Shoes:  Foundation of Posture

Altra Zero-Drops: 


Help to realign your hips and posture

Help you relax when your nervous system is not stressed from posture

Support learning Primal Movements like walking and standing

Shoes are a root cause of misalignment.
​There are three problems: 
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  1. A heel higher than the toe destabilizes the foot  and the hip. 
  2. A narrow toe box constrains the foot from spreading and moving properly. 
  3. Stiffness constrains foot roll and distribution of weight and push-off power.​​
Altra Olypmus Trail Men's
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Altra Olympus Trail Women's 
 Few shoes are designed properly.

Barefoot is the ideal mechanics that allows your arch to work properly.  But on hard surfaces cushion is still needed.
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The best of both worlds I found is in Altra running shoes, and they have a casual wear model, too. 
  1. Zero drop heel to toe
  2. Wide toe box
  3. 3 levels of cushion that allow you to play with the trade-off between cushion and flexibility. 
​I prefer the Altra Olymus trail shoe because it has max cushion and durability with the trail sole that adds extra stability and durability. 
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Lack of Understanding

Few local shoe stores have Altras..The stores that do have Altras often do not have staff trained to explain how these can realign the spine. I doubt even the company knows the full extent of how feet align posture.  

A gradual transition process can make these shoes feel more natural, although some people feel better right away. This involves allowing  the calves and Achilles tendon to stretch into the new position.

There was a store in Cambridge, Mass, where the owner would yell at the people coming in the store for having the wrong shoes based on evaluating their walking style in seconds. It was hilarious. He knew what he was doing. There is a science and art to everything. Superficial preferences can be deceiving.