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gear of the week

Gear of the Week | Shock Absorbing Insoles

Pension provision with the help of insoles?

by Pascal Schindler • 12/01/2024
Eric Jehart
Pascal Schindler
Eric Jehart
Pascal Schindler
When motivation is high but the snow is hard, it can happen that the "leg party" ends bad. "Shred till death" - but perhaps not in the way you planned. Knee problems are one of the most common reasons why many skiers have to put their ski boots away for good. One of the main reasons for this is overloading due to heavy impacts. Everyone has seen the videos of famous extreme athletes on social media in which they attempt huge jumps. This raises the question: how do athletes actually protect their bones, ligaments, cartilage, tendons and muscles? Because at some point, a point is reached where the body can no longer compensate for the strain and pain or injuries occur.

Injury prevention: skills, limits and fitness

Probably the most important way to avoid injury is not to overestimate yourself and to know your own limits. Physical fitness plays a crucial role. Professionals spend a lot of time doing dry runs such as cycling, squats and other strength exercises. For example, trained hamstrings - a muscle group on the back of the thigh - are crucial for preventing cruciate ligament injuries.

However, in addition to training, there are also technological aids that help to reduce the strain on the body. Here we come to the "Gear Of The Week" that I would like to introduce today: Shock Absorber Insoles. These are available from many different brands and in different designs. But what is the purpose of these insoles? How do they work - and above all, do they really work?

gear of the week
presented by
Eric Jehart
Pascal Schindler
Eric Jehart
Pascal Schindler

Why shock-absorber insoles?

You know that feeling when you fall into bed at night after a long day on your feet and suddenly feel the exhaustion in your legs - not just in your muscles, but also in your joints. This comes from the shocks that our muscles and joints absorb with every step. During normal movement, we usually barely feel this as our body is designed for it. But with increased strain, such as when running, walking downhill or jumping, the effect of the impact forces adds up and we feel the strain in the joints and up into the spine in the form of pain.

This is where shock-absorbing insoles come into play. They are designed to absorb shocks and thus reduce the strain on the body. The aim is not only to increase comfort, but also to delay muscle fatigue, as the muscles normally compensate for the majority of impact forces. The result: you stay fit for longer and can remain active for longer.

How do shock-absorber insoles work?

The insoles are based on two main technologies: cushioning and special foam. Both work on the same principle: the energy generated by the impact is largely absorbed by the sole material.

Many of these insoles consist of several layers, each of which fulfils a different function. A soft top layer provides comfort, while a harder intermediate layer is responsible for the actual cushioning. Some models can even be moulded by heating them in the oven so that they can be individually adapted to the foot.

Pascal Schindler
Pascal Schindler

Do they really work?

To answer this question, I carried out my own test. I put a shock-absorber sole in my left ski boot, while the standard insole remained in the right boot. After a day on the piste, I couldn't feel any significant difference. However, I can't say how it will behave in the long term. A friend of mine regularly uses the same shock-absorber insoles for parkour and is firmly convinced of their effectiveness.

Conclusion:

My personal test was not conclusive enough to make a final judgement. Nevertheless, the purpose of shock-absorber insoles is clear: they are designed to reduce impact forces, relieve muscle strain and thus improve comfort and performance. While some people, like my friend, are convinced of the benefits, it remains an individual decision - I certainly continue to use shock-absorber insoles. Anyone who is frequently exposed to intensive loads or already has problems with their joints could definitely benefit from shock-absorber insoles.

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