Hello. I'm Hiroki, a new employee at OLENO. Today I'd like to talk about the soles of the human foot.
I discovered that OLENO's trail running, trekking and running socks have an arch support function , a feature I'd never heard of in my 30 years of life.
As someone who will be promoting the appeal of OLENO at events and other events, I have no choice but to first learn about its performance and try it out. So, I'd like to start by writing about what I've found out about its performance.
Supports three arches
First of all, let's talk about what the arches in the soles of the feet are. They are important areas that support the body and are made up of three parts : the transverse arch , the medial longitudinal arch , and the lateral longitudinal arch .
Each arch has the role of distributing weight , absorbing landing and shock , and supporting forward propulsion . They are also very important for stabilizing the body, with the medial longitudinal arch maintaining front-to-back balance , the lateral longitudinal arch torsion of the body , and the lateral arch maintaining left-to-right balance .
It's easy to imagine a tripod with a camera attached to it, and if one of the legs breaks, the whole thing falls over. In the same way, if one of the three arches collapses, the balance is lost.
What specifically happens if the arch collapses?
1) Pain and fatigue in the legs
When the arch collapses, the cushioning function of the foot decreases, and the shock of walking is easily transmitted directly to the sole of the foot, which makes the feet more likely to become tired and painful .
② Loss of balance throughout the body
When the arch collapses, the balance of the whole body is lost, and the burden on the ankles, knees, and hips increases, affecting the joints and muscles. This can cause secondary problems such as knee pain and back pain .
3) Foot deformity and walking problems
Collapse of the arch can lead to foot deformities (such as flat feet and bunions) , which can make it difficult to walk properly as the center of gravity becomes unstable. This can lead to poor posture and increased strain on the feet.
If the arch collapses, it will be a hassle to go outside. Or, in the worst case scenario, I might not be able to walk at all.
Is arch support the role of socks or insoles?
When you hear about arch support, the first thing that probably comes to mind is insoles, right?
However, when I actually searched for "arch support insoles," I found a lot of negative opinions.
After doing some research, I found someone who wrote about why arch support insoles have a bad reputation (reference: https://mirai-iryou.com/itami/flatinsole/ )
Summary below
The arch structure of the foot is very strong against pressure from above, but weak against pressure from below . Therefore, if the arch is supported from below with an insole, it can cause foot pain or even reduce the function of the foot .
So, it seems that something as flat as possible is good for arch support, but the best thing to do is to wrap tape around it. However, it's a pain to wrap it every time, so socks with a taping effect are often used.
Taped socks
Socks with arch support are socks that have the effect of taping. As you get tired or get older, the muscles that support the arch weaken, and the arch of your foot ends up touching the ground. When that happens, you can't even think about arch support.
The role of socks with arch support is to forcefully pull up that area, like taping, and prevent the muscles from sagging.
So, then, is it possible to completely protect your arches with just socks with arch support? Not necessarily. Top runners will make insoles that fit their feet and put them in their shoes.
However, for those who do light running , go out a lot , or work standing up for long periods of time , socks with arch support may be a good choice to provide some support to the arch without discomfort. I'll end this by remembering my mother's words, "Be prepared for any eventuality."
Thank you for reading to the end this time as well.
OLENO official website: https://oleno.jp/blogs/product
OLENO official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oleno.jp/
