The Science of MBT Shoes

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Article Title:

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The Science of MBT Shoes

Article Description:

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Science has certainly produced some amazing things in our

lifetime. We've not only found successful treatments for

cancers, vaccines for diseases, and decent anti aging skin

creams, but we're also looking at the way we walk in order to

improve our health and fitness.

Additional Article Information:

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603 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: 2007-09-28 10:00:00

Written By: Craig Elliott

Copyright: 2007

Contact Email: mailto:craig.elliott@...

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The Science of MBT Shoes

Copyright © 2007 Craig Elliott

Footwear Etc.

http://www.footwearetc.com/static_links/MBT.html

Science has certainly produced some amazing things in our

lifetime. We've not only found successful treatments for

cancers, vaccines for diseases, and decent anti aging skin

creams, but we're also looking at the way we walk in order to

improve our health and fitness. Most of us simply take walking

for granted, thinking that every step we take is simply just

another step in the direction we want to go. But what if you

could do more with each step? That's what MBT shoes are striving

to answer.

What is MBT?

MBT stands for Masai Barefoot Technology. Simply put, these are

shoes that were designed to simulate walking around barefoot in

the sand. Since this is a natural condition for the foot – as

opposed to wearing shoes – there is thought that these newly

designed shoes would be able to create a more healthful step.

Designed with a curved sole, the foot needs to walk in a slightly

different manner in order to keep from falling over, but the

double layered design is helping to cushion the foot the entire

way.

Created by a Swiss designer, these shoes are meant to be worn on

a daily basis in order to allow the body to move in a more

natural way. By making the body change the way it touches the

ground, the core muscles of the body need to engage more,

resulting in possibly a flatter stomach and a stronger back. With

all of the back injuries and problems that plague our sedentary

lifestyle, these shoes seem to be the antidote to our office job

lives.

Where Did They Come Up with the Idea?

When the designers were first coming up with the idea of MBT

shoes, they looked to East African runners. Noticing that they

trained barefoot for races, even marathons, the researches began

to wonder if their lack of injuries and pain was due to this lack

of footwear. By watching how the foot hit the ground, they began

to see that the rolling motion of the foot engaged the rest of

the muscles of the body, stabilizing it and protecting it from

harm. But since the researchers realized the people weren't

about to run barefoot on the pavements of their cities, designing

a shoe became the top priority.

How Did They Create this Shoe?

By watching these runners in action, the developers realized that

the running shoe would need to allow for perfect posture with

each step. This meant that they would need to create a sort of

'ground' within the shoe that the sole could rest on through

the movement. Into the shoe they placed a double layer lining

that would increase the cushioning so that it would be like

running on sand. And with the curved sole, the body could reduce

the shock on the joints and the nerves with each step.

MBT shoes seem to have a lot of health benefits because of their

odd design. From increasing muscle tone to decreasing the

incidence of injury, these shoes might be more expensive, but

more athletes are looking into using them for training and

everyday wear. No fashion statements here, MBT shoes might look

odd to the casual observer, but they way they feel is unmatched.

You roll from one step to the next, without the jarring up and

down movement that you typically feel from a traditional athletic

shoe.

You can find MBT shoes from a number of online retailers,

including the Swiss developers themselves. MBT shoes can be

expensive, but the many benefits you will get in return more than

make up for the price tag.

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Craig Elliott is a writer for Footwear Etc.

Footwear Etc is a leading provider of MBT shoes:

http://www.footwearetc.com/static_links/MBT.html