Natural Motion in an Unnatural Situation

In a recent ESPN survey reported on barefootrunner.com, more than 1 in 3 Americans said that they'd be willing to try running barefoot. This attitude is part of growing awareness that shoes simply aren't making our feet healthier, or our performance better. And a more recent study finds that many running shoes cause more joint strain than high heels. But let's face, we all need to wear shoes, at least sometimes!

ALINE is the only insole product that places the foot into a barefoot-like position inside of shoes. There is growing evidence that going barefoot is beneficial for long term foot health and correct biomechanics. Humans evolved to run and walk on natural surfaces for millions of years. In just the past few hundred years, though, we have been forced to walk on hard floors, concrete and asphalt…not to mention wedging our feet into ski boots, cycle shoes, and work boots. We pound for miles in running shoes. We wear rigid cleats for soccer and football. We wear hard shoes with spikes to hit a golf ball further. We strap on power-levers (also known as “skis”) and put our feet in plastic shells for winter fun. All of these are foot destroyers…if the foot is left to fend for its self under these stresses.

Proper foot function is critical to sports (and life) performance. If your foot cannot move as it evolved to move, you can’t perform up to your potential. The foot is your foundation, your connection to the ground. For years, the answer for foot performance was to cushion it with foam, effectively placing your foundation on a pillow. The other approach was to wear footwear too small and crush or tape the foot to stop excess motion. This mentality treats the foot like a mechanical device that can be locked down to stop motion. This crushing of the foot also locks the foot muscles and lower leg function, often causing pain and long term injuries. When immobilized by shoes or tape, the foot can’t adjust, balance, and align your body for maximum power transfer to the legs.

Luckily there is now a perfect middle ground between going barefoot and wearing unhealthy, performance-robbing, footwear: ALINE’s patented BFAST technology. ALINE’s BFAST design places the foot into a barefoot position inside your shoes; ALINEs raise the heel slightly to shift weight to your forefoot as if you aren't wearing flat shoes. And, through its patented suspension zones, ALINE allows key bones in the foot to move properly…as they do when you walk barefoot. In other words, ALINE’s BFAST technology creates a natural interface within your footwear… regardless of sport or activity. This "Barefoot in Shoes™" position puts the foot in control of the footwear and the body. ALINEs enable the foot’s arches to naturally reshape, allowing the foot, ankle and knee to align themselves. A properly aligned foot and leg reduces injuries and improves your performance. That's why you owe it to yourself to find out what ALINE can do for you!