[Insoles are Reinforcements for Broken Feet] -What is Truly Needed is 'Foot Regeneration'-
Introduction: Re-evaluating Your Feet Before Relying on Insoles
Many of us in modern society insert "insoles" into our shoes.
It has become a very common sight, and it is not rare to purchase commercial products for reasons such as "reducing fatigue," "alleviating pain," or "improving performance," or to be recommended custom-made insoles at orthopedic clinics or treatment centers.
Admittedly, it seems rational at first glance.
My foot arch has collapsed, so let's support it.
I have developed a bunion, so let's correct the orientation of my toes.
My heel hurts, so let's absorb the shock.
Everything is focused on "adapting to the current state."
However, there is a critical blind spot here.
Isn't that state of the foot "broken"?
And isn't adapting to that broken state hindering its regeneration?
Originally, our feet area 'living structure' that can be re-educated.
Continuing to support them with "immobile auxiliary tools" can lead tothe degeneration of muscle strength and sensation, and there is even a danger that they will lose their inherent power more and more.
Chapter 1: Insoles are Nothing More Than 'Status Quo' Devices
Many insoles are designed to match the "current shape of the foot" or the "pain/discomfort being felt." For example, if you have flat feet, a hard pad is inserted to support the arch from below, and if you have bunions, a structure is incorporated to push the big toe back from the outside. For heel pain, soft cushions are used with the goal of absorbing shock during walking.
However, these approaches are made based on the idea of"adapting to the current shape". In other words, they are nothing more than "status quo devices" based on the state of a "foot that has already collapsed." It is like adding external support to the framework of a broken building, and it may even hinder the power to stand on its own.
In the first place, the human foot is aprecise structurecomposed of 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 ligaments and tendons per foot. The arch structure they weave is not a static support but adynamic spring structure, and in all movements such as walking, running, and jumping, it issimultaneously responsible for shock absorption and propulsion generation.
Among them, what is particularly important is thecoordination between the toes (especially the big toe) and the midfoot.
The sole of the foot, designed so that the load is released onto the ball of the foot (first metatarsal head), is structured to perform "push-off" rather than "kick-off" at the very end. For this function to be exhibited, it is a prerequisite that the toes are firmly flexed and used as if gripping the ground.
However, many reinforcement-type insoles hinder the flexion of the toes, dull the sensation of the soles of the feet, and as a result, the original muscles and tendons are fixed in a state of "not being used."
For example, the following cases are actually seen:
The pain was alleviated by the bunion insole, but the toes became even less mobile
As a result of using the arch-correcting type for a long time, my own arch function weakened, and I get tired easily when walking barefoot
Due to soft insoles that emphasize cushioning, other discomforts occurred in the knees and hip joints
This can be said to be asecondary compensation that occurs by deviating the body's sensation and movement chain from its original design.
In other words, even if you "feel temporarily better" or "pain is reduced" by inserting insoles, there is a possibility that it is not a "true solution." Rather, by "putting the muscles and sensations that should be used to sleep," you might be sacrificing future possibilities and mobility.
What is most important here is the perspective that "the foot is a 'structure that can be retrained'." No matter how much the human body collapses, it can be rebuilt if given appropriate stimulation and environment. The foot is no exception;the arch regenerates, the toes awaken, and the ground contact sensation is revived.
Continuing to use tools that only "adapt to the current shape" while abandoning that possibility could be said to be an act oflimiting one's own self-healing power and athletic ability.
Chapter 2: If You Must Use Them, Choose a 'Regenerative' Insole
The insole itself is not the problem.
The issue lies in its design philosophy. If an insole is created not as a 'tool to support the status quo,' but as a 're-education tool to regain the foot's original function,' it can become a 'regenerative insole' worth using.
What is important here is whether it is intended to make the foot work, rather than aiming to support it.
■ Design Philosophy: 'Guidance' Instead of Support
The essence of a regenerative insole is to 'guide,' not to 'support.'
Shifting the center of gravity, using the toes, and reactivating the sensation of the soles of the feet. Unless it has a dynamic design philosophy that encourages these, the foot will not regenerate.
For example, an insole that is too soft coddles the plantar fascia and hinders the reconstruction of the arch. An insole that is too hard interferes with toe gripping and interaction with the ground, robbing the foot of its power to push off.
What is required of a regenerative insole is that middle ground: a 'firmness that makes you aware' and a 'design that guides.'
■ Materials and Structures that Recall Sensory Nerves
The soles of the feet contain more sensory receptors (mechanoreceptors) than anywhere else in the body. This is because our bodies 'unconsciously' perform various adjustments, from receiving 'information from the ground' delicately to controlling posture, maintaining balance, and even reflexive movement control.
However, if you use thick-soled cushions or overly fitted insoles for a long period,
this neural input from the soles of the feet decreases significantly. As a result, the sensation of ground contact dulls, posture collapses, and the coordination of the entire body is lost.
The role that a regenerative insole should fulfill is to reboot these sensors in the soles of the feet.
For example, designs that intentionally incorporate mild irregularities or change the materials between the forefoot and heel to accentuate the differences in ground contact can clearly convey to the brain 'where the load is currently being applied,' allowing the foot to 'naturally learn' how to use the toes and midfoot.
In this way, the texture of the material and the distribution of stimulation themselves become the education.
■ The Importance of a Structure that Makes the Toes Work
In a regenerative insole, the most important factor is the freedom of the toes.
Most conventional insoles cover the toe area with hard material or are not designed with movement in mind at all. But instead of 'making' the toes work, that only results in them falling further asleep.
An ideal design is a guiding structure that does not hinder, but rather encourages the flexion, extension, and gripping movements of the toes.
For example, a design that leaves the area from the base of the toes forward free, while emphasizing the load on the ball of the big toe (first metatarsal head), is one such approach.
In this way, by designing to draw out the active nature of the toes, the motor learning of the foot itself progresses, and in the long term, you will be able to acquire natural movement even without the insole.
The essence of a regenerative insole is not to rely on a tool, but to 'remind the foot itself how to do its job.' In other words, it is not a 'tool for support,' but a 'tool for relearning.' Whether or not it can do that determines the value of the insole.
Chapter 3: Regenerating from 'Having No Toes' - The Choice of Balance Fit
The insole we propose, 《Balance Fit 2 For Athlete × MTR Method Lab®︎》, is based on a design philosophy that is 180 degrees different from the conventional wisdom of insole design.
What surprises many people at first is the structure where the toe section does not exist.
Instead of protecting the toes, there is 'nothing there.' Many people feel anxious or doubtful about this bold design.
However, that is exactly the core of regeneration.
■ 'Not supporting' brings back functionality
Balance Fit deliberately does not support the toes. It does not 'cover,' 'raise,' or 'suppress' the toe area. As a result, the toes have no choice but to be moved by their own will.
Why is that important?
Our toes, especially the big toe (first toe), are originally organs for 'gripping the ground,' 'absorbing loads,' and 'fine-tuning posture.' Their movement is supported by sophisticated body knowledge that communicates with the ground at an unconscious reflex level rather than something 'used consciously'.
However, when insoles or shoes 'pre-emptively assist' that movement, the brain decides that it 'no longer needs to use them' and gradually shuts down those circuits. In this way, the toes transform into organs that 'can function without being moved'.
Balance Fit directly opposes this vicious cycle.
A design where the toes are 'forced to be used'
A material feel where the entire sole of the foot 'is forced to feel'
A load-guiding design where the center of gravity naturally gathers at the ball of the big toe
Through these innovations, the feet are rebooted every time you wear them.
■ 'Standing,' 'walking,' and 'stepping' change with Balance Fit
People who have actually used Balance Fit consistently share these comments.
'My toes started moving on their own'
'While walking, the sensation of my big toe gripping the ground has returned'
'My center of gravity is on the inside, and I can stand straight'
'The discomfort in my lower back and knees has disappeared'
This is by no means a coincidence, but proof that the kinetic chain of the foot has begun to function again in its original order.
Especially when the pushing motion at the ball of the foot is restored, the quality of propulsive force in walking and running changes.
Absorbing shock with the heel upon contact
Receiving the load at the midfoot
Propelling forward as if 'pushing off' with the ball of the foot
This sequence of movements is only possible when the foot, which serves as the foundation, is used correctly. Balance Fit is a device designed to recall the circuit of fluid center-of-gravity movement.
■ From an era of supplementing with tools to an era of 'reminding the body'
Many modern insoles focus on 'how to supplement' or 'how to protect.' However, Balance Fit does not supplement. It does not protect.
Instead, it asks the foot a question.
'Are you not still capable of moving?'
'Can you not remember the feel of the ground once more?'
'Can you not regain the power to support yourself and stand on your own?'
In this way, the foot awakens its dormant senses, and the senses, muscles, and skeleton begin to work in harmony once again.
We believe that reclaiming the toes is the key to regaining natural human movement. The foot is not merely a contact surface, but an organ with intelligence. Putting that intelligence back to work will change your posture, your way of walking, and your life.
Chapter 4: Relying on tools, or regenerating yourself
Many modern people feel 'anxiety about their feet.'
Bunions, floating toes, flat feet, plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma...
A wide variety of troubles lurk in daily life, and they are becoming more serious year by year due to the influence of shoes and walking habits.
Against these, we tend to want to rely on 'external assistance.'
Soft soles, supportive insoles, taping, and fixed supports. Many of these tools provide short-term peace of mind and a 'form that looks corrected.'
However, is that truly recovery?
'No longer feeling pain' and 'having regenerated'—are they the same thing?
When we take this question to heart, we arrive at one option.
That is, an approach that regenerates the foot itself.
■ The foot is an 'organ that can be retrained'
Our bodies can regain their functions at any age, provided the right stimuli and environment are in place. In fact, the arch of the foot is composed of the tension of muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and these are a reversible structure that can be reshaped depending on how they are used daily.
Walking on the ground barefoot.
Moving the toes firmly.
Awakening the sensations of the soles of the feet.
Changing your consciousness from 'being supported' to 'supporting.'
The accumulation of such re-education is the only path to reclaiming your original feet. What is needed for that is an environment that reminds your feet of their job, and not a temporary aid, but a mechanism that promotes regeneration.
■ Balance Fit is a 'question' for that regeneration
The Balance Fit 2 For Athlete x MTR Method Lab®︎ we propose is an insole designed precisely to 'ask the body, not rely on tools'.
A structure that does not cover the toes.
Natural standing posture induction via zero-millimeter drop.
A dynamic stability structure that supports even the lateral longitudinal arch.
A heel cup that wraps around the heel and an appropriate hardness that utilizes plantar sensation.
All of these are based on a design philosophy aimed at re-education.
Every time you experience the process of freeing your toes, awakening your sensory nerves, and having your center of gravity flow from the midfoot to the ball of the big toe, your feet will 'remember'.
They will remember the supple, strong, sensitive, and soft sensation of your feet from back when you were a child running around barefoot.
■ Everything begins with 'awareness'
True regeneration does not begin by leaving it to tools, but by
'the body becoming aware'.
For example, try walking for a few minutes today wearing Balance Fit.
Try focusing on how your toes are moving.
Observe how your heel lands and how you push off from the ball of your big toe.
Just by doing that, a new circuit begins to form between your brain and your feet.
Now that technology has evolved, shouldn't we return to our 'primal senses'?
The foot as wisdom that communicates with the ground.
That wisdom is still quietly sleeping within your body.
Must-read notes and services provided by MTR Method Lab®︎
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What should you take? What should you not take? We have organized the essential concepts of nutritional strategy for soccer players, from introduction to practice. This is the essence of nutrition that supports the body to continue fighting through a long season.
If a soccer player wants to improve their nutrition, it starts with protein, vitamins, and minerals. We have organized the overview in three articles. Please read this as a saved version, as it also serves as an introduction to nutritional strategy.
No matter how much healthy food you eat, if your gut microbiota is disrupted, it is all for nothing. From frequent injuries and poor physical condition to mental health issues, one of the causes of physical dysfunction may lie in the gut.
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A 'four-week recovery muscle strain' common among soccer players. In reality, many of these are not muscle tears, but 'invisible injuries' called muscle contractures. This is a new perspective that fundamentally re-evaluates performance, covering the essence of easily misdiagnosed muscle stiffness and blood flow disorders, the pitfalls of icing and strength training, and the necessity of improving blood flow.
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“No matter how good the nutrition you take, it is meaningless if your blood does not circulate.”
At MTR Method Lab®, which aims for athlete regeneration, we perform a 'body reboot' centered on releasing muscle contractures and optimizing blood flow. At the center of this is BTP = Blood Trigger Point. This is a concept that refers to the 'key points' of the human body where blood flow is easily blocked, and it is the key directly linked to performance improvement, injury prevention, and recovery promotion.
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■ Reactivation® (Skeletal Exercise)
The skeleton is the pillar, and the muscles are the walls. If you liken the structure of the human body to a building, you can see the secrets of body manipulation that truly improve performance. Being thin but strong, moving flexibly, and having a different kind of sharpness. When tensegrity is aligned, otherworldly performance can be realized.
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■ Individual Tactics and Technique
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The essence of soccer is that it is a sport played by kicking with the feet. If you forget this essence, flaws will appear in the acquisition of techniques necessary to play. There is a professional realm that can only be reached by being extremely particular about the details of the kick, such as the toes and the bones that make contact.
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There is a silent 'music' flowing in the dribbling of Messi and Neymar. From a 2-beat to a 3-beat, and then to the 'pause' of floating. I unravel dribbling not as a technique, but as art spoken by the body from the perspective of rhythm, and decode the unique 'secret of rhythm' that dwells in their feet.
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The Premier League is said to have the highest intensity in the world. The J-League in Japan requires running distances that far exceed those of the Premier League. I wondered why they run so much and dug into it.
At MTR Method Lab®, we also provide individual tactical advice to some supported players. While this note article is an overview of team tactics, since a group tactic is a multiple version of individual tactics, and a team tactic is an aggregate of group tactics, I examine soccer as a territory-claiming game.
Individual tactics and technique are closely related. Acquiring appropriate technique leads to the demonstration of rational body operability. I believe that body orientation is not something to be conscious of, but something that happens naturally.
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■ Youth Development
The reality that boys who shone overwhelmingly in their childhood disappear as they grow up. Behind that was a 'structural blind spot' lurking in Japanese soccer development. A bias toward early maturity, short-term results-oriented culture, a culture of waiting for instructions, and lost street soccer. What is truly disappearing may not be 'talent,' but the 'environment that nurtures talent.'
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■ Non-fiction Magazine
A spin-off short story from the 'Mountain Trail Running -What the Mountains Taught Me-' series. The regeneration story of Yuki Horigome, number 44 of Sagan Tosu. A memory where events of just four months flashed by like a revolving lantern. Why was a veteran who was only getting injured and languishing in J2 able to decorate the opening starting lineup of J1?
A non-fiction story of the trajectory of the author, who is the development manager of MTR Method™, trying and erroring to aim for the regeneration of his own body. A complete layman regarding the body challenges a new world with curiosity and a spirit of inquiry.
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At MTR Method Lab®︎, we share insights on individual tactics that consider physical maneuverability as a Personal Tactics Archives for professional soccer players and coaches. These individual tactics consist of a vast collection of materials summarizing the principles of European football.