The Newton Running Shoe
A friend of mine just sent me a link to Newton Running Shoes. It’s not the first time I’ve seen the site, but it’s the first time I’ve really looked into it. They’re not cheap, but if they deliver on everything they claim then it’s a good investment.
Aside from their patents on new running shoe technology, they’ve got some interesting things to say about running form. From my discussions with other experts, I’ve always understood that proper running form brings you down on your heel first, which is why they emphasize the cushion in the crash pad. In contrast, Newton running suggests that the best way to run is with a shorter stride and by landing on the ball or your foot.
I’ll post a video below that shows what I’m talking about. It’s compelling enough that I’m going to pay close attention to my form for the next few runs and try the shorter stride. I’m interested to see how this affects the muscles and impact/stability of my stride.
If you’ve tried Newton running shoes leave a comment below and let me know what you think of them. I’m really tempted to buy a pair.
April 16th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
[...] Newton Running Shoes I just did a quick write up on my blog about a new running shoe by Newton. I’d seen their site before, but this time I actually looked at their stuff and they have a great video about both running form and their shoes. What was so interesting to me is that they have a unique take on running form. Rather than a traditional heel strike, they suggest landing on the ball of your foot. I put the video and a quick write up on my website here: Newton Running Shoes. [...]
May 1st, 2009 at 2:18 pm
I bought Newtons abotu 2 years ago – then within a few months I had lots of knee problems. I did some PT, and saw a sport med doc, and they all thought I shouldn’t run in those shoes and that they could be contributing to my knee problems. I tossed them, and haven’t had knee problems since, so maybe it was related.
May 1st, 2009 at 3:15 pm
That’s very interesting. I know that I’ve had bad experiences with shoes before that cleared up when I went back to an old trusted shoe.
When you ran in a newton running shoe, did you try to follow their suggested running form, landing more on the ball of your foot than on your heel?
September 13th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Love the newtons! WIll never run in anything else.
October 20th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
I’m an ironman triathlete, just been to Kona for world champs…love Newtons and would be hard to convince me into anything else. Everyones gait is differant though so if you’ve had years of running in a certain way in a certain shoe, it can take a long time to get use to. I’ve always been a mid foot runner with relatively short stride and fast turnover so I adjusted really quickly to them.
October 27th, 2009 at 2:56 am
Love this stuff really cool.
November 13th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Hiya!. Thanks a bunch for the info. I’ve been digging around looking some info up for shool, but i think i’m getting lost!. Yahoo lead me here – good for you i suppose! Keep up the great information. I will be popping back over in a couple of days to see if there is any more info.
December 16th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I am a midsole/forefoot runner and with the normal 12/24 ratio in normal shoes where companies put their tech and cushin(12 in the forefoot and 24 in the heel) I was never having real issues until long distance days; ex 25+miles my knees would act up but I was just under the impression it was just from the normal impact of being a 6′3 205lb guy. After doing some research and reading a few books, which included some on barefoot running and proper form, I bought a set of Newtons. Within the first week I felt so great wearing them that by day 8 I had logged 106 miles going strong. Newtons concept of forefoot running is spot on in my opinion, if you run barefoot, you may run the first 5 min heeel to toe form until your body will naturally tell you “hey this kinda hurts!” and your body will compensate and run with proper mechanics; ie forefoot stricking, with shorter strides etc. The Newtons with more tech and cushin up front force you to land.level and lift which is great. For me someone that was already stricking correctly and had good mechanics it just ment more support and better feel. I have also increased the pace at which I run. The calf workout for the first few times running can be intense but I love iot knowing its just making me a stronger faster and more efficently profound runner.
January 25th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
I love the Newton Running shoes. I have a wide foot so this was the best fit for my foot. Yeah no more blisters. Just ran a 1/2 marathon in them and my legs and feet felt great. I will not run in anything else!
March 16th, 2010 at 9:52 am
I have struggle with IT band issues, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis after training for and running 2 marathons in 13 days (my first and second). I bought these shoes on a whim because I was looking for any way to bring the enjoyment back to running (sick of the pain). I slowly worked my way up to 17.1 miles in them this week and my recovery is amazing. I have absolutely zero pain during the run (although I do tire more quickly due to the change in form) and no pain days after. I’m amazed, this isn’t hype. These shoes are a miracle cure.
March 27th, 2010 at 2:11 am
Was experiencing patello-femoral pain during & after running. Decided to change my stride/foot strike. After reading several articles about proper forefoot strike, bought a pair of Newton Motion trainers. Almost threw them out after 3 short runs due to arch discomfort but stuck w/ them. Been injury & pain free ever since (includes training for & completing an Ironman). Will not run in anything else. Absolutely worth the $175. Follow Newton’s stride instructions.
“Land-Lever-Lift” is very important.
March 29th, 2010 at 8:45 am
I initially read about the shoe here when being compared with nike frees: http://barefootrunningshoes.org/2010/02/02/newton-running-shoes-versus-nike-free-runners/
I think they too expensive as well but isn’t it worth the price if it last twice or MORe as long as other similar types of minamalist shoes?
May 15th, 2010 at 9:10 am
I bought a pair of Newton’s (Gravitas) to see how they compare to Nike Free 3.0v2. I have retrained myself to run with a mid/forefoot strike and have been doing this since mid-2009. In 2010, I have run a full marathon plus a 50K ultra, plus over 1000 km training, in Nike Free 3 without any issues. None. I put in 60 km in 5 different training sessions with the Newtons (progressing up in distance: 5/10/15/20/20 km runs) and started to develop Plantar Fasciitis. Since the only thing different was the shoe, this is the likely culprit. So beward of this shoe. It is not for everyone. For me, I have gone back to the NF3 and the Plantar Fasciitis is already subsiding. Lesson learned.
May 26th, 2010 at 8:31 pm
I’m currently injured with a metatarsal stress fracture. I have been running in Newtons for a couple of months. Started out running short runs of 2 miles. I’ve been running for 6 years. I did not make any drastic increases in my running distances. No other changes. My ortho doc and physical therapist feel my Newtons contributed to the stress fracture. I did not have any pain up until a run where I had immediate and severe pain & had to stop running. I contacted Newton w/an email to show my displeasure w/their shoes & this is what I got in return:
A stress fracture is commonly described as an over use injury and happens gradually. It is a result of too much force being applied to something repeatedly, in your case a bone (in your leg or foot?) A gradual break like this is a progressive separation of the bone with associated progressive increase in pain. Unlike a traumatic break, stress fractures occur gradually and are extremely painful for a considerable time before the actual break. Consequently you have a lot of warning (pain being the warning) and have to ignore this for quite some time to realize the fracture.
Risk factors for stress fractures are:
Gender – being female
Amenorrhea – common in female athletes
Reduce bone density – also common in female athletes
Poor muscle strength or flexibility
Over or under weight
Inappropriate adaptation to new conditions (running surface, shoes, etc.)
Do any of these apply to you?
Adaptation is a key to any conditional change. If you decided to change nothing about your running except to run barefoot, would you expect to be able to run the same as with your regular shoes and not feel anything? Would you blame the ground if you got injured? I’m guessing you would get extremely sore feet and if you ignored this warning sign you would suffer stress fractures considerably faster than in other minimalist shoes.
You could no sooner head to the gym for the very first time and do a set of maximal effort bench presses to failure without suffering than run in a completely different shoe and expect nothing to happen.
Ultimately you are responsible for reading and understanding the adaptation literature, making changes to your equipment, training, form, etc. and listening to your body (and backing off as appropriate.)
I understand your desire to lay blame on Newton Shoes for your problems, however you are the one who chose to run, and decided how much to run despite the available information. You wrote “… and did not increase my running” which implies you did not gradually adapt to the shoes. Adaptation, as you should know form your reading, is necessary to allow strengthening of your tissue and structure.
As a triathlete I’m sure you would not buy a new bike with a new aero position and expect to train exactly as you had with your old set up. Or decide to do a rough water swim without ever having been out of a pool, or run a technical mountain trail after training only on smooth roads. Adapting to anything (Newton Shoes included) takes time, patience and intelligence.
Good luck with your running,
Ian
————————-
Ian Adamson
Newton Running
If these shoes didn’t piss me off enough, so did the lack of professionalism from their staff. Thanks for insulting me.
June 8th, 2010 at 7:52 am
Bought my Newtons in February after months of knee and hip injuries. I eased back into running and adapting to the Newtons as well. After several months, I was comfortable enough to go about four miles without any calf pain. There was some definite improvement in my speed and almost no pain in my knees or hips. The problem? Plantar Fascitis and in a huge way. I’ve battled with plantar before. But it’d been awhile. Of course, you can’t be a forefront runner and be susceptible to plantar – the mechanics of it pretty much demand stress to the achilles. What pisses me off is that I bought the shoes after meeting with a Newton representative at the store and telling him that I’d had plantar issues. Well, I’m off to the podiatrist next week and I have no idea what to do with my Newtons as I’m pretty certain that I won’t wear them again.
July 1st, 2010 at 12:41 pm
I own a pair of them – the Motus. For years I’ve run in motion control shoes and have always ended up with IT band issues. Last year I went to see a physical therapist who was also an avid runner and he said that IT band issues – pretty common among runners – are a result of the leg extending then bending. The IT band, which runs alongside the leg, snaps back and forth like a tendon in and out of a groove. We spent three months in running form class conditioning me to run barefoot, and eventually sold me on a pair of Newtons. I love ‘em and haven’t had any injuries since using them.
Interesting tidbit here… try running barefoot through your kitchen. You’ll notice that heel-to-toe kinda hurts and that you’ll naturally want to run mid-strike. This is because there isn’t any padding on the heel. Also, take a look at the marathoners who win Boston and watch how they run – very efficient forefront striking.
@kbfromhoho Do you wear flip-flops? I’ve heard that they can contribute to plantars because your toes strain to grip, especially on hills. Try switching to “Jesus” sandals (with straps), rest up, and try the Newtons again.
July 2nd, 2010 at 3:26 am
Chris:
I know it about the flip flops and plantar fascitis. PF has struck me on occasion over my running history, but never ever this bad. The podiatrist grimmaced when I told him about the Newtons and said that an overpronator has no business wearing them or running barefoot. (He did tell me to stick to Merrills and impressed upon me the need for super feet inserts.) The MD isn’t the only one. I’ve been to a couple of running shoe stores in recent weeks buying the Strasburg sock and accompanying Mrs KB when she was training for a 1/2 marathon. The running shoe gurus also grimmaced when I explained the dilemna. (Interesting, both stores were selling the Newtons, but marked way down.) So, I bought a pair of good old addidas. But, alas, they must sit as I await the healing of the PF, which I give another week or two. The MD told me to give it a couple of months or so before getting the cortisone shot. The Newtons will collect dust until I give them to Goodwill.
August 15th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
After running for so many years and so many problems, I dont see my self running in other thing that in Newtons. For me, the best so far.
Get used to them in small steps!!!!
September 11th, 2010 at 11:11 am
sorry, this is lengthy. i purchased my first pair of newton’s only a few months ago. i was just getting back into running after a long hiatus while pregnant (no, i am not the die-hard who runs marathons while growing a human inside of me). i ran my first “distance” in my old asics (which had always done me good and were the second pair i had owned) which was a local fun run (consisting of about 40,000 plus runners) that is only a little over 7 miles. my feet hurt so bad through the run that i literally ripped them off of my feet at the finish line for some relief. needless to say, i was way over due for a new pair of sneakers. i was interested in newton’s as i had a couple of friends who were fans and who do regular marathons and have completed iron man twice (in newton’s). i had already been striking mid-foot for about two years after training for my first 1/2 marathon with a fitness group call Mom’s in Motion. i was told by the coaches that this was the best/most efficient way to run. mind you, they also pointed out how much i over-pronate (which i already knew. have had “weak ankles” my whole life). during that race i endured such excruciating IT band pain i was unable to run for 6 months post. when i inquired about newton’s at the local running store (where they actually carried them) they very much poo-pooed them and discouraged me from them. as i was speaking with them, another customer piped up and said that she had tried them and that they were a total waste of money. i figured it was small-town, know-it-all attitude (they are pretty much the only RUNNING store in the town) and left w/NO shoes. i went home and ordered them on the internet directly from newton, as i HAD to get a new pair of shoes for my upcoming 1/2 marathon which i knew i absolutely could NOT run another mile in my asics. i know it is not advisable to wear new shoes in a race and that you are to gradually work into newton’s but i figured it couldn’t be any worse than the alternative. the race went great and i had no problems with the shoes at all. in fact, my knee/IT band pain was non-existant!!! my calves were pretty tore up, but i had expected that. all in all i was very pleased with the newton’s. i’ve been running sporadically in them since then over the past few months. usually no more than 3-4 miles at a time. i have had no problems/pain in any area. THEN i decided to run on the treadmill…newton’s website says that you can run in them on a treadmill, so i thought it would be fine. i don’t know if this was the problem or not, but the outside edge of my right arch started to hurt (it was a slow 3-4 miles). it hurt for a day or two when i would walk on it and then it went away. i didn’t try running again until the next week when i hit the pavement. about 1/2 a mile in the pain started up again, but more noticeable. i continued to run, thinking maybe it was just a cramp. about a mile later it was so bad i stopped to try and stretch it out. i was unable to resume running. every time i would put pressure on the forefoot the pain would cripple me! i literally LIMPED the entire way home, pushing my double stroller. i felt so pathetic!!! i have been experiencing discomfort throughout the arch for 9 days now but only when pressure is applied to the foot. i can walk and run as long as i am not in the newtons (which force me to strike on my mid-foot) and i make sure the majority of pressure is on the heel and inner mid-sole with “discomfort” but not the crippling pain i have when i put pressure on my mid-sole. it also feels much better when i am in more substantial shoes rather than flip flops (which i have been in regularly over the summer).
last night i decided to pull out my old asics (i had kept them for grubby/yard shoes) and “experiment” on the treadmill. i was able to run 4 miles at about a 10 min. pace. i was aware of the discomfort, but it wasn’t painful as long as i kept the strike in the heel. my IT band feels slightly tight, but not painful. i am very sadly thinking the newtons may be the culprit in my pain and that my body is just not designed for them or mid-foot striking for that matter. i am going to look into some insoles before giving up on them altogether as they were quite the $$ investment. i would just say to anyone looking into these shoes, you really should have your gate and body mechanics analyzed by a professional before throwing down this kind of cash on a specialized shoe. really that is what one should do before purchasing any shoes that they plan on spending a lot of time pounding there body in. right now i would give them 5 out of 10 stars…subject to change…
September 16th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
I bought my trainers online directly from the Newton company. (two pair – I rotate them.) I needed a pair of the racers for a race the following weekend, so I went to the LRS to get them rather than pay expedited shipping. Actually, I went to two LRSs, and both were extremely dismissive of the Newtons, which they both carried (?!?!) A “specialist” at one of the stores insinuated that I only wanted them for the “cool colors.” He also asked me, in a sort of snide, challenging tone, if I already knew how to “run on my toes.” WTF??? No one is telling you to run on your toes, especially not the Newton company!!! In fact they state at least twice, but I’m sure more than that, on their website that you should NOT run on your toes. It really irks me when a so called expert has absolutely no idea what he is talking about, but when he is actually condescending, it is more than I can bear. Okay, full disclosure: I did buy the Newtons from him, much as I hate to admit it (I really needed them in time for the race) but you can bet I will never darken the door of that LRS again. And FWIW, customer service at Newton is exceptional. Yes, the price of the shoe is high (exhorbitent.) But, with Newton I get the exact shoe I want (lightweight with a roomy, mesh toe box) and the confidence that the company will stand behind their shoes and is genuinely committed to making their customers happy. It is all Newtons for me from now on, directly from the company (I still can’t figure out why the LRS’s have such chips on their shoulders.)
February 8th, 2011 at 11:37 pm
Just signed up for a 5km charity run led by faith and passion to focus on keeping fit this year. While on the quest for good running shoes last night, I came across Asics and Newton. I was totally awed the moment I stepped into a pair of Newton and jogged with it. It has completely caught my heart and I’m gonna own a pair. The colours are bright and cheery, totally encourages me to run more in them! Amazing technology!
February 28th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Bought Newtons without doing research, A friend said they were the best shoe in the world. Not so.
After taking it slow and getting used to the Newton Shoe by prescription of the Newton Sales Person. I took it easy with running walking etc. After about 2 weeks of getting used to the Newtons(by prescription) I went on a easy 9 mile run, my knees simply gave out on me.
I currently now in Rehab trying to get my knees back healthy. I can only run about 3 miles without severe pain in both knees. Pre Newtons no knee problem. Post Newtons- Rehab..
Asics for me. Its my fault as I did not do my research
May 4th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Bought the issac newtons as a starter Newton shoe. Felt really fast from the start and noticed all my average training times faster.. They work!!! Next step was to buy the distance racer. Now bearing in mind I took it slowly with the issacs I thought great… here we go a faster version for racing. Sure my first race went really well and I was flying but after that I felt sore in them for my next races and training.. Finally blew up in a race when I couldnt walk after it. Turns out I have a pretty bad stress fracture. Bearing in mind I NEVER have injuries etc im putting this down to the shoe. The stress fracture is on the 2nd toe at the base just where I was landing with the Newtons… My season is ruined and I feel I will never get back. Also I have spent a fortune on docs bills scans etc.My advice is be very very careful with Newtons… Yep they make you run faster alright… faster until you get injuried.. DONT GO NEAR THE RACER.. You will pay for it… use the issac trainer and see how you feel…
By the way I have a brand new pair of issac trainers going cheap if you want to try them?
May 21st, 2011 at 2:31 pm
Just as a note, those who are used to running mainly on pavement with thick cushioned shoes will most likely experience pain/stress fractures with thin natural running shoes on pavement. My thoughts on natural style of running is that studies have shown that people who have never worn shoes to run/walk naturally strike mid-foot. However, these same people mostly run with the earth under them, not pavement. (ie. tribal people) The one thing I love about wearing thinner shoes is that I can feel the earth act as a light cushion under me and I feel I have more control and balance because my ankle muscles have strengthened so the slight irregularities of the earth doesn’t pose a problem for me.
Maybe those who still plan on running in races that are on pavement should stick to the thicker cushioned shoes because we have accustomed our muscles/bones to that type of environment. YOu can’t expect your body adapt to a huge change that quickly. It can take years, not weeks. Just a thought.
July 15th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
My sports/rehab doc told me he is seeing metatarsal stress fractures with the Newtons. I felt one toe starting to hurt — could be power of suggestion but I’ve switched to barefoot running and a fairly flat Puma 300 shoe.
Kthom: The Newtons may have caused the stress fracture, who knows. One thing I’ve read is take more Vitamin D-3, calcium and magnesium (parts 1 to 1 calcium/mag). Supplementing your diet with Vitamin D, calcium and magnesium will reduce risk of stress fractures. Bones need all three to build calcium and a little boron, vitamin K and zinc.
Read more at
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org
July 30th, 2011 at 8:11 am
i bought newton shoes two months ago and tried it around. then last sunday i wore it on my ten k run. i did run faster but on the last km i began experiencing heel pain. its been a week and i still have plantar fasciitis. this is the first time i experienced this pain. i think its because of newton. it was a reward for myself for runnng but im dismayed by the pain i experienced on this shoes.
July 30th, 2011 at 8:11 am
i bought newton shoes two months ago and tried it around. then last sunday i wore it on my ten k run. i did run faster but on the last km i began experiencing heel pain. its been a week and i still have plantar fasciitis. this is the first time i experienced this pain. i think its because of newton. it was a reward for myself for runnng but im dismayed by the pain i experienced on this shoes.
September 1st, 2011 at 6:45 pm
I need to be up front, Iam a Newton fan and I believe in the product, HOWEVER, I also believe they are not for everyone, and there are some things to keep in mind when using these shoes. I hope that others will read this and avoid the problems I encountered when starting running in Newtons. In my opinon adaptation is the key. I was quite dismayed to read at the start of this blog that “proper running form brings you down on your heel first” Evolution running and Chi running would have something to say about that! Maybe that works for some people, but that is not the way Newtons are designed to work. Prior to running in these shoes unsure you are proficient in the forefoot/mid foot running technique. Don’t pull on a pair of Newtons and expect them to miraculously change your running style. Secondly, work into them very slowly, a couple of kilometers a day for a week no more. Thirdly, don’t run on a treadmill with them. It was interesting to read that someone else suffered injury running on a treadmill with Newtons, as I gave myself a stress fracture of my third metatarsal on a treaddie in Newtons. And it re broke it again on a treaddie again in Newtons. If you are not a proficient forefoot runner invest in Chi running or Evolution running prior to a pair of Newtons. Once your technique is sorted out slap your hard earned down for a pair of the best running shoes in the business.
December 13th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
In response to KTHOM
I have had a similar experience. I am a distance runner. This past Marine Corp marathon 2011 was my 15th marathon. I started wearing Newton Gravitys in May 2011. My weekly mileage was no greater than it had been prior to the Newtons. I initially loved the Newtons. In July I went for a 22 mile run–again not out of the norm for me. My feet had felt fine before the run–I had not experienced any foot pain–but afterwards I could barely walk. I am pretty sure I suffered metatarsal stress fractures in both feet. I emailed Newtons specifically asking them if other people have complained of similar injuries. They did not answer, but emailed me a lengthy explanation of why through natural inclination or improper training I could be injured.
I am very curious if there is a correlation between Newtons and metatarsal stress fractures–maybe also with high weekly mileage.
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