What Does “Drop” Mean?

A Shoe’s Drop -sometimes referred to as offset is the difference between the heel and the forefoot measurements or how much your toes “drop” below your heel. It’s important because a higher drop can lead to more heel striking and also transfers some strain away from the lower leg and up toward the knee. Conversely, a lower offset will shift that load farther down the chain of motion during your gait cycle to the calf and the Achilles.

Neither option is necessarily better than the other; when deciding on a shoe’s drop, choose what feels most natural and comfortable to you, taking into account your personal running mechanics and injury history. Many shoes have a drop between 8 and 12mm, but some shoes have less than 6mm. A few based on minimalist designs have no drop.