Runners who have always worn cushioned running shoes make up the seventy per cent of runners who are injured every year. The reason most runners suffer recurring injury is because humans are better off running barefoot. This claim is supported by the research of human evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman, a Harvard professor who is himself a barefoot running enthusiast.
Barefoot runners such as Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run (Knopf, 2009), say that anyone can make the transition to barefoot running within three weeks. The underlying philosophy of the barefoot running movement, however, is that runners should listen to what their feet are telling them. For people who have grown up wearing shoes, the transition to barefoot running should be done slowly rather than suddenly.
Primary Reasons to Run Barefoot
When it comes to barefoot running, the science behind the concept is foundational – it confirms the discovery that humans were born to run and are better off running barefoot. Professor Lieberman, who is also known as the "Barefoot Professor", explains the reasons why barefoot running is better for humans than cushioned running shoes on instructional videos that can be found on YouTube.
Some other good reasons to go barefoot include:
- Barefoot runners feel a connectedness with the terrain
- Running barefoot enables a much lighter stride
- Barefoot runners land correctly, on the front or mid-sole
- Running posture is instinctively adjusted when running barefoot
- Barefoot runners have greater awareness of each foot contact with the ground
- Barefoot running causes less impact for runners – less stress on knees, hips and ankles
- Barefoot running strengthens foot muscles
- Barefoot runners are faster over long distances and don’t tire as quickly as shod runners.
Practical Tips for Novice Barefoot Runners
Greg Andrews, a professional mountain hiking guide in Cape Town, South Africa walks, hikes and runs barefoot. He has not worn running shoes for five years and has suffered no injuries since making the transition to barefoot. “I started walking barefoot more and more ten years ago, mainly because I found it more comfortable – especially on hot days,” says Andrews. “One day I met an old man in the mountains of the Kogelberg who was walking his dog. He and the dog were barefoot. I wondered why we use shoes when, like dogs, we’ve been barefoot for most of human history. So I decided to take it more seriously and develop it. Soon I was hiking barefoot.”
Feet that have been habitually shod may find the transition difficult, so Andrews advises making a gradual transition to avoid injury. Here are further suggestions he offers to novice barefoot runners:
- Start with an old pair of running shoes that have lost their cushioning
- Spend time running on easy surfaces like grass or the beach
- Practice a running style more appropriate to running barefoot: landing on the mid-sole, using shorter steps with your body’s centre of gravity over your foot strike
- Most important of all: listen to your body.
Barefoot Running Benefits Running Technique
The barefoot philosophy is built on one single value more than any other: runners should listen to what their feet are telling them. “When you feel an ache, your body is trying to tell you something,” explains Andrews. “It may mean you need to adjust your posture, your foot strike or breathe more rhythmically. Occasionally, it may even mean you should stop running – certainly this is a good idea if you can’t make the pain go away with simple changes to the way you are running.”
Running shoes may be working for some people who are never injured, in which case barefoot runners like Andrews don’t advise all runners to discard their running shoes. Unless, of course, they desire to experience the liberation and other benefits barefoot runners espouse. Other alternatives to cushioned running shoes, such as Vibram Five Fingers, are also worth checking out for transitioning runners.
Marc de Chazal - Marc de Chazal is a writer and editor living in the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa. Visit his professional blog to view ...
