Running is healthy. It helps you to lose weight, increases your lung’s air intake and withholding capacity, your blood pressure is better managed and the exercise can counter or take care of a multitude of physical problems. There is no substitute of running. Doctors agree, so do fitness experts and also those who are regular runners. But running has one flipside. It isn’t very good for your bones, especially for the joints. As one grows old, the skeletal structure isn’t as strong and the joints tend to become weak. In such times, is running wise or is it an avoidable exercise?
The truth is that running is necessary but damaging one’s bones or joints isn’t desirable. That is why people opt for running shoes or special jogging shoes that help in reducing the stress on joints. There are many types of running shoes which are actually good for the joints. Catering to the same purpose is the latest Enko Running Shoe.
Enko is a unique piece as far as the design is concerned. The concept isn’t entirely new. The usage of spring to absorb the energy when you land one feet and then the release of that energy to give you more power and also to provide you with a certain level of suspension is an old concept. This concept has been used by all major shoe makers, especially those that make running shoes. The difference is that most companies don’t use metallic or alloy springs. They use a wide range of materials which absorb the thrust of a landing foot and provide suspension, thus attending to the wellbeing of the joints.
Enko attempts to provide comfort through its suspension and it aims to provide additional power by giving back the energy released during landing so a runner gets more power in his or her feet while running. The intention is noble. A runner should be more comfortable, have better joints and enjoy the suspension as well as the added power or thrust with which one should be able to run faster.
But the flipside is the price. Enko is an expensive pair. It isn’t certain how many people would be willing to pay more than what expensive brands already charge and that too for a technology that is not widely tested on the ground. Would the spring hold enough suspension, would the shoes be durable and would they be actually good for the joints and bones? It isn’t clear if the thrust generated by the spring would be actually harmless or helpful.
