September 3rd, 2010 9:11am Kara
To Rock or Not to Rock
Rocker sole or “toning” shoes are the rage everywhere these days. It seems every shoe company has a variation on the theme. Millions of devoted c
ustomers believe these shoes eliminate pain, tone muscles and even shed pounds. Here, at the Good Sole, I get asked every day if the claims are true.
The answer is yes and no. The thick, rounded soles on toning shoes do simulate an unstable surface which tends to work different muscle groups in the feet and legs and reduce fatigue from being on your feet all day. And by working unfamiliar muscles, you help tone your legs and buttocks. However, every human body is unique. Rocker soles work better for some than others.
And contrary to some claims, no one will shed pounds and build a perfect body with no effort just by wearing these shoes. Sorry.
So should you try them? The truth is that many people can see benefits from rocker soles. But it depends on how you wear them and which shoe you choose. At the Good Sole, we have looked at dozens of rocker sole brands and selected a few that we believe go beyond the hype and offer true benefit.
My personal favorite is a proven winner – Dansko. The Dansko folks are true pioneers in rocker soles and have refined their design over many years. If you’re a teacher, nurse, waiter/waitress, chef, bank teller or have another job that requires you to be on your feet for hours, you should seriously consider Dansko. We have more loyal Dansko fans than any other brand. Several customers have actually told me they would have quit their jobs due to back pain if they had not discovered Danskos.
We also carry MBT which is another pioneer and the best known toning shoe. MBTs are great shoes for walking and also good when you’re on your feet all day. But they are not for everyone and they are not cheap!
Most recently, we added the New Balance Rock-N-Tones. These are probably the best shoe for walking and incorporate New Balance’s decades of expertise in athletic shoes. I live up in Weimer and love doing my morning walk around the “loop” in my Rock-N-Tones. But I would never run in them and neither should you. Rocker sole shoes are not made for running.
To find out which (if any) toning shoe is best for you, stop by The Good Sole. We’ll ask you some questions, evaluate your gait and recommend the best shoe for your body and your lifestyle. There is never a charge to tap into our expertise in fitting you with the perfect shoe.
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August 16th, 2010 1:32pm Kara
Flip Off Those Flops
I spent four days in Las Vegas last week at the WSA (World Shoe & Accessories) show. This is where about 20,000 shoe store owners like me go every August to look at the latest and greatest shoes to bring into our stores for next spring. After this trip I have some advice:
First of all, do NOT go to Vegas in August if you can avoid it! It got above 100 degrees every day I was there. Ouch! And unlike Taos, Vegas does not get nice cool nights. Walking down the strip at midnight, it was still 95 degrees!
But you don’t read my blog for weather tips. My real advice concerns your feet. At least half the people I saw slogging up and down the baking concrete of the Vegas strip were wearing flip flops. This is crazy! Most flip flops are made for wearing to the pool or the beach. They are NOT designed for serious walking. And exploring the strip involves miles of serious walking. Flip flops do not have the cushioning, stability or arch support you need for putting in long distances on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt. I could see that many of the tourists I saw were suffering from more than heat – their feet were killing them!
Of course you’re thinking if it’s that damn hot, the flip floppers were just trying to stay cool. I agree; but there are ways to keep your feet cool AND give them the support they need. At the Good Sole, we have walking sandals from Ecco, Mephisto, Merrell, KEEN, Finn Comfort and others that will keep your feet cushioned, supported and cool through miles of walking. And at the end of the day, your feet, knees and back will not ache from pounding the concrete all day with no support.
I mentioned my flip flop dismay at dinner one evening in Paris (the hotel, not the city) with some other shoe folks. One of them quipped that all those flip flops would be good for business in the years to come. He reasoned the people wearing them would be needing orthotics and comfort footwear to alleviate their future foot pain.
Well that may be true, but I would still rather not see folks ruining their feet, knees and hips when it is so EASY to keep them healthy. Next time you’re headed on vacation, remember that flip flops are NOT made for walking. Unless you’re going to be hanging out at the pool or laying on a beach, don’t even pack them.
If your trip will involve walking, bring some quality sandals and athletic shoes. Your feet will thank you for years to come!
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July 27th, 2010 4:44pm Kara
Sounds like the wrong advice, doesn’t it?
In many cases it’s not. If you have a flexible, pronated (loose jointed) foot, a properly fitted shoe will tend to slip at the heel.
This is particularly true until the shoe conforms to your foot. Here at The Good Sole our shoe/feet specialists can snug up heels with special fitting tools which will eliminate some of the slipping without compromising the fit of the shoes.
When a person with this foot type is on full weight bearing, their arch rolls downward, their instep is lowered and the heel moves forward away from the heel counter of the shoe. Since the foot has moved away from the parts of the shoe that secure it, the shoe slips slightly when you flex your foot.
Millions of people with this foot type and others mistakenly fit themselves too short in an attempt to hold their foot back in the heel. The assumption is that if it slips it’s too big. Consequently you can develop foot problems by not allowing the feet to move naturally in a shoe. Some of these problems are bunions, calluses, nueromas, and hammered toes.
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July 8th, 2010 4:25pm Kara
Perfect Day, Perfect Hike
Last weekend, some friends and I did the Williams Lake trail up at the Ski Valley. Even though I've lived in Taos for two years, it was my first journey up to the lake. It is AMAZING! Just over two miles each way, it's a pretty easy hike, and the views are incredible. Very dog friendlyand not too technical.
I wore my Patagonia Release trail shoes and my friends wore Saucony and Asics trail runners. No boots needed for this trail. We started around 9:30 a.m. and got back down at the perfect time to have lunch at the Bavarian Lodge.
The best chicken sandwich I've had in years and an ice cold German Lager were the perfect way to end a gorgeous hike! Sit on the deck if you can, but make sure you get under an umbrella. The sun is intense up there at 10,000+ feet! The Lodge is open Thurs-Sun so plan your hike on one of those days. You'll be glad you did!
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June 15th, 2010 11:57am Kara
Happy Feet make Happy Fathers!
He works hard to put food on the table - and shoes on your feet - so why not return the favor and after Sunday Brunch bring your Dad into The Good Sole.
The Taos Running Company features the latest in athletic shoes from Asics, Brooks, New Balance, Saucony, and more. Or, if he prefers, he can also check out our great selection of hiking boots and sandals. Our Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sign up for our e-newsletter to find the latest in deals and news from the Good Sole!
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May 3rd, 2010 2:13pm Kara
Spring Training
Want strong knees when hiking season starts? Work your hamstrings now.
Sure, you could hike yourself into shape come spring- but your could hike yourself right into and injury during the process. A too-sedentary off-season can shorten and weaken your hamstrings and that means feeble knees. “ The hamstrings keep the knees safely aligned as you hike,” explains Suzie Snyder, and adventure racer and strength- and- conditioning coach based in Wallingford, Connecticut. Strong hams support your pack’s weight and help ligaments stabilize the knee over uneven terrain, especially when you’re descending with a pack. “Work those muscles, and you’ll hike downhill faster and reduce the risk of knee injuries,”Snyder says. Strengthen your hamstrings with these three exercises; for maximum benefit, do them three times per week, starting six to eight weeks before your first big trip.
Alternating Lunges
How-> Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, take a large step forward, shifting your weight to your front leg while bending the rear knee and dropping the hips toward the ground. Keep your front shin vertical and your thigh parallel to the floor. Pause briefly, then step back to a standing position without dragging the front foot. Alternate with the other leg for 20 lunges total. Work up to three sets of 20 reps per leg. After two weeks, drop to three sets of 10 reps while wearing a 10-pound backpack. Add five pounds to the pack per workout until you reach 30 to 40 pounds.
Why?-> Lunges work the hamstrings and glutes, which “apply the brakes as you hike downhill,” Snyder says. Wearing a loaded pack raises your center of gravity and challenges your balance, which trains your hamstrings to steady the knees over loose rock or uneven ground.
Stability Ball Leg-Curls
How-> Lie face-up on the floor with legs extended and heels on top of a stability ball. Lift your hips off the floor and pull your heels toward your butt, keeping your toes and knees pointed up. Hold your hips high and straighten your legs; do three sets of 10. When that move becomes easy, try them one-legged: Extend one leg toward the ceiling while you roll the ball toward your butt with the other.
Why?-> Each time you step down, the hamstrings contract and pull the lower leg beneath you, “like doing leg curls all the way down the mountain,” says Snyder.This exercise mimics that on-train movement to strengthen hamstrings and prevent the knee pain caused when the quads are disproportionately stronger than the muscles on the back of the leg.
Hamstring Rolls
How-> Sit down on a foam roller placed just below your butt, perpendicular to the leg. Resting your body weight on the foam, use your hands and non supported leg to crab-walk your body backward, rolling over the foam from butt to knee. Reverse direction and roll from knee to butt. Repeat eight times, or until the tenderness and discomfort in your hamstrings subside. Switch legs and repeat.
Why?-> The rolling exercise relaxes and lengthens hamstrings after a tough workout, soothing fatigue and flushing lactic acid from the muscles. “If muscles do not recover from one training bout, the next session with be compromised,” says Snyder. This simple recovery move prevents cramping and lowers the risk of injury during your next training session. Get the same benefits on a multi day trip by substituting a water bottle for a foam roller to restore hamstrings’ full capacity and range of motion.
- From Backpacker Magazine
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April 29th, 2010 4:39pm Kara
Healthy Happy Feet
Most people take over 8,000 steps every day. This translates into more than 100,000 miles in the average lifetime. No wonder the majority of us will develop foot ailments at some point along the way! For many of these ailments, the optimal solution is custom orthotics. At the Good Sole our passion is healthy, comfortable feet. Our staff has over 70 years of combined experience in fitting shoes to every kind of foot.
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