The Running Shoe Blog - A Podiatrist’s perspective

The Running Shoe Blog - Mizuno Wave Creation 18

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This month our Clinical Director Tom Cooper looks at the Mizuno Wave Creation 18 and gives us his thoughts.

A Podiatrist's Perspective

Mizuno call this shoe “The Distance Hero” which on first inspection seems true enough. The shoe has a stable, firm feel but with the combination of the Infinity Wave in the heel and U4ic midsole it should offer plenty of cushioning.

My Thoughts

Structure - As a podiatrist I tend to favour a shoe that has a firm heel counter and stable platform. Cushioning is important but the foot and ankle is designed to absorb shock all by itself. It is important that the balance is one of comfort but stability. I think that this shoe ticks that box – on initial observation my first concern was that this shoe would be unstable due to the design of the heel unit but after wearing the shoe I was pleasantly surprised by how stable it felt.


Design – I have always found the shoe to be unique in appearance and like the way the shoe looks. The heel drop on this shoe is one of the biggest amongst neutral shoes and for people suffering with heel/Achilles pain should certainly be considered. The drop encourages a smooth transition from heel to toe and the rocker sole encourages toe off. The shoe is on the heavier side but would be suited to a slightly heavier runner.


Performance – This shoe is built for longer distance running and as previously stated is well suited to the larger runners amongst us. The design of this shoe lends itself well to the heel strikers as this is when you would benefit from the unique heel design. For the lighter runners who wear this shoe the feedback is that the ride is firm and for those runners I would tend to advise moving towards a different brand.

 

Overall Rating – 7/10

The striking design and stable cushioning makes this shoe a high scorer. Even though the shoe lacks the cushioning of equivalent shoes among other brands it delivers a stable well balanced heel-toe transition and is perfect for the heavier runners looking to complete big distance runs.