The sports shoe science evolution.
The Run Down.
The sports footwear industry is constantly evolving. From heavily corrected ‘stability’ running shoes of the 90’s, to minimalist, rocker sole & carbon-fibre plates of the modern era, one thing is consistent — they are all vying for improved athlete performance.
But from the hangover of the anti-pronation era comes two common misconceptions; all sports shoes provide internal support for the foot (while most only deliver a shoe liner at best) and that blocking foot movement with hard ‘support’ is best practice. The footwear industry has moved on, however the insole industry is still stuck in the 90’s. We are here to set the record straight.
Debunking foot myths.
Old-school biomechanics theory follows the notion that foot pronation (rolling inwards) is disastrous to the musculoskeletal system and therefore needs to be eliminated. This led to the prescription of hard, over-corrective insoles and orthotics.
However what we now understand is that pronation is an essential part of foot function that allows the body to absorb shock and navigate terrain. So instead of blocking pronation altogether, science has shown that foot motion is optimised when it moves within a normal range of movement to facilitate a more neutral stride.
The problem lies in excessive foot motion. When the foot moves excessively inwards or outwards, the muscles, tendons, joints and bones are exposed to excessive stress, leading to potential tissue overload and injury.
The Solution.
A strong body foundation is set when the foot moves within a neutral alignment. Improved technique, enhanced performance, better acceleration, resilience to injury, improved stability and better recovery are just some of the benefits to optimal foot function.
The Emily Braidwood unique balanced support architecture gently supports both medially and laterally to facilitate a normal range of movement from heel strike to toe off. Unlike any other insole on the market, the patented Emily Braidwood footbeds have intrinsic support to minimise excessive motion both medially and laterally, whilst promoting the natural spring mechanism and essential movement patterns to activate a strong propulsion.
