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This article came across my desk this morning. Written by a physio, it is going against all the current sports footwear trends by suggesting rigid midsoles and stiff heel counters are the go. If you can't be bothered reading the full article, in part it says:
"For sagittal plane support, the non-flexible midsole is potentially the most necessary on the Right side based on the discussion above. The right plantar flexed calcaneus needs to be supported anteriorly on the plantar surface to prevent further excess motion in that direction and continued stretch on the plantar fascia during stance phase of gait. Quality heel support is needed on the Left at heel strike for timed proprioceptive awareness of ground contact to initiate hamstring contraction for sagittal plane AF control in early stance (Left Calcaneal Reference Center) . A solid counter and arches will be discussed in later essays.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/96124231/Sagittal_FinalDraft.pdf

Comments anyone?

 

The Achilles tendon will attempt to plantar flex the rearfoot on the forefoot in both the shod and unshod conditions. It seems nearlyl impossible to support the anterior aspect of the calcaneus with anything, including a custom orthotic, because of all the soft tissue between the plantar surface of the skin and the inferior surface of the bone. Is anyone aware of any studies done with the mechanical walker with a cadaver foot and strain guages on anatomical structures.

What's quality heel support. Is that where there is something under the entire plantar surface of the heel as opposed to just half of the heel.

Eric