12/09/2020    Ray McClanahan, DPM

Twistable Running Shoes Help Build Strong Muscles: NY Podiatrist (Robert Scott Steinberg, DPM)

Dr. Splichal is correct when she states that
twistable running shoes enhance foot strength.
This is very evident from research conducted over
the past several years. Intrinsic foot muscles
get about 10% bigger/stronger, when an individual
wears minimal/natural (twistable) footwear. I
would not expect most podiatrists to be aware of
the evidence, as it is not published in podiatric
journals. Nevertheless, the evidence is there, if
you wish to have a look and are gifted with an
open mind and the ability to think critically.

I presented the evidence to the American Academy
of Podiatric Sports Medicine at our annual
meeting in 2016. Have a look at the 20 minute
presentation I gave called – “Shape of Strength”.
You can find it on YouTube, or my website –
www.correcttoes.com. In the presentation, I
provide numerous references to the studies that
show that our feet get stronger when we challenge
them with flat and flexible footwear. MRI and
ultrasound confirmed findings.

Not a single podiatrist who has looked at the
literature has refuted what has been proven –
when feet are challenged they get stronger. Why
is that a difficult concept to consider? Do we as
podiatrists want people to have stronger feet?

Dr. Shavelson makes a profoundly incorrect and
unprovable assertion when he says that “most
runners inherit an underpinning biomechanical
pathology”. Can you provide any evidence to
substantiate such an absurd statement Dr.
Shavelson? Most runners get hurt because they
are running in shoes that are not shaped like
natural human feet.

Dr. Steinberg states that my work was “shot full
of holes” by Dr. Kevin Kirby. When and where did
Dr. Kirby shoot my work full of holes? Not in the
Facebook link he referenced. Dr. Steinberg
wrongfully concludes that “unstable shoes lead to
many of the most common overuse injuries we
treat”. Going from stability shoes to
natural/barefoot/minimal (twistable) styles of
shoes suddenly, is the reason why podiatrists
wrongly associate those types of shoes with
injury. It is not an overuse injury, it is a lack
of adaptation/transition injury, which is a
training error, not an overuse injury.

Those of you reading this who want to elevate
your practice to its highest level of excellence
should read the work of the late William Rossi,
DPM.

Ray McClanahan, DPM, Portland, OR

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