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Barefoot runningBarefoot running is running without wearing any shoe on the feet. It is gaining a following on the fringe of the larger running community. Hardcore "barefooters" prefer hard surfaces to softer terrain (e.g., grass, beaches); a few even venture off road.[1] Heading up the movement is the barefoot running guru Ken Bob Saxton[2], a barefoot marathoner from California.
Rationale for running barefootMany runners have switched to barefoot running for relief from chronic injuries. The human foot evolved without padded shoes.[3] 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.[citation needed] 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. Barefoot running involves pushing from the ground with the ball of the foot rather than the heel, foot landing directly under the hips. "The force to drive you forward should only be applied after the foot has settled on the ground completely. Striking the ground, especially with the heel, causes trauma and makes the runner susceptible to injury."[4] It follows that running shoes with heavily padded heels will impede this natural motion. Although there is much research to still be done, there are many studies that suggest that running shoes contribute greatly to the high incidence of injuries among shod runners. Michael Warburton's 2001 review of barefoot running in the journal Sports Science[5] concluded that
This study reviews much of the scientific literature that connects shod running to both acute injuries, such as ankle sprains, and chronic injuries, such as plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, shin splints, etc. In their article entitled "Is your prescription of distance running shoes evidence based?" in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Craig Richards, et. al.[6], 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"[7] described their study of the effect on a runner's foot strike of the runner's perception of how much padding there was under the foot. The more cushioning runners believe to be under the foot, the harder they strike. Prominent barefooters
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External links
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Running America |
