Healus

heelless running shoes

The Healus is a unique running shoe without a heel developed by a runner and physiotherapist, Adri Hartveld from the Netherlands who had developed prototypes over 10 years. Healus Ltd are based in Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom. Development of the running shoe was conducted with research partners, but development seem to have stopped in 2013 and the shoe never came to market.

heelus running shoe

Basic principle the shoe design is based on is the potential to reduce injuries if the initial impact shock is reduced and that forefoot striking is better.

A patent was granted for the design:

Healus Running Shoes

Research and development on the concept was done under the umbrella of the Heelless project funded by a grant from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme that involved several research partners. Some of the research was done on the running shoe by Nachi Chockalingham at Staffordshire University:

The research found:

Given the reduction in impact loading rates and increases in ankle eversion that were observed in heelless footwear, running in this type of footwear may reduce the incidence of chronic injuries linked to excessive impact forces. However, it may increase the injury potential that is associated with excessive ankle eversion.

Commentary:

In July 2017, a similar looking shoe, the FBR Concept, came to market in Spain.

External Links:
Heelus Website | Heelless running shoe (Podiatry Arena discussion) | Heelless Project Website | Twitter

Related Topics:
Overuse Injuries With Different Running Techniques | Impact Loads and Overuse Running Injury

Other heel less running shoes:

HT RunnerMIZUNO WAVE DUEL PRO qtr
HealusFBRHT RunnersMizuno Wave Duel ProLiNing

 
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