Heel-less Running Shoes

The development of new technologies designed to allow athletes to extend their career's to points previously thought to be impossible is rapid. As the average life expectancy increases, the market for sport equipment products designed for people of middle age and beyond has grown too.

One of the main problems for older athletes, is the frequent occurrence of injuries. The development of a new Heel-less running shoe intends to solve that problem, at least for runners.

Most running injuries suffered by older runners can be attributed to poor technique, with Over-Pronation, Supination and Heel-strike being widely accepted as the main causes. Each of these technical issues cause similar problems for the athlete's body, as they place large stresses on joints, tendons and muscles.

Supination or Pronation of the foot in a running stride mean that the landing force cannot be absorbed properly, increasing stress on the bones and joints. Heel-strike creates similar problems for runners, as the large impact force created by landing on the heel travels in a linear fashion directly though the heel bone, fibula and tibia, as well as placing a great strain on the achilles tendon.

Ideally therefore, a runner will land further forward on the shoe, allowing the force to be partially absorbed and spread by the sole, and the foot itself. This means the stress placed upon the joints is reduced.

The Healus running shoe forces the runner to run in this safer, more sustainable style, in much the same way that an insole would force an athlete to become more neutral in their running stride.

The Healus shoe also uses a shock plate to dissipate the force across the whole foot. This is used in combination with a sole constructed using "HelixVA." This material makes the sole more shock absorbant than the sole of a normal running shoe, meaning that the Heel bone is able to decelerate over a greater distance.

So, it would appear that the Healus technology could help athletes lengthen their running career's considerably through the prevention of injury. It is important to consider, however, that this product is still in the development stage, and that it may be long time before it enters production.

If this product can be designed to be as durable as standard running shoes, with the necessary testing to prove that the theory behind the design is correct, then they could have huge potential.

Ben Brown