While it is true that athletes of the past ran marathons barefoot, today elite athletes depend on space age sneaker technology to destroy world records, win medals, and achieve their personal best. From young athletes sporting Adidas in Australia to elite athletes in Asia or college athletes in Europe, there is no doubt that globally we need great shoe design in today’s highly competitive sports. But what would happen if tomorrow all sneaker manufacturing stopped? What if we had to start from the beginning, running marathons clad in handmade sandals or speeding along barefoot over rough terrain?
The End of World Records
Today’s elite athletes depend on high quality athletic gear and sneakers to achieve superhuman accomplishments. Running shoes for men and women today use space age technology from the foam to the unique design to incorporating aerodynamics and physics to ensure that every athlete can run as fast as they possibly, humanly, can. The end of modern day sneakers would usher in a Dark Age of sports, where we are limited once again to sheer talent. And while this might equalize the playing field, especially at lower college and school age levels, our best athletes would struggle knowing that at one time their shoes would have helped and not hindered their overall athletic performance.
Flip Flop Fashion
The end of all sneaker design would result in a massive increase in handmade shoes. For most, that would mean the very simple thong sandal, nothing more than a flip flop. The world would lose the thousands of custom styles and designs like the one-of-a-kind Pharrell Williams BBC HU NMD sneakers or the trendy A 16+ UltraBoost Adidas. Instead athletes would opt to compete barefoot instead of trying to play wearing essentially old tires tied to their foot with string. A tragedy for sure!
Ouch!
Perhaps the direst result of ending good sneaker design will be the nauseating high rate of injury for every athlete. Quality shoes do more than make your feet look pretty. They provide protection against the elements. Comfortable textile lining and proprietary foam support the foot, mold to the foot, reducing injury. This is crucial for high impact sports, where the bones and joints are jarred repeatedly against the ground. Even casual athletes would find long-term back pain, foot injury, and calluses are the norm. Choosing the right sneaker for you is more than a style choice. The right sneaker will provide you with quality health for decades to come.
Lots of Shoelaces
This is a little less ominous than a sharp increase of injuries or the end of world records, but think about it. No sneakers means that billions of shoelaces will be homeless. What to do? Chances are that some industrious soul will invent an entire industry around old shoelaces, maybe creating a new fashion trend or even some practical gadgetry that uses the laces like a new way to hold your pants up or tie your hair. However, eventually the laces may overrun the planet, bringing about the end of the world!
Okay, probably not. But we should be thankful to modern sneaker technology for providing us with the comfort and support we need in our high-paced society.
Image Credits: Sneaker Designs from pixabay
