There is a lot of buzz in the running world about barefoot running. Is it better for you? Will it reduce injury? Is it just another fad? Apparently, the answers to those questions aren’t a simple or straightforward as they sound. I read Christopher McDougall’s book, “Born to Run,” and immediately felt that I had found the solution to all of my chronic running problems. Humankind was not born to wear shoes and running “natural” was the way to prevent injuries and correct bad running form. Boy, am I glad that I held off on jumping onto that train. Now, I am not saying that barefoot running is bad, per say, just that it might not be the end-all, be-all to the future of the sport. A recent article by Gretchen Reynolds of the New York Times refers to a recent sports medicine symposium where the topic was discussed.
Making a long story very short, scientists have discovered that, indeed, man was not born with Nikes and should, at the basic level run with bare feet. HOWEVER, modern humans have worn shoes since we could walk and this has changed our natural gait so much that when we start to run barefoot it can actually cause running issues and injuries. The lesson we need to take from this study is that if you want to run in shoes because your body has been taught to run and walk in shoes then do it. If you feel the need to go bare, do so, but start very slowly. Removing the cushioning without significantly changing your gait is just begging for trouble. Start slowly, over short distances, and your gait will eventually revolve back to where it should have been. So, back to the initial questions…Is running barefoot better for you? Yes and No. Will it reduce injury? Yes, it will but it could cause others. Is it just another fad? Only time will tell.
