# Negative heel shoes (ie Earth shoes) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 8, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462 "2009-12-08T16:22:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/1 "2009-12-08T16:22:58Z")
I’m looking for some negative heel shoes for a few reasons. Earthshoes are the big, well known brand, and several friends are happy with theirs. My problem is that the largest size they make is 13. I wear a 15. Does anyone have any experience with other brands that make a negative heel shoe? ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/2 "2009-12-08T16:41:59Z")
I despise my Earth shoes. My wife bought them for me (size 13) on a whim. I only wear them when it rains, beacuse it has an exceptionally well-gripping tread. They hurt my feet. The sole is much smaller than the body of the shoe, and it feels like I’m balancing on the sole of the shoe. My feet hurt like they’ve been through a workout when I wear them. I don’t know what “negative heel” means. Just saying, I recommend against Earth shoes, and shoes like Earth shoes. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/3 "2009-12-08T16:45:09Z")
Negative heel means that instead of the toe being 1.5\* below the heel, the heel is below the toe, stretching the Achilles and plantar fascii. I have issues with a broken ankle and think that it would help. I know that Earthshoes have a variety of styles- perhaps the style you have is the problem, not the heel. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/4 "2009-12-08T16:46:12Z")
The last time I heard about Earthshoes was circa 1976. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/5 "2009-12-08T17:04:34Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > The last time I heard about Earthshoes was circa 1976. Me too, and the soul had G.A.S.S written on the bottom of them (Great American Shoe Store) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/6 "2009-12-08T18:30:26Z")
I can’t address the other negative heel brands if any, but you might try looking at Birkenstocks or similar shoes that don’t elevate the heel. I wear Earth and Birks most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/7 "2009-12-08T20:40:45Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > I despise my Earth shoes. > > My wife bought them for me (size 13) on a whim. I only wear them when it rains, beacuse it has an exceptionally well-gripping tread. > > They hurt my feet. The sole is much smaller than the body of the shoe, and it feels like I’m balancing on the sole of the shoe. My feet hurt like they’ve been through a workout when I wear them. > > I don’t know what “negative heel” means. Just saying, I recommend against Earth shoes, and shoes like Earth shoes. > > Joe According to brief Google, the feeling of having worked out is apparently the point. > [@](#): > > Walking in negative heel shoes gives the whole body a workout, similar to walking up a slight incline. The calf muscles are stretched, extra calories are burned, and parts of the body not usually involved in the walking process are engaged and exercised. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/8 "2009-12-09T10:00:20Z")
The problem is, because they make you feel like you’re walking up a slight incline, when you walk up a slight incline it feels like a big one. I quite enjoyed the ones I had, mainly for novelty value. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/9 "2009-12-09T11:46:58Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > According to brief Google, the feeling of having worked out is apparently the point. Yeah, that’s what my sis-in-law said. But fuck a duck, I am a cashier. I walk all day. My feet hurt like a bastard at the end of the day. Why would I want the feeling of a workout? Maybe not the fault of the shoe, but DAMN! I don’t want to work an EXTRA 8 hours a day… Joe ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/10 "2009-12-10T14:47:40Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > According to brief Google, the feeling of having worked out is apparently the point. I don’t have any such feeling with Earth shoes, not even when I first wore them. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/11 "2009-12-11T00:09:52Z")
They can ruin your feet. Back in the day, I had a pair. The bones in my heels started to become misaligned. YRMV but wear them at you peril. Snake oil. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/12 "2009-12-11T00:31:54Z")
Wondering if the Skechers ShapeUps would be of any interest to you? They sort of do the same thing, by having the sole higher in the middle; they make you balance and take a little more effort to walk in, which causes extra muscles to work out when you walk. They might help strengthen your ankle, if that’s what you’re after. I bought my first pair yesterday and so far I like them, but it’s too soon to tell if they are having any effect, good or bad. They are a bit 'spensive, $120 retail. And I don’t know if they come in 15. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/13 "2009-12-11T01:28:25Z")
[This podiatrist](http://cgi1.usatoday.com/mchat/20040422002/tscript.htm) agrees they’re bad: > [@](#): > > Wisconsin: What is your opinion on Earth shoes? I tried on a pair for the first time - and they felt great! Very comfortable. Are they as good as they feel? Thanks. > > Stephen Pribut, D.P.M.: The shape of Earth shoes is fine. The negative heel is not considered by most authorities to be a good thing. My kids thought earth shoes had gone the way of the dinosaur and that all of the earth shoe wearers had graduated to Birkenstocks. I haven’t seen an earth shoe in a long time. If they no longer have a negative heel, they might be just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sticks_and_scones/32/16951_2.png) [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sticks_and_Scones)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/14 "2009-12-11T02:29:16Z")
I had a pair of Earth Shoes and wore them for a couple of months. I quit wearing them because for the first time ever in my life I developed a problem with an aching/burning pain in my hip. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but I’m not going to take the chance anymore. (I quit wearing them and my hip has been fine ever since.) Just as an aside, I rather liked my Birkenstocks and would imagine that they come in larger sizes. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/negative-heel-shoes-ie-earth-shoes/520462/15 "2009-12-11T04:23:09Z")
How about Vibram Five Fingers: [http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/](http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/) Different that negative heals, but may be what you need.