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From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
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* A study found that a rigid heel counter did not prevent slippage within the shoe any better than a flexible heel counter<ref name="Gheluwe-1995"/>.
* A source of confusion in biomechanical studies is that it is much easier to measure the movement of a heel counter than the foot within. Studies can assume that changes in the movement of the heel counter reflect the equivalent changes at the foot. One study found the pronation of the foot can be twice as large as the pronation when measured on the shoe<ref name="Stacoff-2001"/>, and another found there were significant differences between the movement of the heel and the movement of the heel counter<ref name="Stacoff-1992"/>.
* One study found that cutting the bottom of the heel counter away reduced [[Running Economy]] by 2.4%<ref name="Jorgensen1990"/>, a relatively large change. Personally, I suspect this reduction in economy is due to the discomfort of the modified shoe, but the results are intriguing. <br/>[[File:HeelCounterRemoved.jpg|rightnone|thumb|500px150px|The removed heel counter.]]
* Some runners are concerned that a rigid heel counter may irritate the Achilles tendon. I found no research to support or refute this concern, but personally I see it as relatively unlikely. I suspect that irritation of the Achilles tendon by a shoe is more likely to be due to the extreme rear of the upper coming up to high, or curving inwards to cup around the heel too far. Note that pain in this area could also be due to the irritation of the bursa, rather than the tendon (retrocalcaneal bursitis).
=Minimalist & Barefoot Running=
