Did you know that there are several ways to tie your shoes? And what are the laces for? They are all the same? A short manual on the most obvious and most underrated gesture of running
We all do it, we are obliged to do it when we go out for a run: we tie our shoes. But have you ever paused to understand if you do it right and if there is a better way?
The answer is yes, there are precautions that make lacing better. And if the question now is: what is it for? Well, the answer is less obvious: it serves to run better, to avoid injuries and also to go faster.
the right fit
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The first key thing to analyze is how tight the laces need to be. It is very important that the laces have the right closure, not too tight and not too loose. This because the shoe must adhere perfectly to the foot without moving during the run, neither in the support phase nor in the push phase. In fact, if the shoe fits wide and the laces are slow, you will certainly feel more comfortable, but a wide shoe, which moves on the foot, first of all easily generates abrasions and blisters. Secondly if the foot “dances” in the shoe, the thrust itself is less. The step becomes less precise, with the risk of tripping, and the force impressed on the ground is dispersed more. Rolling is therefore less effective. For this, the laces must be properly closed.
On the other hand, the laces must not be too tight! In fact, if the laces tighten the instep too boldly, the risk is to immobilize the joints of the foot itself, causing cramps and rubbing points. Sometimes a lacing that is too tight in the long run can also cause micro-fractures, so you must be careful even in this simple gesture.
how to tie your shoes
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After we understand that we need to use the right size, we need to see how to tie the shoes. The first rule is to tighten the ankle well and instead leave the forefoot freer. In fact, the forefoot must be able to move in the shoe and no rubbing points must be created, especially at the metatarsal level. Instead the neck and ankle must be supported by the lacing, which serves to give greater support to the arch and make the shoe adhere better. In some models you will find a small plastic insert between the laces at the level of the instep that allows you to isolate the two parts of the lacing. Leave the part towards the fingers softer and the part on the neck tighter.
the different types of laces
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The more traditional laces have oval or round sections and are in cord. This type of laces has the advantage of sliding well and lacing easily whatever the fold of the lacing. The disadvantage is that by flowing well they can be prone to melt more easily. This happens less with i flat laceswhich instead, once tied correctly, hold more. There are also elastic laces, mainly used in triathlon where you have to put on your shoes on the fly. In fact, the elastic lace allows you not to make a knot to close the shoe. On the other hand, however, the elastic laces cannot guarantee a perfect seal of the central part of the foot and therefore are not recommended for everyone.
Some shoes today are equipped with special roller closures, a BOA System patent, which consists of a small wheel that tightens or loosens the lace. The laces used in this case are thin cables that hug the shoe. The Boa System has the advantage of a millimetric adjustment of the lacing and guarantees a great release speed in case you have to change the lacing during the race. A last different system is the one patented by Salomon, the quik releasea closure that slides along the laces pulling them thanks to an internal spring.
what if they unfasten?
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The runner’s bugbear: the untied shoe. To prevent this from happening, you can tie a double knot when you fasten them, but this simple trick is not very convenient if you adjust the lacing while running because it forces you to stop for a moment to undo the double knot. The best solution is to tie a single knot and then pin the flaps of the bow under the laces so that during the ride they remain stationary and cannot unfasten them. Some shoes have a special elastic to hold the edges of the lacing and avoid stopping due to a “disobedient” lace.
What is the last hole for?
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Almost all running shoes have a last hole that almost always remains unused. In fact, if we pass the laces up there, we will realize that the knot would come too high and would be annoying. But then what is it for? There is a particular lacing that uses this hole. This method is very useful for properly stopping the ankle while running. It’s very simple: pass the end of the lace into the last hole without crossing it first, that is, take it from the left hole for example and pass it through the last hole always on the left, thus creating a small slot. Now take the end of the other lace and pass it through this small loop. Do it on the other side as well and buckle up. The lacing thus created will remain under the crease of the ankle, but will make the latter more stable.
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