New research from Harvard University suggests that running barefoot might be beneficial. Says Daniel Lieberman of Harvard, “One shouldn’t be scared of barefoot or minimal shoe running or think it odd. From an evolutionary perspective, it’s normal and, if done properly, it is very fun and comfortable. We evolved to run barefoot.”
Bare feet strike the ground differently
Running barefoot is different from running with shoes on. The invention of the springy running shoe in the 1970s allowed runners to land comfortably on the heel before rolling forward on the foot. In contrast, landing on the barefoot heel is not a good idea. Barefoot, “a rear-foot strike is like someone hitting you on the foot with a hammer with about one and a half to three times your body weight,” says Lieberman Ouch! But modern cushioned running shoes make landing on the heel not only comfortable, but possible without damage.
Historically, people running barefoot have landed on the front or middle of the foot first, before lowering the heel and transitioning body weight to the back of the foot. Sprinters still run primarily on their forefeet, but the mechanics of sprinting are different from long distance running.
Researchers studied Kenyan barefoot runners
To study the mechanics of running and sprinting, Lieberman and his colleagues traveled to the Rift Valley of Kenya and taped the movements of endurance runners who grew up running barefoot. The researchers found that these runners generally hit the ground with the forefoot or middle of the foot before lowering the heel. Runners in the U.S. typically hit the ground first with the heel.
Barefoot runners take shorter strides, but each stride has less impact
So far, there is not much evidence about which way of running causes more injuries. But it is clear that barefoot runners flex the foot in a way that results in a shorter stride. Reed Ferber, a bio-mechanist at the University of Calgary in Canada, said that a 6-foot 2-inch barefoot man would take 7,200 more steps to finish a marathon, because the length of his stride would be shorter than the stride of a man with shoes. Would that mean more injuries? Maybe. But not necessarily, because all those extra steps don’t have that “impact peak, so that might be injury protective.”
Too early to be sure…
The researchers concluded that it’s too early to draw conclusions about the advantages or disadvantages of running barefoot. More research is needed to evaluate the effect of the variables, such as one’s condition, the amount of calf muscle, ability to run on the forefoot or midfoot, and so on.
So, don’t throw out those running shoes yet!
Sources:
Daniel E. Lieberman. “Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners.” Nature 463, 531-535. January 28, 2010
Laura Sanders. “Running barefoot cushions impact of forces on foot: too soon to say if shoeless approach reduces injuries”. Science News, February 27, 2010.
Key words: running barefoot, shoes, feet, Kenya
