For a runner, shoe anatomy can be as much of a contributing factor to comfort and performance as your own foot anatomy.
In both cases, changes of just a few millimeters can have very significant impacts. This is why we often address abnormalities in foot structure using very precisely made custom orthotics.
When it comes to running shoes, however, a custom design is typically not necessary. A perfectly suitable type of shoe for your feet is probably out there among the many configurations available—you just have to find it!
The better you understand the differences between various types of running shoes, the better informed you will be when making these choices. One area that’s worth focusing on is the heel-toe drop—which might not even appear on some runners’ radars when selecting a shoe.
Knowing more about heel-toe drop can increase your arsenal of knowledge while looking for the right running shoes, and also help you stay alert to when some of your current pairs should get replaced.
WHAT IS HEEL-TOE DROP?
Heel-toe drop (sometimes shortened to just “drop”) is a comparison of the amount of cushioning beneath your heels and the amount of cushioning beneath your toes.
This measurement looks at the difference between the two thicknesses, and not the specific thickness of each area. For example, a shoe with a heel thickness of 10 mm and a toe thickness of 4 mm would have the same heel-toe drop as a shoe with a heel thickness of 20mm and a toe thickness of 14 mm. The heel-toe drop would be 6 mm in both cases, even if the second shoe is more cushioned overall.
The higher the heel-toe drop, the steeper the slope that exists from the heel to the toes. A shoe with no heel-toe drop sets the heel and toes on a flat plane.
A “standard” running shoe tends to have a heel-toe drop of around 10 mm.
WHAT HEEL-TOE DROP MEANS FOR YOUR FEET
Different runners have different feet and different styles of running, so there is no one drop number that is perfect for everyone across the board.
You might hear some people state that having zero heel-toe drop is superior, since it is the most “natural” way to run. It might be best for some people, but it simply is not the case for a great many others. A lot of this is just hype for natural, minimalist running shoe styles.
So what should you be thinking about when you consider the drop in a running shoe? One of the big factors is how your feet strike the ground as you run.
Most people hit the ground with their heel first. Shoes with a higher heel-toe drop focus more on this impact, providing more cushioning to the heel and encouraging shifting of the impact load to the hips and knees. If you strike heavily with the heel, a high heel-toe drop is likely a good choice for you.
The lower the heel-toe drop, the more it will encourage striking the ground with the middle or front of the foot first. A midfoot strike may have a lower overall impact than a heel strike, but where that stress is created is also important to understand.
A lower drop often places more impact force on the foot and ankle, instead of the hips and knees. It can also place more stress on the Achilles tendon.
WHAT LEVEL OF DROP IS BEST FOR ME?
There are multiple factors to consider when choosing foot drop, but we can create some general tips using the information above.
You might want a higher heel-toe drop if:
You tend to strike the ground with your heel first. You have had a history of foot or ankle pain or injuries. You have a history of Achilles tendinitis, tight calf muscles, or other factors implying you should place less stress on your Achilles.
You might want a lower heel-toe drop if:
You tend to strike the ground with the middle or front of your foot first. You have had trouble with knee or hip pain.
Ultimately, the best indication of how much drop is best is experience. If you have been running for a while, you already have some!
Learn what the starting heel-toe drop of your current running shoe model is. A Google search for the model name and number can often help here. Also, keep in mind that a shoe’s starting drop level when brand new will likely decrease over time due to natural wear on the heel, especially if that is where you strike.
Consider how your feet, legs, knees, and hips have felt during the course of your “career” with this shoe, and let that help you determine whether you might want to try a higher or lower drop value.
If you do want to shift to a significantly higher or lower drop, try to make it a gradual change over several pairs of shoes and not an immediate switch. Too much of a change all at once could increase your risk of pain and injury. Then you will be looking for possible chiropractic treatment options.
AND OF COURSE, WE CAN HELP TOO!
If you are uncertain about heel-toe drop or any other factors to consider when choosing the best pair of running shoes for your needs, we are more than happy to help you figure it out. After all, good shoes are an important preventative step toward avoiding sports injuriesand other sources of pain before they begin.
Call our Longmont office at (720) 600-3380 to schedule an appointment to review your foot and ankle health, including footwear needs. Our telemedicine appointments are still available, so we can discuss your situation over video if you wish, as well.
And, as always, never hesitate to reach out to us if a sports injury or other problem is affecting your comfort or mobility. We’ll help you get back to action as fast and as safely as possible.
4年前一次脚前metatarsal stress fracture 之后才开始重视跑姿落脚和跑鞋的问题。
听说Hoka有很好的鞋底，最早舍不得买贵的，就买了两双较便宜的，7,8十块。就喜欢上了。然后就一发不收，又买了一双Clifton 6，两双Clifton 7，一双Mach4，Trail chllenger ATR，和Rincon 2。奇怪的是两双同款的Clifton 7感觉不同，一双前脚掌觉得窄，挤出血泡来。一双感觉好很快就积累了500迈。最喜欢轻又宽的Mach4!也是500迈。一直在琢磨要不要买双Mach5。Rincon 2的底比其他的薄，但是轻便不挤脚。Challenger ATR也轻便好使，跑山不错。一次跑山遇到暴雨，山路成河，我蹚水跑一点不觉得重，因为透水性很好。缺点就是鞋面比较硬，穿久了不舒服。也是因为透水性好的材料不够软。
后来想试试其他牌子的，就去跑鞋店试脚，被推荐New balance Freshfoam 1080v11。宽型，很喜欢它的前脚掌的自由空间，灵活轻便，后脚掌又有足够支撑。所以很快又是500迈。就又在网上买了一双同款同码，结果感觉不同，差了很多。不知所以。
在鞋店那次被推荐Saucony endorphin Speed2 ，试了试感觉像穿厚底靴，很不习惯，没要。NB让我失望以后，正碰上跑友推荐saucony speed2 半价，我就凑热闹买了一双，居然感觉不错。但是它的号码稍稍偏小，给我挤出两个黑脚趾。值得警告的是，该鞋鞋底厚，该鞋的平衡支持功能不好，要注意扭伤脚踝……
第一双已经有400迈，我还在穿大半号的第二双，还有270迈到500。正琢磨下一双新的trainer该用谁家……
再有就是神鞋，没大舍得穿。平时track 上和比赛时用。轻便弹力好当然没得说。不过据说平时训练不穿碳板底的鞋，训练脚力，比赛时穿神鞋才更能出成绩。还有的说平时训练穿重点的鞋，比赛时穿轻的更好。似乎有些道理。我还有双Alphafly 半价买的，比Vaporfly 重一点，至今没决定怎么用什么时候穿。
最后一点，这些不同品牌的鞋的设计不同，还有一个heel drop的不同，saucony 的8mm, Hoka 5mm，Vaporfly 也是8mm。不同的heel drop对脚的后跟腱和小腿力量影响不同，因为个人的落脚和跟腱力量不同。有的人适合穿0drop的鞋。我有一双Altra Timp,很难看，一直没穿。嘿嘿。最好是几双鞋轮着穿以避免受伤。
我虽然已经退休了最早的两双不知名的Hoka, 这几年还是没有明确怎么让跑鞋退役。500迈似乎是个比较好的标准，但也要看鞋的质量。500迈的Mach4 的前掌底已经磨掉tract, Clifton 7却没那么严重。有人建议当你穿了跑完脚疼腿疼或者膝盖疼就是该换鞋的时候了。另外，个人体重，落脚方式对鞋的磨损都有影响。我有个跑友老将每次都把鞋底跑得看不到黑胶才换。不能比。哈哈！
最后啰嗦一句，疫情三年以来我没买新衣服新裙子，买的都是新跑鞋！
我就是看你推荐跑步音乐才发现音乐节奏对我的步频有很大帮助。特别是舞蹈音乐，能带动脚的弹力。
pro 穿上后感觉鞋面和鞋底是分离的，不但感觉不到碳板的反弹，还觉得鞋底往下拽。不过pro 2就没有这种感觉。
刚开始跑步的那几年，平常穿acsis stability shoes比较多，因为那个时候脚踝力量不够强，而且速度也慢，用不上轻便的鞋。比赛就穿adios，鞋底比较薄，弹性比较好。当然另外一个原因是那个时候的神鞋都很贵，不舍得买
所有的碳板鞋都要求比较强的脚踝和小腿，否则容易受伤
https://dryakel.com/blog/heel-toe-in-your-running-shoes/
For a runner, shoe anatomy can be as much of a contributing factor to comfort and performance as your own foot anatomy.
In both cases, changes of just a few millimeters can have very significant impacts. This is why we often address abnormalities in foot structure using very precisely made custom orthotics.
When it comes to running shoes, however, a custom design is typically not necessary. A perfectly suitable type of shoe for your feet is probably out there among the many configurations available—you just have to find it!
The better you understand the differences between various types of running shoes, the better informed you will be when making these choices. One area that’s worth focusing on is the heel-toe drop—which might not even appear on some runners’ radars when selecting a shoe.
Knowing more about heel-toe drop can increase your arsenal of knowledge while looking for the right running shoes, and also help you stay alert to when some of your current pairs should get replaced.
WHAT IS HEEL-TOE DROP?Heel-toe drop (sometimes shortened to just “drop”) is a comparison of the amount of cushioning beneath your heels and the amount of cushioning beneath your toes.
This measurement looks at the difference between the two thicknesses, and not the specific thickness of each area. For example, a shoe with a heel thickness of 10 mm and a toe thickness of 4 mm would have the same heel-toe drop as a shoe with a heel thickness of 20mm and a toe thickness of 14 mm. The heel-toe drop would be 6 mm in both cases, even if the second shoe is more cushioned overall.
The higher the heel-toe drop, the steeper the slope that exists from the heel to the toes. A shoe with no heel-toe drop sets the heel and toes on a flat plane.
A “standard” running shoe tends to have a heel-toe drop of around 10 mm.
WHAT HEEL-TOE DROP MEANS FOR YOUR FEETDifferent runners have different feet and different styles of running, so there is no one drop number that is perfect for everyone across the board.
You might hear some people state that having zero heel-toe drop is superior, since it is the most “natural” way to run. It might be best for some people, but it simply is not the case for a great many others. A lot of this is just hype for natural, minimalist running shoe styles.
So what should you be thinking about when you consider the drop in a running shoe? One of the big factors is how your feet strike the ground as you run.
Most people hit the ground with their heel first. Shoes with a higher heel-toe drop focus more on this impact, providing more cushioning to the heel and encouraging shifting of the impact load to the hips and knees. If you strike heavily with the heel, a high heel-toe drop is likely a good choice for you.
The lower the heel-toe drop, the more it will encourage striking the ground with the middle or front of the foot first. A midfoot strike may have a lower overall impact than a heel strike, but where that stress is created is also important to understand.
A lower drop often places more impact force on the foot and ankle, instead of the hips and knees. It can also place more stress on the Achilles tendon.
WHAT LEVEL OF DROP IS BEST FOR ME?There are multiple factors to consider when choosing foot drop, but we can create some general tips using the information above.
You might want a higher heel-toe drop if:
You tend to strike the ground with your heel first. You have had a history of foot or ankle pain or injuries. You have a history of Achilles tendinitis, tight calf muscles, or other factors implying you should place less stress on your Achilles.You might want a lower heel-toe drop if:
You tend to strike the ground with the middle or front of your foot first. You have had trouble with knee or hip pain.Ultimately, the best indication of how much drop is best is experience. If you have been running for a while, you already have some!
Learn what the starting heel-toe drop of your current running shoe model is. A Google search for the model name and number can often help here. Also, keep in mind that a shoe’s starting drop level when brand new will likely decrease over time due to natural wear on the heel, especially if that is where you strike.
Consider how your feet, legs, knees, and hips have felt during the course of your “career” with this shoe, and let that help you determine whether you might want to try a higher or lower drop value.
If you do want to shift to a significantly higher or lower drop, try to make it a gradual change over several pairs of shoes and not an immediate switch. Too much of a change all at once could increase your risk of pain and injury. Then you will be looking for possible chiropractic treatment options.
AND OF COURSE, WE CAN HELP TOO!If you are uncertain about heel-toe drop or any other factors to consider when choosing the best pair of running shoes for your needs, we are more than happy to help you figure it out. After all, good shoes are an important preventative step toward avoiding sports injuriesand other sources of pain before they begin.
Call our Longmont office at (720) 600-3380 to schedule an appointment to review your foot and ankle health, including footwear needs. Our telemedicine appointments are still available, so we can discuss your situation over video if you wish, as well.
And, as always, never hesitate to reach out to us if a sports injury or other problem is affecting your comfort or mobility. We’ll help you get back to action as fast and as safely as possible.
至于大小对脚踝要求高低我觉得分人
我也新进了两双鞋，Nike和Saucony speed2，两者相比，speed2头宽些 明显合脚，又轻，很可心。还没有开始穿出去，唯一担心的是你引用的文章里提到drop大适合跑步后跟先着地，我是前脚先着地
还有你提到平时穿重鞋，比赛穿轻的，我也略有体会，试过平时在家走路每条腿上绑个2磅沙袋，每天一两个小时，并没有很大负担，第二天跑步不带沙袋，会有不小的惊喜