The History of Running Insoles
Running is considered to be one of the oldest forms of human activities. Prehistoric humans, for example, ran hundreds of miles, to hunt for food. Then came the first Olympic games held in 1896 in which running was among the main sport events. Eventually, manufacturers saw the need of the athletes for a good cushion and feet support, and this idea gave birth to feet orthotics. Although there are different brands of running insoles nowadays, I’m most comfortable using Hydrofeet® massaging insoles and I have been using it for a while now.
How Running Insoles Came to Be
If we try to trace history, the first insoles were actually manufactured by innkeepers. And contrary to our conventional beliefs, these insoles were first made for travelers, not for athletes. I was quite surprised myself when I found out about that. The innkeepers could always hear these travelers ranting about their achy feet, so they developed insoles from crude materials available to them. The earliest insoles were said to be made of matted animal hair foot pads.
The Development of Insoles
Shoemakers developed the innkeepers’ antiquated version of insoles into something more modern, and these were made from leather. The method of manufacturing insoles entailed laminating leather strips. These strips were then molded on shoes and shaped by hand. Users still find the leather insoles not comfortable for daily use as these were bulky and heavy. Shoemakers saw the need for lighter and softer insoles and they were able to produce cushioned and lightweight insoles with the use of thermoplastics. Thermoplastic has been found to be a great material for arch support and shoe inserts, since it can be heated and molded according to the shape of the feet. Most feet orthotics these days are manufactured using thermoplastics technology.
Thanks to modern technology, it is now possible for us to engage in running, and other daily activities of daily with great ease. Hydrofeet® running insoles will never fail in providing you all the support and comfort you need...even if you spend longer periods on your feet. With Hydrofeet®, you will always have that “walking on water” experience.
