The Commonly Overlooked 'Heel-to-Toe Drop'

Heel-to-Toe Drop is the difference in midsole stack between the forefoot and the heel. It is commonly measured in millimetres(mm). Common Heel-to-Toe Drops are 4mm,6mm,8mm,10mm and 12mm.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
High	10-12mm
Mid	6-8mm
Low	4mm and below

A shoe of a low drop activates more muscles such as the calves. This would put more stress on these muscles. An upside is that runners are able to get up on their forefoot easier than higher drop shoes.

A higher drop would increase the chances of one’s heel touching the ground. Higher drop shoes also put less stress on the calves. I personally find that it is more relieving on my legs when I use shoes of 6mm drop and above for daily runs.

Heel-to-Toe Drop is a very subjective matter and one may prefer a lower or higher drop depending on the running style.

What about zero-drop shoes? A few years back, zero-drop shoes used to be the craze among runners. Many running shoe brands such as Altra, Newton and Vibram claimed that zero-drop shoes have many benefits. However. many runners started to get injured and switched back to their normal running shoes. The question is: Is zero-drop bad for you?

Yes, zero-drop shoes utilize muscles that are not usually used in running and strengthen certain muscles such as the calves. However, many consumers fail to give themselves an adaptation period to zero-drop. Running with conventional shoes of 4-12mm heel to toe drop over the years has resulted in tightening of Calf and Achilles muscles due to the mild plantarflexed position that these shoes put one’s foot in. Transitioning to zero drop could cause the calf to work harder and stretch more than it is used to, which could lead to Achilles and Calf problems.