z-coil Shoes (was Shoes)

[Guest guest]

Joya,

I would be wary of z-coils if you have any

patellofemoral issues (chondromalacia)

because the springs make the shoe rather

heavy.

I bought, and then returned these last

year. They felt neat. Like walking on

a thick foam mat. (It was odd to feel a

soft thud when the spring bottomed out,

but they were stable.) I would think these would

be helpful to relieve impact pressure on the

tibiofibular interface.

But after walking around for a half hour,

I could feel a bit of strain from the weight.

People tend to think (at least I did)

that if you are running or jumping on a

cushy surface like sand or a mini-tramp,

then you won't strain your knees. But for

the patellofemoral interface, it's not true !

So another reason to avoid z-coil shoes is

to avoid this false sense of security.

Tell your friend the patellofemoral world

is about leg extension - not weight bearing.

Owen

> A friend of mine swears by those z-coil shoes. I am afraid to try

them! They look dangerous. She says she even runs in them.

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> Joya

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