The phenomenon of barefoot running

Last month in The Age Good Weekend magazine (1/10) there was an article written by John Van Tiggelen on the phenomenon of barefoot running: Bare foot forward. This has been on the back of much conjecture surrounding the benefits of barefoot running as opposed to traditional running.

Image: Good Weekend Magazine 1/10/11

If you haven't heard about barefoot running or minimalistic training, the basic philosophy suggest that evolution has encouraged and enabled us to run barefoot and this is the way we should be running. Everything it seems is getting more advanced as a way to do things faster and more efficiently - tvs, computers, phones, cars but in reality some things should really return to basics with running shoes being one of these.

The phrase "less is more" couldn't be more appropriate in this context.

The modern day runnings shoes produced by the sporting giants - Nike, Adidas, Brooks, Asics, Mizuno, are the result of years of research and refinement by sport doctors and shoe companies. They concluded that our feet needed more cushioning, more support and more stability. This produced a running shoe with a thicker heel, extra cushioning around the mid-foot and an improved instep to prevent the foot from rolling in.

The Gel-Kayano series of running shoes produced by ASICS are one of the most popular and best selling running shoes in the world. They first appeared on the market in 1993 and remain a dominant force in the market despite the first two models struggling with the public. ASICS came out with their 17th series in 2011 and have no plans to stop anytime soon.

The original ASICS Gel-Kayano series 1

ASICS Gel-Kayano series 17

But with all this advancement in shoe technology you would think there would be a decrease in the number of running injuries. Sport doctors have found that running injuries have actually increased with patients coming in suffering from shin splints, runner's knee (Illiotibial band syndrome), achilles tendonitis, stress fractures, just to name a few.

Running shoes are designed with a raised heel which in fact forces your heel to strike the ground first. And if you know basic physics, then every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The reaction in this case is the impact (approx. 3 times your body weight) absorbed by the heels which in turn travel up through the ankles, knees and hips. Shoe manufacturers have tried to address this by incorporating different materials into the heel - gel, air, springs, etc.

Nike Shox

Landing on your heels causes deceleration - imagine driving a car, pressing the brakes and then accelerating again - over and over again. This is what happens EVERY TIME your feet hit the ground. Over time this constant acceleration/deceleration can result in serious injury. If you have ever tried running without shoes, your feet naturally strike the ground mid-foot or forefoot, cushioning the impact without deceleration, allowing a smoother push off for the next step. This is how mankind has evolved and modern running shoes have mutated this natural evolution.

Traditional running shoes vs. Barefoot/minimalistic running shoes

In terms of practicality, barefoot running poses a number of safety concerns. Consistent barefoot runners develop tougher and thicker skin allowing them to handle the conditions of the ground. The new crop of minimalistic running shoes mimic the natural action of an actual foot. And as a result allows the runner to strike naturally on the balls of their feet.

Vibram, an Italian shoe manufacturer first produced the FiveFingers shoes in 2005. Appearance-wise they look a bit like gloves for your feet and most people would not find themselves wearing something like this. Minimalistic shoes such as these are meant to "retrain" your feet to strike naturally when running - in other words, barefoot running without actually having to run barefoot.

Vibram FiveFinger shoes

You only have to look at African runners to see the concept in action. Abebe Bikila from Ethiopia was the first African to win a gold medal. He competed in the marathon in the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. Bikila found that the shoes provided to him were uncomfortable and chose to run the entire race (42km) barefoot. Fast forward to the 1980s and South African runner Zola Budd dominated women's long distance running. She was unusual in that she predominantly trained and raced barefoot.

Abebe Bikila (left) and Rhadi Ben Abdesselam of Morocco (right)

Zola Budd

Most people do not realise the majority of elite runners train and race in minimalistic shoes. They see the benefits of improved technique, softer landing, corrective striking and increased flexibility.

For all the critics out there who suggest barefoot running is just another fad, they may or may not be right. While the concept itself has been around since the beginning of time, the publicity and exposure to the general public is quite recent and only further research and time will tell what the long term effects of minimalistic training are.

So remember to put your best foot forward!

JW