When referring to a shoe’s “drop”, it indicates the difference in thickness of the sole under the toes versus under the heel. Most traditional running shoes have a drop of between 6 and 12 millimeters. The result of this difference is that the heel is raised by the amount of drop indicated. As we have discussed in previous blog posts, raising the heel when walking or running greatly increases the impact and stress placed on the forefoot and toes.
By contrast, zero drop shoes have the same thickness of sole under the forefoot and the heel. This results in your foot being kept level while standing or moving. This encourages a more natural mid-foot or forefoot strike and engagement of the foot.