Word: barefooted
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...study examines how runners coped with the force of collision on their feet before the introduction of the modern running shoe in the 1970s. Comparing habitually barefoot runners with shoe-wearing runners, Lieberman and his fellow researchers found that runners who run with footwear tended to land on their heels, while runners who run barefoot tended to land on the front or middle parts of their feet...
...Lieberman’s study, data from the barefoot runners actually came from subjects who habitually ran without shoes. Previous studies on the barefoot running debate did not take into consideration that subjects in the barefoot group habitually ran with shoes as well and therefore were more likely to have a heel strike...
Because the human foot has relatively little padding on the heel, barefoot runners tread more lightly, landing on the outer part of the midfoot and then rolling inward. Cushiony running shoes, by contrast, encourage a stiff heel-to-toe stride that could lead to injury. In the December issue of a journal put out by the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, researchers concluded that running in shoes exerts more stress on the knee, hip and ankle than does running barefoot or walking in high heels. "We evolved to run barefoot, and when we put shoes on, we're taking...
Interest in barefoot running has ramped up in recent months with Christopher McDougall's best seller, Born to Run, which follows Mexico's Tarahumara Indians, who routinely run ultra-marathons wearing thin rubber sandals or no shoes at all. But many podiatrists point out that there are little data on the long-term effects of going barefoot, and they urge average runners to show caution before they chuck their Nikes...
...that meant keeping my barefoot runs relatively short - 1 mile (0.6 km) or less - and running in Vibram Five Fingers, thin rubber foot gloves that protect my tender soles from debris. I found that my stride changed naturally - lighter on the heel and shorter - which put more stress on my calves. That led to some temporary soreness, but eventually my too-often-stiff knees and back felt better than they had in a long time. For now, I'm mostly sticking with sneakers, but I might try my barefoot experiment again. Maybe in the spring, or whenever my toes thaw...