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You often hear talk of the famous "drop" of a shoe.
But what does it actually mean? A mere marketing argument that manufacturers use indiscriminately, or a genuine factor to consider when buying a pair?
In this article, you will find out what drop is, what it's for and what effect it can have on your stride and your body.
First of all, what is drop? It is simply the difference in height between the front and the back of your shoe. This value, measured in millimetres, is what we call "drop".
To give a concrete example: take a shoe with a heel height of 20 mm and a forefoot height of 12 mm — subtract the front from the back and you get a drop of 8 mm.
The drop diagram of a shoe
Why are we starting to talk about "drop"?
The concept of drop came to public attention relatively recently with the rise of minimalism in the world of running.
It represents a return to the origins of running — a natural run, without artifice.
Diverging opinions on the benefits of new technologies in running opened the door to such a practice. Indeed, minimalist running is not found to cause more injuries than running in shoes laden with protection or cushioning technologies.
Minimalist running allows you to rediscover a natural stride and, in a sense, to set aside the marketing angle and focus solely on true running — the kind that happens between the runner and the ground.
Currently, two "schools of thought" can be said to oppose each other in the world of running: minimalism and, at the opposite end, maximalism, which advocates high-drop shoes and various support technologies for ever more technically advanced footwear.
The influence of shoe drop on the runner
The average drop of a shoe on the market is
10mm.
A low drop generally goes hand in hand with a forefoot strike.
Simply put, someone with a natural stride will land on the forefoot first. Conversely, a person running in maximalist shoes will tend to heel-strike first — what is known as a "heel attack".
Running barefoot or in minimalist shoes allows you to gain in sensation.
Your feet are then closer to the ground; however, this is not without risk. The body has always been accustomed to traditional shoes with reinforcement and cushioning technologies, and switching to minimalist running will engage muscles that were not necessarily used before. Without a smart transition, there is therefore a risk of injury.
With less support, proprioceptive reflexes are called upon more, and you may go through phases of adaptation and initial discomfort, such as sprains for example.
As the shoe no longer provides its rebound technology, your stride will change, cadence will increase and other adjustments will happen naturally. As with any activity, it is a habit to build and therefore training to follow in order to find
the full freedom of a natural run.
