Footwear?

IMO playing without shoes can lead to ankle/knee problems later on.

Really? Why do you say that?

I am having ankle/knee/hip problems and my doctor said it was my flat shoes (I have high arches and so my ankles roll in). I was actually wondering if my intense weekend double bass practice was doing damage.

I wear socks at practice, or shoes when gigging/drum shopping.
 
Really? Why do you say that?

I am having ankle/knee/hip problems and my doctor said it was my flat shoes (I have high arches and so my ankles roll in). I was actually wondering if my intense weekend double bass practice was doing damage.

I wear socks at practice, or shoes when gigging/drum shopping.

Playing without proper shoes, that is. It might not be a cure but it will help.

It's physical activity on your feet and legs, if your shoes (or feet) lack support or shock absorption then there will be an increased strain put on them through thousands of bass drum and hi hat pedal movements.

Everyone's not the same obviously, and I'm no doctor (Watso...?) but there can be many issues and reasons behind those issues that cause physical pain or degradation.

Simply wearing shoes won't cure a sore knee if it's being torqued by your ankle, you need footwear with more arch and ankle support, and/or a regimen of ankle/calf strengthening exercises.
 
Shock absorption? That old line again?

Although I don't run barefoot for various environmental reasons - 'shock absorption' is actually something that footwear companies trawl out to sell trainers. The issue is not with the impact of the foot on the ground but with the technique that we use to run. Watch a man run barefoot and he uses a totally different impact point and ankle movement to running with training shoes on. Barefoot runners run on the balls of their feet and allow the knee to flex to its full capability. Most runners wearing trainers run on their heels more than is healthy. After runners have developed a technique to prevent running on their heels - even with shock absorbing footwear - the rate of injury drastically decreases. If nobody wore shoes then the 'natural' running gait that is used by the majority of people would change drastically to one that is more natural and prevents injury.

Of course, I generalise but actually if 'shock absorption' is your main justification for having to wear shoes then I'd hate to see your running gait. Pedals are at the very most medium-impact and more like low-impact. There shouldn't be any 'shock' issues with the ankles or knees.

I wear shoes because the stiffness of the sole allows me to control the pedal movement better but it doesn't make a huge difference either way and - as I said earlier - I'm happy playing without shoes on and can wear a wide variety of shoes and still play comfortably.

EDIT: Here's a partial source. I watched the documentary (probably not available in the US) months ago and it was fascinating.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18863293
 
I think Pocket's combination of heel up, heel down, [ in stilettos ], is positively ground breaking! Seriously, the man is a genius!!
And imagine the percussive posibilities if you nailed a few bells to the heels!
Mind you, that would depend on how much you paid for the shoes. How much did you pay Pocket?
Alignment is something I want to throw into the discussion. If there isn't a comfortable 'through line' that follows down the skeletal structure of the leg, through the knee, ankle and along the foot, then injury awaits. A flat bottomed shoe with flexibility under the ball of the foot would provide a good conduit; but how the 'signal' arrives is just as, if not more important, I'd say.
 
at my house I usually play barefoot, actually sock foot, but whenever im at church playing worship I'm in shoes. i haven't noticed a huge difference though. i play in converse shoes. so there fairly minimalist, but i also have size 13 feet and play heel up mostly so that might be easier than hell down and heel toe stuff.
 
Shock absorption? That old line again?

Although I don't run barefoot for various environmental reasons - 'shock absorption' is actually something that footwear companies trawl out to sell trainers. The issue is not with the impact of the foot on the ground but with the technique that we use to run. Watch a man run barefoot and he uses a totally different impact point and ankle movement to running with training shoes on. Barefoot runners run on the balls of their feet and allow the knee to flex to its full capability. Most runners wearing trainers run on their heels more than is healthy. After runners have developed a technique to prevent running on their heels - even with shock absorbing footwear - the rate of injury drastically decreases. If nobody wore shoes then the 'natural' running gait that is used by the majority of people would change drastically to one that is more natural and prevents injury.

Of course, I generalise but actually if 'shock absorption' is your main justification for having to wear shoes then I'd hate to see your running gait. Pedals are at the very most medium-impact and more like low-impact. There shouldn't be any 'shock' issues with the ankles or knees.

I wear shoes because the stiffness of the sole allows me to control the pedal movement better but it doesn't make a huge difference either way and - as I said earlier - I'm happy playing without shoes on and can wear a wide variety of shoes and still play comfortably.

EDIT: Here's a partial source. I watched the documentary (probably not available in the US) months ago and it was fascinating.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18863293

Did you have fun focusing on two words from my post and missing the rest?

I'm not trying to start a fight, just make sure you use your eyes before you jump on someone.
 
Did you have fun focusing on two words from my post and missing the rest?

I'm not trying to start a fight, just make sure you use your eyes before you jump on someone.

It's physical activity on your feet and legs, if your shoes (or feet) lack support or shock absorption then there will be an increased strain put on them through thousands of bass drum and hi hat pedal movements.

Considerably more than two words. An entire sentence and being as it was in the middle of the post and following the traditional 'thesis, explanation, conclusion' format then I think I addressed the thrust of your original post.

Quite simply, if shock absorption is already very contentious in high-impact activities such as running then what evidence do you have that using the pedals is higher-impact and thus requiring the need for shock-absorbing footwear?

I haven't jumped on anyone. I've simply provided an explanation as to why I think that 'shock-absorption' isn't a valid argument for requiring footwear. If you can't handle evidenced and succinct debate then that's hardly my fault.
 
dholz; "hell down"? That's pretty funny for a worship gig. I guess you'd take notice if your soul was melting!
 
What footwear do you use? Have anyone tried different footwear? Do you use footwear? Do you use different footwear for different styles?

rather not get into specifics but here is what "I" prefer; good ol nike tennis shoe

just get a shoe that is comfortable for "you" to play in and your golden :))

i also want to add that playing with shoes laced tight might sub-consciously make you want to play "tight-er" and vice versa.

pic of shoe
 

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www.vibramfivefingers.com/
 
I saw Niko McBrain play barefoot in a NAMM video. Didn't look particularly disgusting :/

I've started playing heel-toe and these days I'm leaning toward barefoot playing. I feel there's a connection between my feet movement and the pedal, a really intrinsic motion that a shoe sole wouldn't be able to mimic.

But it becomes problematic if I start sweating, because then you begin to slip and slide. Ok, that sounds disgusting. But just imagine it was Niko's feet :p

- Reggae Mangle
 
Socks for me, every time. I like to feel the pedal and I don't thinks it's that gross since you're going to get sweaty either way. At gigs I just take off my shoes and still 'em behind me. There's no way I'll go back to wearing footwear while playing. Just my 2 cents.
 
Some time ago I said footwear creates more punch (now 2.5 years into drumming but 99% still playing barefoot). This perception has shifted a bit. I'm using footwear once in a while, just for variation, but rather light footwear that doesn't feel stiff. The difference in punch feels much smaller now but I still feel there's some stabilisation effect footwear provides so if you're playing for some longer time, footwork might help save energy.
I'm always using socks though. The feel with footwear is a bit different, the motion for e.g. doubles/heel-toe needs to be slightly adjusted but I'm doing this by instinct.
 
I love drumming in the simple, low-top vans... Not the slip-ons buuut the ones that you actually tie. The rubber soles have great grip and the whole shoe is very flexible. Really, I'd say that any shoe that sits at or below the ankle will do the job
 
"Oh dude, cover up your bare feet, that's gross., ewwwwww" :/

Have been wearing socks over the last couple of days, wonder if there's hope for Tarzan to integrate into high society. I mean seriously, what if you're at a gig where the venue has a no shoes, no shirt, no entry policy?

- Reggae Mangle
 
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