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Two footwear innovations: Shoes redefined

Written by Fiona

March 17 2018

With many new sport and fitness innovations, this article looks at two footwear features to consider.

Sport and exercise is increasingly hi-tech with inventions such as fitness gadgets that monitor steps, calories, sleep and many different sports; exercise classes that hook you up to monitoring devices so you can calculate calorie burn and heart rate;  fabrics that promise sweat wicking, cooling, heating, compression and supportive benefits; and (alleged) performance enhancing powders and pills.

So it is no surprise that footwear is the focus of a couple of innovations. Two brands have gone back to the basics of the human foot to find ways to bring footwear into the future. For generations our ancestors traversed the globe barefoot, letting the ankle and foot provide balance, flexibility and shock-absorbing properties.

The 26 bones that make up the foot and ankle are always going to be infinitely more complex than any shoe, so can we really improve upon nature?

However, instead of trying to redesign a shoe to mimic the foot, how about designing a shoe that will let the foot do what is does best? Read on for two very different approaches to healthy feet and a better, more connected workout.

Toe spacers form correct toes

It is no secret that modern shoes squash and squish our toes into some pretty unnatural shapes. If you were to take off your shoes and socks right now and look at your resting foot you would probably see your toes curling in to meet the ball of your foot; your toes pressing against each other; and, if you wear pointed high heels or winkle pickers on a regular basis, you might even see your pinkie toe sliding underneath its neighbour.

Toe spacers can be worn barefoot or with specially designed toe socks and wide tipped shoes to help coax your toes back into their natural, spaced out positions. Users have reported a decrease in chronic foot pain and also improved balance and flexibility in the foot.

Trigenics from Clarks

The innovative Trigenic shoe design is based on an 1883 design that was considered to be something of a revolution in footwear at the time. It featured space for toes to spread out and move as you walked.

The 2018 version has incorporated this feature and added to it by creating a shoe sole that follows the shape of the different parts of the bottoms of our feet.

Using their knowledge of biomechanics, the Trigenic team has created an anatomically designed shoe to move in sync with the natural movement of your foot thanks to the targeted flex points. With designs suited to both men and women as well as to the growing feet of children, you can get the whole family kitted out and with great deals at Groupon for this particular brand you can even save money while doing it. Users particularly love the marrying of style with the innovative foot friendly design of these shoes.

Happy feet will lead to a happy you. You can now change your foot wear to re-connect with the exercise that you love.

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