Unstable shoe construction: influence on gait and posture

Abstract

Footwear, in one form or another, have been around for millennia. The advancements in the technology have made possible the transformation of animal skin and fur wrapped around feet by our ancestors into modern-day marvels of athletic shoes. Arguably one of the most pronounced innovations in the field of footwear design is the introduction of unstable shoe construction (USC), over the last few decades. Most widely investigated shoes are the Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoes. Numerous scientific studies conducted on these shoes have revealed their effects on human gait and posture in healthy and morbid populations.