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My Rant About Our Skewed Mindset Around Biomechanics
Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re walking or running ‘wrong’.
We humans love to have it all figured out. When it comes to health and wellness, we try to control every single facet of our training for the absolute best results. This can often lead to an obsession over the small details (perfect form, mechanics, etc…) while forgetting about the bigger-picture goals of living pain-free and being functional.
The hard truth is, however, there are certain things we can’t change or at least shouldn’t try to. One of these is our tendency to want to fix things that aren’t broken for the sake of looking better or more ‘balanced’. Yes, if you haven’t already guessed, I’m talking about gait health.
The other day I went into a running store and the employee was imploring a customer to try a different pair of shoes to help her walk more ‘normally’. To put things in context, this individual wasn’t even in any pain and she felt like her previous pair helped her to run naturally and comfortably. If that’s the case, why on earth are we forcing people into footwear that helps them ‘look more natural’ if it’s not even comfortable for them?
It blows my mind.
