Have you heard the terms functional shoe and minimal shoe? Many people ask whether these terms are interchangeable, a hot topic of debate in the foot health and gait mechanics research community. Both terms describe a shoe that allows your foot to function in its most natural position, but the difference between a functional shoe and a minimal shoe, in our view, is this: A shoe is functional if it has a wide toe box and a low heel-to-toe drop; a shoe is minimal if it has a wide toe box, zero heel-to-toe drop, and a thin and flexible sole.
What’s The Difference Between Functional & Minimalist Footwear?
