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Running shoes offer comfort, support and cushioning.However, they are designed for running, so much so that wearing them daily can lead to poor posture and muscle problems.
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Continuous use of running shoes outside of training also reduces their durability and can impair the biomechanics of the foot by shortening the calf muscles.
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Alternating running shoes with more context-appropriate ones thus helps improve posture, strengthen foot muscles, and preserve shoes longer.
The problem with running shoes is that they are very comfortable. Too comfortable. Those who try them cannot but agree: with them on their feet you walk better and your feet feel better. After all, they are more protected and move within a soft “environment” that makes them tire less.
Precisely the excess of comfort, combined with the set-up of running shoes (i.e., how they make the foot “work”) in the long run, however, can also create problems that it is better to be aware of.
How a running shoe works
Running shoes are technical shoes, which should already give you an idea of why they should not be worn all the time. In fact, they are designed to provide support, cushioning and stability during physical activity, reducing the risk of injury and improving performance.
But it’s not like you run all day, right?
When you’re not actually using them to do that you keep them on your feet for a specific reason: because they are cushioned and also very comfortable. So much so that you develop an addiction.
Unfortunately, it is not healthy to wear them every day, especially if you are not working out. In fact, their construction also leads your foot and leg to assume positions and habits that are fine when running but less so when sitting for long periods of time or standing.
The so-called “drop,” that is, the difference in height between heel and toe, while on the one hand helps the mechanics of the running gesture by shifting your center of gravity forward as an invitation to run, on the other hand they shorten the calf, which gets used to contracting a few millimeters as it rests higher.
An insignificant measure while you are running, partly because it is functional at that juncture, but with consequences in the long run.
What causes wearing them every day
Constantly wearing running shoes outside of sports activities can have some long-term negative effects:
- Loss of elasticity: running shoes are designed to withstand a certain number of km (usually between 500 and 800 km). Wearing them every day accelerates the wear and tear of cushioning and other components, making the shoes perform less well during running sessions. This consequence is not as much about your body as it is about the durability of your shoes, but it is important to know.
- Development of poor posture: as we mentioned, excessive cushioning and support can negatively affect posture and gait when walking or standing for long periods.
Running shoes tend to promote a certain biomechanics, which is not always ideal for everyday life.
In addition, prolonged use can reduce the ability of the muscles in the foot to work properly as it becomes accustomed to being protected and does not develop the foot muscles that are critical to limiting the chances of injury.
Just alternate them
Alternating shoes between different activities, wearing styles more suited to the context (casual, work or walking shoes), offers a number of benefits:
- Foot rest: changing footwear allows feet to work differently and muscles and joints to vary in conditions of use (as we said before, you’re not always working out, are you?).
This helps strengthen the entire foot, reducing the risk of overload injuries. - Longer lasting running shoes: using them just for running preserves their effectiveness for longer, allowing you to take full advantage of their technical features when you need them most.
- Improved posture: wearing different shoes with less cushioning or support can help maintain a more natural posture and train foot muscles, improving balance and stability.
- Adaptability: different shoes are better suited to different contexts.
If you spend a lot of time standing or walking on uneven ground, a firmer, sturdier shoe may offer better support than a running shoe.
It is difficult, we know
Their comfort is unquestionable, it is true. It is also true that they often look great, at least until you pair them with your tuxedo, which we imagine you will wear very often.
Getting used to wearing other types (casual, business) will allow you to retain an efficient body even longer: able to give you power when you need it and to be comfortable in “normal” shoes when you don’t run.
It’s hard to think of such an eventuality, we know that. But you do it for your body, don’t you?