barefoot running - why?

[pierogigirl]

In my neighborhood there are quite a few people who run barefoot. They don't even wear those dumb looking toe sock-like shoes. I don't get it. What is so good about running barefoot? I also admit I don't like being barefoot outside- especially on grass, but the idea of running barefoot and stepping on glass, a sharp rock, or poop really turns me off.

I'm OK being barefoot at the beach.

[Deleted]

SO has been getting into it. The idea is that is promotes a more natural stride that reduces injury. It's very big in my area.

[WOT?*]

I'd rather wear the barefoot shoes. Less chance of stepping on a stick or a nail. It sounds rather unpleasant. There's a reason we wear shoes, ya know?

[Deleted]

Aug 16, 2012 19:43:28 GMT -5 @amoosed said:

SO has been getting into it. The idea is that is promotes a more natural stride that reduces injury. It's very big in my area.

This reason exactly although from what I've read on it there is research suggesting these people are more prone to stress fractures. I guess only time will tell.

I know someone who used to only run in Vibrams and told me it would fix all my issues. He has since switched back to running shoes.

It looks painful to me.

[Deleted]

Aug 16, 2012 20:22:45 GMT -5 aswartzw said:

Aug 16, 2012 19:43:28 GMT -5 @amoosed said:

SO has been getting into it. The idea is that is promotes a more natural stride that reduces injury. It's very big in my area.

This reason exactly although from what I've read on it there is research suggesting these people are more prone to stress fractures. I guess only time will tell.

I know someone who used to only run in Vibrams and told me it would fix all my issues. He has since switched back to running shoes.

It looks painful to me.

Someone in my family worked in a gait lab at her college (well known university) and spent several years studying vibram-type shoes and barefoot running. She does not recommend it.

[Deleted]

I think the barefoot shoes are weird enough, I can't imagine running truly barefoot. I'd be nervous to step on something too. Plus, my feet hurt if I do too much barefoot. I've done many dancing games on the Wii and ended up with sore feet afterward because I forget that just because I'm in my house doesn't mean I shouldn't wear shoes for exercise.

[joenali]

Did you see any marathon runners in the Olympics wearing Vibrams?

[Deleted]

Why would you step on poop when running? I have been running (in shoes) for several years and have never stepped in poop.

[Deleted]

Aug 16, 2012 22:14:16 GMT -5 joenali said:

Did you see any marathon runners in the Olympics wearing Vibrams?

Not sure what information this would give you. Nike has all the $$$ to sponsor the world-class runners.

[explorer2001]

Here's my thing, I get the whole more natural motion/better form argument. But I run in the desert. I've ended up with inch and a half to two inch.cactus spines going through my shoes into my feet before. (No I didn't kick a cactus. I stepped on loose spines and drove them through the sole of the shoe into my foot.) I couldn't figure out why I could not get my shoe off. Then I pulled the spine out of tbe bottom. It came out bloody. My foot was dripping when I took the shoe off.

If I end up doing that in shoes, I don't want to know what my feet would look like if i tried running barefoot.

[cole]

Aug 16, 2012 22:14:16 GMT -5 joenali said:

Did you see any marathon runners in the Olympics wearing Vibrams?

Abebe Bikila won the 1960 marathon barefoot. /anecdote.

I run occasionally in vibrams, but mostly use them for walking. They are comfortable and I like how my stride feels in them, though generally not for longer than 3 or so miles. I also love being barefoot as much as possible, but this gets me close in a city where it's not practical.

[Deleted]

Aug 16, 2012 23:15:35 GMT -5 @redbellpeppers said:

Why would you step on poop when running? I have been running (in shoes) for several years and have never stepped in poop.

Depends on where you run; I run on a trail and have stepped in poop before that someone didn't clean up and I didn't see soon enough.

[keweenawlove]

The idea of it is that you can run in a way your foot was naturally designed to run. Your foot is supposed to act as a spring as you strike the group to absorb the shock. Shoes prevent us from doing that. That's why the require cushioning. The problem is that since we've been running in shoes, most people don't have the strengthen in their foot muscles to support barefoot running. Transitioning to it has to be down very gradually.

Personally, I've had lots of foot issues and am finally at the point where I have comfy shoes with good inserts so I don't want to change anything.

I'm actually at a conference now where there's a lot of posters on this. You can argue either way which is better. Probably just depends on who's funding the research. Vibrams aren't cheap either!

[aurora]

As +v+ said, Born to Run does give a good explanation about the evolution of the human foot and running and the motivation for the barefoot running craze.

For those who think it would hurt, it does, especially at first. I started running completely barefoot (didn't want to invest in the shoes if I wasn't going to stick with it). I managed to avoid poop and cactus, but even hitting little bits of gravel certainly can hurt. I then bought minimalist New Balance shoes (metal plate in the bottom to protect from sharp objects but no support other than that), then finally the Vibram 5-fingers. I now alternate between those two. It took me about 6 months to work up to 3 miles as my feet strengthened and my stride improved, but now, 1.5 years later, I can run most distances (up to about 10 miles) in these shoes. I think a lot of people get injured by trying to do too much too fast.

Anecdote alert: I used to have to wear expensive orthotics in all of my athletic shoes to correct a knee problem. I've not had any trouble with my knee since about 6 months after I started "barefoot" running and no longer wear the orthotics.

[hulley]

Vibrams are ugly. Awful, and I am embarrassed to be seen in them. BUT, they are the only shoe I can stand to exercise in for more than 20 minutes without my foot screaming in pain. I have fallen arches, regular sneakers don't provide the support I need. It sounds counter-intuitive, because the Vibrams are no support. I can't explain it, maybe I should read the book +v+ suggests.

I have increased my activity level greatly since switching ot barefoot shoes. I can't imagine running truly barefoot, though. I haven't done that since I was like 5 years old.

[froggy76]

I saw the author of Born to Run speak a couple years ago and it was interesting. He made a lot of great points. For example- if you play a sport and your form is bad, a coach will correct you. However, if your running form is bad, someone will just slap a shoe on you that fixes it (stability shoes for over-pronation, for example.) It just makes no sense. The result is that we end up with injuries because we don't learn to run correctly and the muscles don't develop correctly. The super shock-absorbing running shoes out there today just allow for runners to hit the pavement hard, heel first, without even realizing how bad their form is. If you run barefoot, your body will tell you right away that's not the right way to strike the ground.

If you don't want to be truly barefoot, then the minimalist shoes or five fingers are good, but the idea is the same.

With all that said, I need new running shoes now and just can't get myself to pull the trigger on switching to minimalist shoes. I guess I'm not 100% convinced.

[phunluvin82]

Aug 16, 2012 21:13:14 GMT -5 v said:

Read "Born to Run" if you want to know all about it.

Ditto this...I LOVED that book.

ETA: I recently switched from a light weight Nike shoe to NB minimus. Like PP's mentioned, you can't just go super padded, structured, or specialized orthodic shoe straight to barefoot running. I've started out running only 1 mile in the Minimus shoe and I have to work my way up slowly from there.

Completely barefoot running sounds nice to me, but it's not practical in my city...though I have seen people do it, but I plan to stick to the minimal shoes rather than fully barefoot.