Monday, September 7, 2009

The Vibram Five Fingers B2D Article Index

How fit VFFs? How do they feel after months of real wear? Is there any science behind why going this close to bare is a good idea? What's the relation between vibram fivefingers and pose running? Can you get through an airport security check with them on?

It occurred to me i've written a few articles about Vibram FiveFingers - from fitting them to wearing them in various conditions.

Thought it might be useful to have an article that keeps tabs of them all in one place:

How to Fit Each of Vibram's FiveFingers models (as of summer 2009) - and with Injini socks.
This article started it all: facing the conundrum of figuring out fit when in a mail order situation, and then figuring out some good shops for mail ordering these awesome shoes.
Review after five months of Vibram FiveFingers daily wear
I'm still pretty astounded by the affect of these things on gait and sense of well being.
VFF free foot massage

Changing Foot Size of the VFF wearer. 1 year on.
has your foot changed size - more than once - with vffs?

Keep your Vibram FiveFingers ON.
Cold weather dry is cool. And VFF's still prove the best way to get through airport security without being asked to take off your shoes.
What to do in Winter; Airports Catching On; Running Up that Hill

Vibram FiveFingers and Pose running.
Beyond how it seems VFF's just lend themselves to pose running, yes, you can run in these on sidewalks and concrete and feel just fine.
The biggie: *why* going barefoot in VFF's is such a good idea for neurological well being.
This leads to an invited article at birthdayshoes.com on connecting Z-health practice with VFF benefits, and kinda circles back to that VFF five months on review.


Vibram FiveFingers and Longboarding
Wearing VFF's while longboarding? why not? Proprioceptive goodness.




Do running shoe TYPES reduce injury? How bout no.

sneakers good; sneakers bad - maybe that's the wrong question.


Do your shoes pass the Twist Test
Do try this at home


Barefoot Running - More Vid and Scholarly Analysis (it's da bomb)






Hope this proves a useful index.
Looking forward to the new models coming out in another month or so for Oct 09.


Related Posts:

8 comments:

Kris said...

I have been wearing VFF KSO for about 4 months now, I have wore other shoes on the odd occasion but have wore them almost exclusively.

The main thing I have noticed is greatly improved balance and my posture, also it has really strengthened my feet and ankles.

Also the lower back pain I used to get from sitting in a chair all day at work has pretty much disappeared, although that is probably as much to do with Z health as wearing VFF which have improved my posture.

Erik Blekeberg said...

MC,

Have you seen the Biikia VFFs? I think I spelled that right. They have laces...its like a nike free and a vibram had a baby.

dr. m.c. said...

Kris and EriK
thanks for the updates - kris i think i know what you mean on the back-the z/vff combo is cool. glad you're feeling better

erik, the bikila is the one without laces if this is accurate; the lace-ups are the "speed"s

Justin's site at birthdayshoes.com seems to be always all over whatever is in the mind of vff :)

worth checking out for sure.

mc

Erik Blekeberg said...

My mistake but, still the shoes are crazy looking.

Boris T said...

Nice post, some good info. Been using VFF for about two years, great stuff! Started running in them this summer and can't say enough good things about them.

Here is a part of my review from my blog: http://boristerzic.blogspot.com/2009/06/vibram-five-finger-review.html

Anonymous said...

M.C i work in retail so am always on my feet on a hard floor. Do you think the Vibrams would be a good idea? I have dodgy knees ( patella tracking, tendon issues)and do olympic lifting.

dr. m.c. said...

Collin, that's a really fair question, and generally i'd say "yes, go for it" because you're going to get more of that proprioceptive goodness in there discussed in the zhealth i phase article and in the z-health meets vff's

hinky knees don't usually say "vff's are counter indicated"

if you can't stand around barefoot for a few days, if you have a pair of flat thin-soled shoes already that easily pass the twist test you can check out how you feel, and go from there. the toe freedom i find really enhances even the benefits of thin soled shoes.

I find if i'm standing non-stop for hours it doesn't matter what shoes i have on: my feet get tired. This is where z-health drills come into their own, and flexible shoes like VFF's make ankle tiles and toe pulls easy to do without having to pull off shoes - so some work can be done easily and discretely.


i'll link an article back in with pavel quoted about non-footware for deadlifts.

Greg said...

don't forget to try running completely barefoot, the VFFs only partially simulate this.

I still use my VFFs, but i tend to blister if i wear them for prolonged running (uphill seems to be the problem). This may be a sizing issue, or the way i run. They're great for the gym though.

Then there's also the smell issue, which may be less of a problem if you wear socks with them

Running 100% barefoot i don't get blisters or smelly feet. only problem is gravel which slows me down :)

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