On Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:11:52 -0700, Jim Janney wrote:

Vic Smith writes:

On Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:45:10 +0000, Geoff Berrow
wrote:

On Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:49:00 +0000, Peter Clinch
wrote:

Take them orienteering instead and they'll be on rougher terrain with
more need of good soles, and hardly anyone will think they're best off
in boots with Vibram soles and ankle support. Certainly almost all of
the experts won't be in them.

I've been walking 3-4 miles a day on pavements to keep in trim and in
the recent snow, I wore my boots instead of my usual North Face shoes.
As I only have short legs, I found it harder to walk as fast with the
boots because of the extra weight. This isn't usually a problem when
doing day walks across country or up hills as my pace will be more
relaxed. I can see, however, that someone concerned with speed would
prefer lighter footwear.

Just done a short (2 mile) walk to get a bus from the next village. In
boots it takes about 28 - 29 minutes, but today I wore shoes (Merrill) for
the first time for months and it took 27 minutes. OK, a (very) small
sample, but the cadence was up by about 4% and I felt like running up one
hill. A few walks to get used to shoes and speed could be better.

Speed isn't the only concern with weight.
After some miles of walking in comfortable but heavy boots, a knee
became painful and slightly swollen. I didn't connect it with the
boots at first, but when I doffed the boots the knee problem very
quickly disappeared.
It's possible my gait in the above ankle boots was a factor, but I'm
guessing it was mostly the swinging weight of the boots.

The knee is basically a hinge. It can move through nearly 180
degrees, but only in a single plane. The ankle has a more limited
range of motion but is also more tolerant of movement in different
planes, especially in combination with the feet -- there's a whole
collection of joints down there. What sometimes happens when you
restrict the mobility of the ankles and feet is that any sort of
lateral or twisting movements that these would normally handle are
transferred to the knees, which don't appreciate them.

Very much so. In the '80s, when 'clipless' pedals were gaining use, I spoke
to several people who'd had knee trouble due to the limited movement of the
foot allowed by the clips.
One rider, half way through a 1300km ride, changed from Look to Time pedals
(or t'other way - long time ago) and that stopped the pain in his knees
because his feet could twist a bit.

For an
excruciatingly detailed discussion of this, see

http://www.tmuscle.com/portal_includ...-training.html

Then again, it could just be the swinging weight.

V. interesting article, thanks - I shall read it thoroughly when I've the
odd fortnight spare (and when sober).
--
Peter.
2x4 - thick plank; 4x4 - two of 'em.