School · Shoes, explained · 40 s .
Drop
The height difference between heel and forefoot.
Drop is how much more foam sits under your heel than under the ball of your foot, in millimetres. A 10 mm shoe lifts the heel more than a 4 mm one.
A higher drop takes some load off the calf and Achilles and suits runners who land on the heel. A lower drop asks more of the calf and feels closer to the ground.
There's no right number. If you change drop, do it gradually over a few weeks.
Brands' listed drop and the measured drop often differ: mintmural shows the measured one.
Quick check .
What is drop?
It's how much more foam sits under the heel than under the forefoot, in millimetres.