Mizuno Wave Universe 3 for Forefoot Running?

05/11/2014 Bretta Riches Best Forefoot Running Shoes 208

For the past few months, I have worn the Vibram Five Fingers for forefoot running and had no problems with aches, pains, and injury. Before then, I wore the Mizuno Wave Universe 3 for forefoot running.

I thought they were perfect for forefoot running because of their racing-flat design and supreme lightness. However, my legs were sore during and shortly after running in the Mizuno’s.

I looked at the wear-pattern on the bottoms of the Mizuno’s and discovered that the heel was completely worn down -this meant I was heel striking without even knowing it!

The Mizuno Wave Universe 3 is marketed as a minimalist shoe, therefore I assumed, how naive of me, that all minimalist shoes encourage forefoot running or at least, a non-heel strike landing. However, after researching the shoe, I learned that the Mizuno Wave Universe 3 was for heel strike runners.

Mizuno Wave Universe 3 for Forefoot Running?
Mizuno Wave Universe 3 is Made for Heel Strikers – The material under the heel in the Mizuno Wave Universe 3 is designed to accommodate a heel strike landing and should not be worn by forefoot running learners.

It turns out that the cushioning in the Mizuno Wave Universe 3 is heaviest at the heel and extends to the forefoot.

There is also an elastic thermoplastic material shaped in a parallel wave pattern under the heel to allow less impact at heel strike.

Essentially, the plastic material under the heel undergoes vertical deformation during heel strike and that is how the shoe ‘absorbs’ impact.

Another component of the Mizuno Wave Universe 3 that alters a forefoot strike landing is the shape of the outsole is of a convex curve (bulges outward), which facilitates heel-toe rollover during heel strike running.

It’s hard to learn forefoot running in shoe designed for heel strikers even if it’s marketed as a minimalist shoe, like the Mizuno Wave Universe 3.

The Mizuno Wave Universe 3 is a catalyst for heel strike during running and my leg pains vanished as soon I was wore a more forefoot-strike friendly shoe such as the Puma H-Streets and the Vibram Five Fingers (pure minimalist shoes) during my runs. Why?

These shoes do not have cushioning under the heel. However, the Puma H-Street does have some heel cushioning, it is not enough to elevate the heel and cause a runner to heel strike.

Vibram Five Fingers Helps Forefoot Strike
I need to wear a pure minimalist running shoe, such as the Vibram Five Fingers, during running so that I learn not to heel strike. The lack of cushioning keeps me aware of my foot strike behavior, helping me to land more forefooted

Comparatively, the Mizuno Wave Universe 3 has a lot of ‘stuff’ under the heel, including the plastic-wave material. Material of this natural under the heel of a shoe is a red flag that the shoe was not designed with forefoot strikers in mind.

So, what exactly caused my legs to ache in the Mizuno Wave Universe 3?

I was a heel striker for a long time before switching to forefoot running and I wore the Mizuno Wave Universe 3’s at the beginning of my transition process. Therefore, I hadn’t fully learned forefoot running and was still in the process of eliminating my heel striking habits.

Running in the Mizuno Wave Universe 3, a shoe designed for heel strikers, was a barrier that prevented me from learning forefoot running properly. This is why I was heel striking, mistakenly, while in the Mizuno’s.

If the heel contacts the ground first when running, there is an increased emphasis on over-striding and a longer stride length.

Kirby at el., also found that anterior compartment pressures increased when a heel strike running style was utilized.

I am unsure how durable the Mizuno Wave Universe 3 are, but I do know that after 400 km, the cushioning under the heel of a standard running shoe deteriorates fairly quick. The reason?

The magnitude of the impact transient and the ground reaction force is very high at heel strike, causing even the thickest of heel cushioning to breakdown within a short span of time.

The Mizuno Wave Universe 3 does not have the excessive cushioning under the heel like the traditional running shoe, therefore heel striking may degrade the material under the heel even quicker. And when this happens, the body is exposed to greater shock at each step.

The Take Home Message

Keeping runners healthy has been a major challenge for the footwear industry, primarily because they keep on manufacturing the wrong shoes. Barefoot-inspired footwear is the way to go in forefoot running and research is quickly piling up to support this.

If you are new to forefoot running, think twice about the running in the Mizuno Wave Universe 3’s. Despite their lightness and massive flexibility, they are tailored for heel strike runners, not for forefoot runners. Heel striking in minimalist shoes will almost certainly result in a wider array of running injuries.

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References:

Kirby, RL and McDermott P. Anterior tibial compartment pressures during running with rearfoot and forefoot landing styles. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 1983; 64:296-9.

P.S. Don't forget to check out the Run Forefoot Facebook Page, it's a terrific place to ask questions about forefoot running, barefoot running and injury. I'm always happy to help!

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