I also noticed a palpable and very defined, gelatinous-feeling gap in the space where I knew my achilles tendon should otherwise be. It was clearly to me, and later my PCP and orthopedic surgeon, that it was a fully torn achilles tendon. I write this now two weeks post-op...Did wearing these FiveFingers, thereby changing my jumping and landing mechanics cause this injury? Would this injury have occured wearing non-barefoot style footwear? That answer is unclear. Correlation is not causation, and I cannot say simply because I was wearing FiveFingers that they were the cause of the injury.That said... I won't be wearing these again any time soon. My activity level went from high/extreme to nil, in a single snap of a tendon. Had I not very gradually increased exercise intensity and variables I wouldn't have the ground to stand on to consider my footwear as the cause. However, given the above considerations, I suspect but cannot conclude them to be the culprit.
See all 1 customer reviews...
No support and feel like cardboard
Awesome Runners.
a bit small
