Det är spännande att se hur skoföretagen tacklar den rådande barfota/minimalistiska löptrenden. I senaste Runner's World lanserar Asics sin nya skolinje Asics33:
"More and more people are looking for a new kind of natural running experience, spurred on by the minimal and barefoot running movement. (...) There are lots of options out there but little to safely guide people through them – how do you know which shoe is right for your run?
The revolutionary ASICS33 collection makes it easy to jump straight into natural running, while reducing the risk of injury. (...) this range gives the foot crucial support."
Surfar man vidare in på Asics hemsida så låter det så här:
"We looked at two peer-reviewed studies on the benefits of a less structured, lightweight shoe to understand if there is a benefit in changing from a heel strike pattern to a forefoot strike pattern. Our conclusions became the foundation for the ASICS 33 Collection™."
Det finns ingen länk till studierna eller mer information annat än en video där de menar att resultaten visar att det inte blir någon signifikant skillnad på de parametrarna de har studerat (främst muskelaktivitet och löpekonomi) när en löpare övergår från hälisättning till framfotsisättning. Det är alltså den vetenskapliga grunden.
Vad som är naturlig löpning, hur skon skyddar mot skador och på vilket sätt skon är revolutionär framgår tyvärr inte. Det är inte utan att man känner sig lite trött.
Jag tipsar hellre om ett inlägg från runblogger.com:
My Thoughts on “Perfect” Running Form and Footwear:
"In general, I do think that running shoes have been overbuilt for a long time, and that a return to simpler designs is a positive step. I do think that most runners should strive to find the least amount of shoe that they can handle. And I do think our current shoe fitting process is based on very little science and is pretty seriously flawed.
So, what’s a runner to do when it comes to form and shoes? If you’re running well and are injury free, it may be best to do nothing – just enjoy your well-oiled running life by maintaining the status quo. Don’t feel that you have to change just because someone said barefoot is better. However, if you’re having problems, don’t be afraid to experiment with shoes outside of your “pronation control category” (gasp!!!), or with a more drastic change to a more minimalist shoe. Or consider adding in some barefoot running and form work. If you’re careful and slow in your approach, and mindful of the language of your body, you’ll probably be just fine. There are risks involved with any change, but you may just find that an old problem disappears when you make a switch to your form or footwear."
