If you are a walker, meaning a race walker
or someone who walks for fun and health, you have probably tried a lot of
shoes. Some are comfortable and some are not. Some seem to roll through the
foot strike in a fluid and smooth motion, while others are jerkier in motion –
the foot just doesn’t seem to move heel to toe in a fluid motion.
When I was doing 24-hour track runs, I
learned that walking puts more friction on the forefoot than does running. I
have seen this play out in many multiday events when athletes spend more time
walking and blisters develop on the ball of the foot and on the toes.
An article by Wendy Bumgardner at
Examiner.com, Reshod Shoes for Faster Walking, caught my eye. She is a walker
and write about Reshod Walking Shoes, an Oregon company that resoles shoes for
walkers. She had a pair of her shoes resoled and wrote: “I had a pair of my
favorite walking shoes, the New Balance 825, turned into Reshod Walking
Shoes. I was very pleased that the rocker sole was as lightweight and thin
as the original sole. The shoes still had the great fit I need to combat
bunion pain. But I could tell the difference as soon as I started
walking. The rocker sole action forced me to stop being a lazy,
flat-footed walker and use the muscles of my calves, thighs and buttocks to
walk. Proper walking form will lead to faster speed and better body
mechanics for walking.”
Wendy added, “Rocker soles have many
advantages for walkers. A common walking mistake is to wear stiff shoes
and be unable to roll through a step from heel to toe. Flexible athletic
shoes solve that problem, but they do so by flexing in the forefoot, which can
put pressure on the bunion area and cause pain.”
At Reshod Walking Shoes, each midsole is
hand cobbled to the length and width of the shoe. After removing the old
midsole, the new midsole is attached and a new outsole is added. They
spend 4-5 hours on each pair.
To quote their website, “The new sole
assists walkers in forward motion by creating a fulcrum and a dynamic midsole
technology lever (“teeter totter effect”), which changes the angle at pushoff
and allows the walker to use the entire surface area of the foot with each
step, creating a more powerful stride. The firm, low heel creates a stable foot
plant, while the gradient forward foams cushion underfoot while transitioning
the walker forward. And because the midsole pivots the foot, there is less
friction, which keeps feet cooler and reduces blisters.”
You may ask, “Is this just for racewalkers?” Carmen Jackinsky, the owner and patent hold of the
soles, says, “This is a shoe for anyone who wants to walk fast. Pick your
style of walking and enjoy!” Check out the video on the Reshod website. It
explains the thought behind the shoes.
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