Barefoot running
Encyclopedia
Barefoot running is running
while barefoot
—without wearing any shoes on the feet. Running in thin-soled, flexible shoes, often called minimalist running, such as moccasin
s is biomechanically related to running barefoot, but alters sensory feedback from the plantar mechanoreceptor
s. Running in modern running shoes is quite different from barefoot running.
For most human history barefoot running was universal, but has become relatively rare in industrialised countries, although it remains relatively common in many poorer nations. Virtually all modern athletes use running shoes in international competitions, however, a small minority of runners have achieved success running barefoot, including Olympic champions and world record holders Abebe Bikila
, Tegla Loroupe
, and Zola Budd
.
The human mechanics of running change quite significantly in padded shoes: Barefoot, or lightly shod, a runner tends to land their feet upon the lateral part of the forefoot, rolling in, allowing the heel to drop, then push off with the forefoot. Running in padded shoes typically alters this pattern, making one more prone to land on ones heel
first and rolling onto the forefoot.
Proponents of the barefoot movement argue that barefoot running is healthier for feet and reduces risk of chronic injuries, notably repetitive stress injuries due to the impact of heel striking in padded running shoes, in addition to other purported benefits. While these health claims are supported by some research, it remains slight. Barefoot proponents point out that there is a lack of research into the benefits, or lack of harm, of running with shoes on as opposed to running barefoot.
or among the Tarahumara
people of northern Mexico. According to an article published in 1999 by Connolly and Cannon, the earliest known use of shoes dates back 10,000 years.
In the 20th century, barefoot running first rose to prominence in 1960, when Abebe Bikila
of Ethiopia
won the Olympic marathon in Rome barefoot after finding that his team-issued shoes hurt his feet. Bikila had done a significant amount of barefoot training prior to the Olympics. He would go on to defend his Olympic title four years later in Tokyo while wearing shoes and setting a new world record. British runner Bruce Tulloh
also competed in many races during the 1960s while barefoot, and won the gold medal in the 1962 European Games 5,000 metre race. During the 1980s, a South African runner, Zola Budd
, became known for her barefoot running style as well as training and racing barefoot. She won the 1985
and 1986 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
and competed in the 1984 Olympic Games
in Los Angeles. Kenya
n runner Tegla Loroupe
began running barefoot 10 km (6.2 mi) to and from school every day at the age of 7. She performed well in contests at school, and in 1988, won a prestigious cross country
barefoot race. She went on to compete, both barefoot and shod, in several international competitions, marathons, and half-marathons. She won the Goodwill Games
over 10,000 metres, barefoot, and was the first African woman to win the New York City Marathon
in 1994, winning again in 1998.
In the early 21st century, barefoot running has gained a small yet significant following on the fringe of the larger running community. Organizers of the 2010 New York City Marathon
expected to see an increase in the number of barefoot runners participating in the event. The practice saw a surge in popularity with the 2009 publication of Christopher McDougall
's book, Born to Run, promoting the practice. In the United States, the Barefoot Runners Society was founded in November 2009 as a national club for unshod runners. By November 2010, the organization claimed 1,345 members, nearly double the 680 members it had when it was founded.
One barefoot runner, Rick Roeber
, has been running barefoot since 2003, and has run more than 50 marathons, 2 ultra-marathons of 40 miles, and over 17,000 miles (27,359 km) all barefoot. On December 8, 2006, Nico Surings of Eindhoven, Netherlands, became the fastest person to run 100 meters (328 feet) on ice
while barefoot, completing the task in 17.35 seconds. And on June 5, 2010, Todd Ragsdale, of Talent, Oregon
, set the world record
(pending confirmation by Guinness World Records
) for the longest distance run barefoot as part of the Relay for Life
fundraiser for the American Cancer Society
. He logged 102 miles (164 kilometers), or 413 laps on the South Medford High School track, barefoot. Other prominent barefoot runners include Ken Bob Saxton, known as the "godfather of barefoot running", and Todd Byers, a barefoot marathon runner from Seattle who has run over 100 marathons barefoot.
On December 12, 2010, the Barefoot Runners of India Foundation (BRIF) organised a 21 km (13 mi) barefoot half-marathon at Kharghar
near the Indian city of Mumbai
. The run had 306 participants.
In 2011, the United States Air Force
began development of a program to support barefoot or minimalist running in its ranks. One of the leaders of the program was Lieutenant Colonel Mark Cucuzzella, who won the 2011 United States Air Force Marathon
in a time of 2:38:48 while wearing minimalist running shoes.
in the West and modern running shoes were developed and marketed. Since then, these shoes have been blamed for the increased incidence of running injuries and many runners have switched to barefoot running for relief from chronic injuries. The structure of the foot and lower leg is very efficient at absorbing the shock of landing and turning the energy of the fall into forward motion, through the springing action of the foot's natural arch. It is only by placing large amounts of padding under the heel that humans are able to land on the heel rather than the ball of the foot. In doing so, the foot's natural motion is impeded and the arch and lower leg are not able to absorb the shock of the landing. Instead, the shock is sent up through the heel, to the knees and hips.
A 1987 study by Steven Robbins and Adel Hanna analyzed how the longitudinal (medial) arch of 17 habitually shod runners changed when they trained barefoot over a period of 4 months. The study found that the longitudinal arch decreased in length by an average of 4.7mm. The researchers contend this change is due to activation of foot musculature when barefoot that is usually inactive when shod. They maintain that foot musculature allows the foot to dampen impact and postulate that this adaptation may remove stress from the plantar fascia
.
Another study, in 1989, concluded that the only variable most closely related to the incidence of injury is the price of the shoe. A followup study in 1991 stated that "wearers of expensive running shoes that are promoted as having additional features (e.g. more cushioning, 'pronation correction') that protect are injured significantly more frequently than runners wearing inexpensive shoes".
One study shows that compared to running barefoot, running in conventional running shoes increases stress on the knee joints up to 38%, although whether this leads to higher rate of heel injuries is still not clear. Correlation between pronation and barefoot running with proper technique (landing on the ball of the foot, among other things) has not been tested.
Michael Warburton's 2001 review of barefoot running in the journal Sports Science concluded that Warburton's study was criticized for not controlling for factors such as access to healthcare.
In an article entitled "Is your prescription of distance running shoes evidence based?" in the British Journal of Sports Medicine
, Craig Richards et al. determined that there is no evidence to support wearing "distance running shoes featuring elevated cushioned heels and pronation control systems tailored to the individual’s foot type." Richards found no studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals that showed that running shoes either reduce injury rates or improve performance. In fact, Richards issued this challenge to running shoe manufacturers: "Is any running-shoe company prepared to claim that wearing their distance running shoes will decrease your risk of suffering musculoskeletal running injuries? Is any shoe manufacturer prepared to claim that wearing their running shoes will improve your distance running performance? If you are prepared to make these claims, where is your peer-reviewed data to back it up?"
Also from the British Journal of Sports Medicine, S Robbins and E Waked's article, entitled "Hazard of deceptive advertising of athletic footwear" described their study of the effect of deceptive information on the impact of a footstrike. Robbins had participants land on foam pads he claimed to be either soft or hard, when in reality, the platforms were all the same. The more cushioning participants believed to be under the foot, the harder they impacted the ground. Robbins was heavily criticized for this study, however, since it did not involve actual running (his participants hopped down from an elevated platform), and his data did not fully support his conclusions. This prompted E. C. Frederick and Peter R. Cavanagh, two widely-published biomechanics
researchers, to publicly accuse Dr. Robbins of misrepresenting cited studies, overlooking evidence contrary to his findings, and misleading the scientific community
with his "outrageous and untenable" recommendations. A later study by Steven McCaw found that deceptive comments about the cushioning of shoes had no effect on ground reaction forces in walking.
“People who don’t wear shoes when they run have an astonishingly different strike,” said Daniel E. Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and co-author of a paper appearing in the journal Nature
. “By landing on the middle or front of the foot, barefoot runners have almost no impact collision, much less than most shod runners generate when they heel-strike.
The official position on barefoot running by the American Podiatric Medical Association
states that there is not enough research on the immediate and long term benefits of the practice, and that individuals should consult a podiatrist with a strong background in sports medicine to make an informed decision on all aspects of their running and training programs.
This is criticized by proponents of barefoot running, who claim that barefoot is the default position, and that shod running, which they state as having no evidence in its support, is the practice that has the burden of proof.
Many podiatrists, such as Paul Harradine MSc BSc (Hons), have noted that there has been an increase in patients coming in with lower leg related injuries due to running barefoot. The barefoot community has argued that this is due to people transitioning too quickly. With the body accustomed to landing on the heel, the lack of padding on the heel means the impact is increased. It is generally agreed by all that the transition to barefoot running must be done slowly.
s or thin sandal
s, which result in similar gait to going barefoot, but protect the skin and keep dirt and water off. Some modern shoe manufacturers have recently designed footwear to mimic the barefoot running experience, maintaining optimum flexibility and natural walking while also providing a minimum amount of protection. Such shoes include the Vibram FiveFingers
, the EVO shoe by Terra Plana, and the Nike
Free.
The Vibram FiveFingers has separate slots for each toe and no cushioning. Conversely, the Nike Free
line of footwear features a segmented sole which provides greater flexibility while still having an amount of cushioning. This line is based on a scale from 1-10, where 1 is barefoot and 10 is a typical athletic shoe sole. The Free line of shoes is designed to be a 5 which is halfway between barefoot and full cushioning. Saucony
introduced the Kinvara line of shoes which feature a dropped sole. This technology halves the thickness of the sole and removes much of the heel cushioning to encourage more of a midfoot strike for the foot. Extending their line of minimalist shoes, Saucony released Hattori in April 2011 which was their first zero-drop shoe.
The kyBoot shoe of MBT inventor Karl Müller
also tries to imitate the barefoot feeling with an air-cushioned sole. Following the trend, various other brands including Fila
, ZemGear, Reebok
, Merrell, and Adidas
have also introduced shoes that simulate natural running.
The United States Army
recently banned the use of Vibram FiveFinger toe shoes for image reasons. However, many other barefoot-inspired shoes that do not feature individual toes can still be used in its place. The United States Navy
, Marine Corps
, and Air Force
, however, have approved minimalist shoes, including Vibram FiveFingers, to be used during physical training.
(feeling the ground).
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
while barefoot
Barefoot
Barefoot is the state of not wearing any footwear. Being barefoot is regarded as a human's natural state, though for functional, fashion and social reasons footwear is worn, at least on some occasions...
—without wearing any shoes on the feet. Running in thin-soled, flexible shoes, often called minimalist running, such as moccasin
Moccasin
A Moccasin is a form of shoe worn by Native Americans, as well as by hunters, traders, and settlers in the frontier regions of North America.Moccasin may also refer to:* Moccasin , an American Thoroughbred racehorse-Places:...
s is biomechanically related to running barefoot, but alters sensory feedback from the plantar mechanoreceptor
Mechanoreceptor
A mechanoreceptor is a sensory receptor that responds to mechanical pressure or distortion. There are four main types in the glabrous skin of humans: Pacinian corpuscles, Meissner's corpuscles, Merkel's discs, and Ruffini corpuscles...
s. Running in modern running shoes is quite different from barefoot running.
For most human history barefoot running was universal, but has become relatively rare in industrialised countries, although it remains relatively common in many poorer nations. Virtually all modern athletes use running shoes in international competitions, however, a small minority of runners have achieved success running barefoot, including Olympic champions and world record holders Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila was a two-time Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia. A stadium in Addis Ababa is named in his honor.-1932–1959:...
, Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Chepkite Loroupe is a long-distance track and road runner, and a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights, and education....
, and Zola Budd
Zola Budd
Zola Pieterse, better known by her maiden name of Zola Budd , is a former Olympic track and field competitor who, in less than three years, twice broke the world record in the women's 5000 metres and twice was the women's winner at the World Cross Country Championships...
.
The human mechanics of running change quite significantly in padded shoes: Barefoot, or lightly shod, a runner tends to land their feet upon the lateral part of the forefoot, rolling in, allowing the heel to drop, then push off with the forefoot. Running in padded shoes typically alters this pattern, making one more prone to land on ones heel
Heel
In human anatomy, the heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.- Human anatomy :...
first and rolling onto the forefoot.
Proponents of the barefoot movement argue that barefoot running is healthier for feet and reduces risk of chronic injuries, notably repetitive stress injuries due to the impact of heel striking in padded running shoes, in addition to other purported benefits. While these health claims are supported by some research, it remains slight. Barefoot proponents point out that there is a lack of research into the benefits, or lack of harm, of running with shoes on as opposed to running barefoot.
History
Throughout most of human history, running was barefoot or in thin-soled shoes such as moccasins, a practice that continues in some parts of the world, including KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
or among the Tarahumara
Tarahumara
The Rarámuri or Tarahumara are a Native American people of northwestern Mexico who are renowned for their long-distance running ability...
people of northern Mexico. According to an article published in 1999 by Connolly and Cannon, the earliest known use of shoes dates back 10,000 years.
In the 20th century, barefoot running first rose to prominence in 1960, when Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila was a two-time Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia. A stadium in Addis Ababa is named in his honor.-1932–1959:...
of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
won the Olympic marathon in Rome barefoot after finding that his team-issued shoes hurt his feet. Bikila had done a significant amount of barefoot training prior to the Olympics. He would go on to defend his Olympic title four years later in Tokyo while wearing shoes and setting a new world record. British runner Bruce Tulloh
Bruce Tulloh
Michael Swinton Tulloh is a retired long-distance runner from England, who won the European title in the men's 5,000 metres at the 1962 European Championships in Belgrade, Yugoslavia...
also competed in many races during the 1960s while barefoot, and won the gold medal in the 1962 European Games 5,000 metre race. During the 1980s, a South African runner, Zola Budd
Zola Budd
Zola Pieterse, better known by her maiden name of Zola Budd , is a former Olympic track and field competitor who, in less than three years, twice broke the world record in the women's 5000 metres and twice was the women's winner at the World Cross Country Championships...
, became known for her barefoot running style as well as training and racing barefoot. She won the 1985
1985 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 13th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 24, 1985 in Lisbon, Portugal. There were a total number of 570 participating athletes from 50 countries.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...
and 1986 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1986 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 14th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 23, 1986 in Colombier . There were a total number of 670 participating athletes from 57 countries.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...
and competed in the 1984 Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles. Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n runner Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Chepkite Loroupe is a long-distance track and road runner, and a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights, and education....
began running barefoot 10 km (6.2 mi) to and from school every day at the age of 7. She performed well in contests at school, and in 1988, won a prestigious cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
barefoot race. She went on to compete, both barefoot and shod, in several international competitions, marathons, and half-marathons. She won the Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
over 10,000 metres, barefoot, and was the first African woman to win the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
in 1994, winning again in 1998.
In the early 21st century, barefoot running has gained a small yet significant following on the fringe of the larger running community. Organizers of the 2010 New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
expected to see an increase in the number of barefoot runners participating in the event. The practice saw a surge in popularity with the 2009 publication of Christopher McDougall
Christopher McDougall
Christopher McDougall is an American author and journalist best known for his 2009 best-selling book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen....
's book, Born to Run, promoting the practice. In the United States, the Barefoot Runners Society was founded in November 2009 as a national club for unshod runners. By November 2010, the organization claimed 1,345 members, nearly double the 680 members it had when it was founded.
One barefoot runner, Rick Roeber
Rick Roeber
Rick Roeber, also known as Barefoot Rick, is a well-known barefoot runner that uses his barefoot running ministry to help addicts, alcoholics, and the homeless. Roeber, a Lee's Summit, Missouri resident, was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on December 20, 1955...
, has been running barefoot since 2003, and has run more than 50 marathons, 2 ultra-marathons of 40 miles, and over 17,000 miles (27,359 km) all barefoot. On December 8, 2006, Nico Surings of Eindhoven, Netherlands, became the fastest person to run 100 meters (328 feet) on ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
while barefoot, completing the task in 17.35 seconds. And on June 5, 2010, Todd Ragsdale, of Talent, Oregon
Talent, Oregon
Talent is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2000 census and 6,680 as of July 1, 2009.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, set the world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
(pending confirmation by Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
) for the longest distance run barefoot as part of the Relay for Life
Relay For Life
Relay For Life is the main volunteer-driven cancer fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. Originating in the United States, the Relay For Life event has spread to 21 countries. Relay events are held in local communities, campus universities, military bases, and in cyberspace...
fundraiser for the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
. He logged 102 miles (164 kilometers), or 413 laps on the South Medford High School track, barefoot. Other prominent barefoot runners include Ken Bob Saxton, known as the "godfather of barefoot running", and Todd Byers, a barefoot marathon runner from Seattle who has run over 100 marathons barefoot.
On December 12, 2010, the Barefoot Runners of India Foundation (BRIF) organised a 21 km (13 mi) barefoot half-marathon at Kharghar
Kharghar
Kharghar is a node of Navi Mumbai, conceived and constructed by CIDCO. It is developed and maintained by CIDCO. Kharghar is located on the Mumbai-Pune highway at a less-than-one hour drive from the heart of Mumbai city. The Area started developing in 1995 and now it has of number of ready and...
near the Indian city of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. The run had 306 participants.
In 2011, the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
began development of a program to support barefoot or minimalist running in its ranks. One of the leaders of the program was Lieutenant Colonel Mark Cucuzzella, who won the 2011 United States Air Force Marathon
United States Air Force Marathon
The United States Air Force Marathon is an annual event held on the Saturday closest to the birthday of the United States Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. It was established in 1997.The marathon includes a half...
in a time of 2:38:48 while wearing minimalist running shoes.
Health and medical implications
In the 1970s, there was a resurgent interest in joggingJogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
in the West and modern running shoes were developed and marketed. Since then, these shoes have been blamed for the increased incidence of running injuries and many runners have switched to barefoot running for relief from chronic injuries. The structure of the foot and lower leg is very efficient at absorbing the shock of landing and turning the energy of the fall into forward motion, through the springing action of the foot's natural arch. It is only by placing large amounts of padding under the heel that humans are able to land on the heel rather than the ball of the foot. In doing so, the foot's natural motion is impeded and the arch and lower leg are not able to absorb the shock of the landing. Instead, the shock is sent up through the heel, to the knees and hips.
A 1987 study by Steven Robbins and Adel Hanna analyzed how the longitudinal (medial) arch of 17 habitually shod runners changed when they trained barefoot over a period of 4 months. The study found that the longitudinal arch decreased in length by an average of 4.7mm. The researchers contend this change is due to activation of foot musculature when barefoot that is usually inactive when shod. They maintain that foot musculature allows the foot to dampen impact and postulate that this adaptation may remove stress from the plantar fascia
Plantar fascia
The plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue which supports the arch on the bottom of the foot. It runs from the tuberosity of the calcaneus forward to the heads of the metatarsal bones .The often painful condition plantar fasciitis is an inflammatory condition of the plantar...
.
Another study, in 1989, concluded that the only variable most closely related to the incidence of injury is the price of the shoe. A followup study in 1991 stated that "wearers of expensive running shoes that are promoted as having additional features (e.g. more cushioning, 'pronation correction') that protect are injured significantly more frequently than runners wearing inexpensive shoes".
One study shows that compared to running barefoot, running in conventional running shoes increases stress on the knee joints up to 38%, although whether this leads to higher rate of heel injuries is still not clear. Correlation between pronation and barefoot running with proper technique (landing on the ball of the foot, among other things) has not been tested.
Michael Warburton's 2001 review of barefoot running in the journal Sports Science concluded that Warburton's study was criticized for not controlling for factors such as access to healthcare.
In an article entitled "Is your prescription of distance running shoes evidence based?" in the British Journal of Sports Medicine
British Journal of Sports Medicine
The British Journal of Sports Medicine is an international peer review journal published by the BMJ Group which covers the latest advances in clinical practice and research in all aspects of sports medicine....
, Craig Richards et al. determined that there is no evidence to support wearing "distance running shoes featuring elevated cushioned heels and pronation control systems tailored to the individual’s foot type." Richards found no studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals that showed that running shoes either reduce injury rates or improve performance. In fact, Richards issued this challenge to running shoe manufacturers: "Is any running-shoe company prepared to claim that wearing their distance running shoes will decrease your risk of suffering musculoskeletal running injuries? Is any shoe manufacturer prepared to claim that wearing their running shoes will improve your distance running performance? If you are prepared to make these claims, where is your peer-reviewed data to back it up?"
Also from the British Journal of Sports Medicine, S Robbins and E Waked's article, entitled "Hazard of deceptive advertising of athletic footwear" described their study of the effect of deceptive information on the impact of a footstrike. Robbins had participants land on foam pads he claimed to be either soft or hard, when in reality, the platforms were all the same. The more cushioning participants believed to be under the foot, the harder they impacted the ground. Robbins was heavily criticized for this study, however, since it did not involve actual running (his participants hopped down from an elevated platform), and his data did not fully support his conclusions. This prompted E. C. Frederick and Peter R. Cavanagh, two widely-published biomechanics
Biomechanics
Biomechanics is the application of mechanical principles to biological systems, such as humans, animals, plants, organs, and cells. Perhaps one of the best definitions was provided by Herbert Hatze in 1974: "Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of biological systems by means of...
researchers, to publicly accuse Dr. Robbins of misrepresenting cited studies, overlooking evidence contrary to his findings, and misleading the scientific community
Scientific misconduct
Scientific misconduct is the violation of the standard codes of scholarly conduct and ethical behavior in professional scientific research. A Lancet review on Handling of Scientific Misconduct in Scandinavian countries provides the following sample definitions: *Danish definition: "Intention or...
with his "outrageous and untenable" recommendations. A later study by Steven McCaw found that deceptive comments about the cushioning of shoes had no effect on ground reaction forces in walking.
“People who don’t wear shoes when they run have an astonishingly different strike,” said Daniel E. Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and co-author of a paper appearing in the journal Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
. “By landing on the middle or front of the foot, barefoot runners have almost no impact collision, much less than most shod runners generate when they heel-strike.
The official position on barefoot running by the American Podiatric Medical Association
American Podiatric Medical Association
The American Podiatric Medical Association is a professional medical organization representing Doctors of Podiatric Medicine within the United States. The organization was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Approximately 80% of podiatrists in the US are members of the APMA...
states that there is not enough research on the immediate and long term benefits of the practice, and that individuals should consult a podiatrist with a strong background in sports medicine to make an informed decision on all aspects of their running and training programs.
This is criticized by proponents of barefoot running, who claim that barefoot is the default position, and that shod running, which they state as having no evidence in its support, is the practice that has the burden of proof.
Many podiatrists, such as Paul Harradine MSc BSc (Hons), have noted that there has been an increase in patients coming in with lower leg related injuries due to running barefoot. The barefoot community has argued that this is due to people transitioning too quickly. With the body accustomed to landing on the heel, the lack of padding on the heel means the impact is increased. It is generally agreed by all that the transition to barefoot running must be done slowly.
Barefoot-inspired footwear
One alternative to going barefoot is to wear thin shoes with minimal padding, such as moccasinMoccasin
A Moccasin is a form of shoe worn by Native Americans, as well as by hunters, traders, and settlers in the frontier regions of North America.Moccasin may also refer to:* Moccasin , an American Thoroughbred racehorse-Places:...
s or thin sandal
Sandal
Sandals are an open type of outdoor footwearSandal may also refer to:* Sandal Castle, site of the Battle of Wakefield in the Wars of the Roses* Sandal, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England* Sandal, Afghanistan* Šandal, village in Slovakia...
s, which result in similar gait to going barefoot, but protect the skin and keep dirt and water off. Some modern shoe manufacturers have recently designed footwear to mimic the barefoot running experience, maintaining optimum flexibility and natural walking while also providing a minimum amount of protection. Such shoes include the Vibram FiveFingers
FiveFingers
Vibram FiveFingers are a type of minimalist shoe manufactured by Vibram, originally marketed as a more "natural" alternative for different outdoors activities . The footwear has thin, flexible soles that are contoured to the shape of the human foot, including visible individual sections for the toes...
, the EVO shoe by Terra Plana, and the Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
Free.
The Vibram FiveFingers has separate slots for each toe and no cushioning. Conversely, the Nike Free
Nike Free
Nike Free is a technology invented by Sasha Kerigaysky. As this shoe allows the muscles in the foot to gain strength by providing less constriction, runners are advised to gradually break into the shoe rather than immediately running long distances as to prevent muscle cramps and other discomforts,...
line of footwear features a segmented sole which provides greater flexibility while still having an amount of cushioning. This line is based on a scale from 1-10, where 1 is barefoot and 10 is a typical athletic shoe sole. The Free line of shoes is designed to be a 5 which is halfway between barefoot and full cushioning. Saucony
Saucony
Saucony is an American manufacturer of athletic shoes, best-known today for its premium running shoes and men's and women's apparel.-History:...
introduced the Kinvara line of shoes which feature a dropped sole. This technology halves the thickness of the sole and removes much of the heel cushioning to encourage more of a midfoot strike for the foot. Extending their line of minimalist shoes, Saucony released Hattori in April 2011 which was their first zero-drop shoe.
The kyBoot shoe of MBT inventor Karl Müller
Karl Müller (inventor)
Karl Müller is a Swiss engineer and businessman. He is the creator of the Masai Barefoot Technology brand of rocker bottom shoes, and holds a patent on his design. Müller founded Swiss Masai in 1996 to market his new shoe concept...
also tries to imitate the barefoot feeling with an air-cushioned sole. Following the trend, various other brands including Fila
Fila (company)
Fila is one of the world's largest sportswear manufacturing companies. Founded in 1911 in Italy, Fila has been owned and operated from South Korea since a takeover in 2007. Headed by chairman and CEO Yoon-Soo Yoon, Fila now has offices in 11 countries worldwide....
, ZemGear, Reebok
Reebok
Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
, Merrell, and Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
have also introduced shoes that simulate natural running.
The United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
recently banned the use of Vibram FiveFinger toe shoes for image reasons. However, many other barefoot-inspired shoes that do not feature individual toes can still be used in its place. The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, and Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, however, have approved minimalist shoes, including Vibram FiveFingers, to be used during physical training.
Plimsolls
Some people have found that plimsolls are just as effective. Before the modern running shoe was invented, children (through tertiary education) and soldiers wore plimsolls for PE/PT (running, gym, and track & field). Inexpensive "dime store" plimsolls have very thin footbeds (3mm elastomer/rubber outsole, 1mm card, 2mm eva foam) and no heel lift or stiffening, but their low price makes them an economical proposition. The thin sole and absence of structure are what allow the athlete to strengthen their feet/calves and improve proprioceptionProprioception
Proprioception , from Latin proprius, meaning "one's own" and perception, is the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement...
(feeling the ground).
See also
- VivobarefootVivobarefootVivobarefoot is a shoe technology aimed to offer the optimum biomechanics and posture commonly associated with walking barefoot and barefoot running, invented by Tim Brennan and developed by British shoe company Terra Plana, and advocated within the barefoot movement and barefoot running community...
- Comparative foot morphologyComparative foot morphologyComparative foot morphology is exemplified through study of the form of distal limb structures of a variety of terrestrial vertebrates. A challenge to understanding the role of the feet of a variety of different organisms is the wide range of body types, foot shapes, arrangement of structures,...
- Locomotor effects of shoesLocomotor effects of shoesLocomotor effects of shoes describes how physical characteristics or components of shoes influence the locomotion neuromechanics of a person. Depending on the characteristics of the shoes, the effects are various, ranging from alteration in balance and posture, muscle activity of different muscles...
- Shivnath SinghShivnath SinghShivnath Singh was one of the few great long-distance runners that India has produced. Singh represented India in the Asian games and twice at the Summer Olympics . Born in Manjoria, Buxar, Bihar he placed 11th in the 1976 Olympic Men's Marathon...
- Athletic prowess of the Tarahumara people
External links
- Biomechanics of Foot Strikes & Applications to Running Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear
- Barefoot Rick's BarefootRunner.Org, a compendium of information related to barefoot running
- Barefoot Running laced with Health Benefits, a webMD article referencing the Jan 2010 article of Nature; discussing strike impact differences between shod and barefoot runners.
- Are we born to run?, a video presentation by Christopher McDougall.