Is Barefoot Running Really Better For You? What if I told you running barefoot was a safer than wearing the latest $200 state-of-the-art, clinically-designed running shoe…is that something you might be interested in? Sounds ridiculous, right? You’d might even call me crazy, which would then make you crazy by default because you’re yelling at your computer…either way I win.
Now, what if I told you Ethiopian Abebe Bikila ran a world-record 2:15:17 marathon at the 1960 Olympics in Rome…barefoot. Starting to at least see there may be some truth to this madness? I want to discuss my the pros and cons of ditching your shoes, my experiences with running barefoot, and then teach you HOW to run barefoot if you’re will to give it a shot. How I ended up barefoot…kinda I few months ago, I went to the local Nike Store and picked up a pair of expensive running shoes designed to provide the “most support and padding.” It’s now been two months, and my $100 running shoes are collecting dust in the closet. “Because you’ve never used them before.” A comparison of forefoot stiffness in running and ... [J Biomech. 2005. A kinetic evaluation of the effect... [J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1988. Injury reduction effectiveness of select... [J Strength Cond Res. 2009. The Effect of Running Shoes on Lower Extremity Joint Torques.
Received 30 June 2009; accepted 22 September 2009. Article Outline Objective To determine the effect of modern-day running shoes on lower extremity joint torques during running. Design Two-condition experimental comparison. Setting A 3-dimensional motion analysis laboratory. Participants A total of 68 healthy young adult runners (37 women) who typically run in running shoes. Methods All subjects ran barefoot and in the same type of stability running footwear at a controlled running speed. Main Outcome Measurements Peak 3-dimensional external joint torques at the hip, knee, and ankle as calculated through a full inverse dynamic model.
Results Increased joint torques at the hip, knee, and ankle were observed with running shoes compared with running barefoot. Conclusions The findings at the knee suggest relatively greater pressures at anatomical sites that are typically more prone to knee osteoarthritis, the medial and patellofemoral compartments. Introduction Methods Table 1. Table 2. Results Table 3. Biomechanical analysis of the stance phase during ... [J Biomech. 2000. Athletic footwear, leg stiffness, and r... [J Athl Train. 2006 Oct-Dec. Does footwear affect ankle co... [J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2004 Jan-Feb. Proprioception and stability: foot position aware... [Age Ageing. 1995. How We're Wrecking Our Feet With Every Step We Take. Walking is easy. It’s so easy that no one ever has to teach you how to do it. It’s so easy, in fact, that we often pair it with other easy activities—talking, chewing gum—and suggest that if you can’t do both simultaneously, you’re some sort of insensate clod.
So you probably think you’ve got this walking thing pretty much nailed. As you stroll around the city, worrying about the economy, or the environment, or your next month’s rent, you might assume that the one thing you don’t need to worry about is the way in which you’re strolling around the city. Well, I’m afraid I have some bad news for you: You walk wrong. Look, it’s not your fault. Last year, researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, published a study titled “Shod Versus Unshod: The Emergence of Forefoot Pathology in Modern Humans?” Okay, so shoes can be less than comfortable. “Natural gait is biomechanically impossible for any shoe-wearing person,” wrote Dr. Simple. Shoes, Sitting, and Lower Body Dysfunctions | Eat. Move. Improve. Part 1: Introduction & Shoes and SittingPart 2: Systemic biomechanical issuesPart 3: Evaluation of lower body dysfunction and correctionsPart 4: Soft tissue optimization and correctionsPart 5: Summing it up It is a thorough analysis of how many of the common orthopedic problems today arise from shoes and sitting, how to evaluate their development, and finally a look at how to implement prehabilitation or rehabilitative protocol to improve their condition.
I sincerely wish that you will read through the whole thing even though it is a monster. I promise you will come out with a new outlook on this topic. I’ve noticed that the page hits for page 2 and beyond are about 1/5th of this page. Many thanks KC Parsons for taking the time to find pictures. Introduction & Shoes and Sitting Table of ContentsIntroductionShoesSitting Note: We have an in-depth article on the feet as well, however, it does refer back to this article so I would suggest reading both if you have foot issues. Shoes and sitting.