It happened again.
I was chatting with a guy at a party, and he bemoaned the fact that he can't run anymore, due to a couple of compressed disks in his back. He said the only way he was able to run as long as he did, in to his old age, was because he used heel inserts made of a substance invented by NASA. It was a resilient rubber designed for the O rings of rocket engines after the Challenger failure.
I contend that his compressed disks are an injury directly caused by the unnatural gait of a heel strike. You can't do a heel strike in bare feet or leather sandals. The heel strike sends a shock wave up your leg, causing shinsplints, knee problems, and back issues. It is not a mechanically sustainable method of running.
But I guess we will see. This guy was 10 or 15 years my elder, and I know we all eventually get injured, wear out, and perish. At 55 years old I still feel able bodied and capable. I will continue to avoid the heel strike, and see if that allows me to run in to my golden years.
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