Running provides numerous benefits, but it also places high stress on the feet and lower extremities, often leading to discomfort or even chronic pain. If you’re an athlete who faces the same problem, then this article is for you.
Running with toe spacers might be the solution. Correct Toes, designed by a sports podiatrist, is the only toe spacer in the market that is made for active workouts. Used by athletes and trusted by medical professionals worldwide.
By reading on, you’ll discover the benefits of running with toe spacers – how this device can improve your running experience, prevent injuries, and support lasting foot health.
Jump to:
- The Benefits of Running with Toe Spacers
- Essential Tips on How to Start Running with Toe Spacers
- Finding the Best Toe Spacer for Athletes
- Accessories to Help You Get Used to Wearing Toe Spacers
- Key Takeaways
The Benefits of Running with Toe Spacers
Toe spacers have many purposes. Realignment of the toes sits at the top to help promote a more natural foot posture. What many fail to realize, your foot structure is often not the same foot structure you had at birth. There are several studies showing the toe splay of babies and their feet and how spread apart one toe is from another.
Have you seen the gruesome photos of marathon runners and their feet? They are dry, cracked, dehydrated because their feet are crammed into these awful shoes. Now running a marathon with toe spacers on your feet may be the gamechanger.
How, you ask? Running with toe spacers is proven to improve foot mechanics and create a more efficient running stride reducing the risk of injuries, and strengthening the muscles and tendons in the feet. Now, let’s get into the surprising benefits of wearing toe spacers while running.
1. Improved Performance for Athletes
For our distance and competitive runners, performance is everything. Running with toe spacers encourages a stronger, more balanced foot stance, which leads to increased stability, improved foot mechanics, and enhanced foot strength. With a more natural splay your stride is more efficient, and coupled with your training will increase speed, acceleration, and overall running efficiency.
2. Building Muscle Strength
Do you know how many muscles, tendons, and ligaments make up the foot structure? Over one hundred. These small muscles are what help maintain the arches and overall structure of the foot. Over time your foot structure has changed so now there are muscles not being used making them weak and susceptible to injury. Toe spacers like Correct Toes stimulate these often-neglected muscles, helping to strengthen the foot’s natural support and resilience.
3. Proper Weight Distribution
Let’s talk about weight and how it’s distributed across the feet. For example, a person wearing running shoes with a heel elevation. Their weight is being loaded on the toes as their heel is being supported by the extra cushion which shifts all of your body weight towards the front part of your feet.
Now, your toes and the forefoot are overstressed and overworked. By using toe spacers, your feet can regain a more balanced weight distribution, alleviating unnecessary pressure and improving stability during your runs.
Your feet are supposed to function as a wide base of support. When you are running and the weight is unevenly distributed, this is what can lead to some of the common injuries runners experience like shin splints, runners knee, stress fractures and more.
4. Improved Balance and Stability
Proprioception
Balance. Balance. Balance. You’ll find foot placement and improving those sensory nerves are important when you are running on different terrains. Toe spacers enhance proprioception, or the awareness of foot position, so you’re less likely to trip or misstep.
Flexibility
Alongside strengthening, toe spacers also support flexibility in the toes and foot joints. Your foot should be able to adapt to different running surfaces.
5. Reduced Risk of Injury
Toe spacers help to reduce pressure and friction between the toes, which can lead to blisters and calluses. By maintaining proper spacing, they minimize the rubbing that often occurs during long runs, providing a more comfortable running experience.
6. Alleviating Pain from Bunions and Hammertoes
For runners with bunions or hammertoes, toe spacers can be particularly beneficial. They help to realign the toes, reducing pain and preventing further progression of these conditions. This allows runners to continue training without discomfort and avoid potential surgical interventions.
7. Gait Mechanics and Better Energy Transfer
Proper toe alignment facilitated by toe spacers can improve overall gait mechanics. With better toe splay and alignment, runners can achieve a more natural and efficient running stride.
Toe spacers also contribute to better energy transfer from the legs to the feet. When the toes are properly aligned, the foot can function more effectively as a lever, maximizing the power and efficiency of each stride. This can result in faster running times and improved endurance.
8. Reduced Fatigue During Runs
Toe spacers can reduce muscle strain and fatigue by allowing the toes to spread and absorb impact more effectively, leading to longer, more comfortable runs.
Essential Tips on How to Start Running with Toe Spacers
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Incorporating toe spacers into your running routine requires a bit of patience and careful adjustment. Many athletes and runners share their experiences online, offering tips on how to get started and make the transition smoother. Here are some essential tips to help you get started:
1. Start Slow and Build Up Gradually
Some athletes suggest beginning with short periods of wear, especially for beginners. Wearing toe spacers for just 15-30 minutes at a time can help your feet adjust without causing strain. As your feet grow accustomed to the new alignment, gradually extend the duration throughout the day.
2. Try Wearing Them While Resting or Sleeping
Runners find that wearing toe spacers while resting, or even during sleep, can help maintain proper alignment overnight. A common tip shared in running communities is that wearing them while you sleep prevents the muscles from tightening up, especially for those prone to conditions like bunions or hammertoes.
3. Combine with Footwear That Supports Toe Splay
Others suggest the importance of wearing toe spacers in shoes that allow for a natural toe spread. Based on experience, it’s recommended to use running shoes with a wide toe box, such as Altra or Xero Shoes, for a more comfortable fit when wearing toe spacers inside shoes.
Finding the Best Toe Spacer for Athletes
When it comes to toe spacers, athletes need a product that not only supports foot health but also stands up to the demands of active sports and running. Correct Toes is a leading brand in the market, designed specifically for actively moving.
Made from medical-grade silicone, Correct Toes are flexible, durable, and comfortable. It is the best toe spacers for running since it can be worn inside select shoes, allowing runners to maintain proper toe alignment while running or during other physical activities.
Why Correct Toes?
- Designed by a sports podiatrist for an active lifestyle
- Can be worn during high-impact activities, unlike most other toe spacers
- Correct Toes comes in different sizes, accommodating feet in all shapes
- Trusted and used by both athletes and medical professionals
Accessories to Help You Get Used to Wearing Toe Spacers
To maximize the benefits of toe spacers, consider pairing them with other foot-friendly products. Here are some suggestions:
1. Foot Shaped Shoes
Wearing shoes with a wide toe box ensures that your toes have enough space to move naturally and comfortably while using toe spacers. This combination can further promote proper foot alignment and reduce pressure points. See our list of shoes made for running that are also Correct Toes approved:
- Altra Running – Racers 2
- Vivobarefoot – lite knit
- Xero Shoes – Zelen
2. Toe Socks
Toe socks are designed to keep each toe separated, which complements the use of toe spacers. They can help to maintain the alignment achieved by the spacers and provide additional comfort and help prevent any irritation. For our active runners or trail runners, Injinji has a variety of options to choose from from crew to anklet socks.
Key Takeaways
We mapped out all of the reasons why you should include toe spacers in your workout/ running routines. Now it is your turn to take action. You should be at your absolute best when training for that next marathon.
Each session, you will notice slight changes and differences all working to help you in the long run. Correct Toes, in particular, are designed to be worn during active workouts, making them the best choice for athletes looking into running with toe spacers to improve their performance.
Learn more about the benefits of toe spacers.
