Negative heel shoes promote proper spinal alignment by keeping the heel slightly lower than the rest of the foot. They mimic the traditional Tadasana pose, engage muscles, and relieve knee, back, and hip pain. Earth Shoes, which employ the original Kalso Negative Heel Technology, are an environmentally responsible option.
Negative heel shoes are shoes designed to keep the heel slightly lower than the rest of the foot to promote proper spinal alignment. Unlike traditional footwear, which raises the heel and shifts a person’s center of balance forward as they walk, shoes work with the natural movement of the foot, with the heel striking the ground first and bearing the most weight. The shoes are also designed to be wider in the front and narrower in the heel to support the foot comfortably and avoid crowding the toes.
Developed by Danish yoga instructor Ann Kalso in the 1950s, the shoes mimic the traditional Tadasana, or mountain pose, taking stress off your back, hips, and knees and putting it on your leg muscles where it belongs. Walking in negative-heeled shoes gives your entire body a workout, similar to walking down a slight incline. Calf muscles are stretched, additional calories are burned, and parts of the body that are not usually involved in the walking process are engaged and exercised. Even sitting still puts the body into proper yogic alignment, a boon for people looking for simple ways to incorporate more exercise into their daily routines.
Walking in negative heeled shoes can take some getting used to. Beyond the additional demands that shoes place on a person’s muscles, some people find the altered center of balance unnerving. Still, the fitness benefits of shoes are a powerful draw, and many people report feeling better immediately after switching into them, receiving instant relief from knee, back, and hip pain. Proponents of negative heels claim that the benefits are worth any initial adjustment.
Marketed under the name Earth Shoes, negative-heeled shoes were first introduced to the United States in the 1970s, and became all the rage in “hippie” culture. The Earth Shoe fad died down in the 1980s, but it enjoyed a resurgence in popularity around the turn of the millennium as environmentally-minded consumers sought options that were good for the planet and their health.
Although many companies have incorporated negative heels into their footwear now, Earth Shoes still employs the original Kalso Negative Heel Technology, building a 3.7 degree camber into every shoe, sandal, and boot. The shoes come in a wide variety of styles, colors, and materials, and the company adheres to a high level of environmental responsibility, making them an especially attractive option for many consumers.
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