Barefoot running

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wildhoney1967
wildhoney1967 Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi I would love to have a thread/discussion about the health benefits of running barefoot as I started doing it in 2020 and my knee and hip niggles disappeared !

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  • kbrown1527
    kbrown1527 Posts: 65 Member
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    I like to walk barefoot for “grounding” but I’ve never tried running. Does that not hurt your feet?!
  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,235 Member
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    wildhoney1967 wrote: »
    Hi I would love to have a thread/discussion about the health benefits of running barefoot as I started doing it in 2020 and my knee and hip niggles disappeared !

    How should a person who runs, without your hip/knee stuff, think when contemplating trying this. Why?
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,376 Member
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    chris_in_cal wrote: »
    wildhoney1967 wrote: »
    Hi I would love to have a thread/discussion about the health benefits of running barefoot as I started doing it in 2020 and my knee and hip niggles disappeared !

    How should a person who runs, without your hip/knee stuff, think when contemplating trying this. Why?

    First disclaimer; I am a terrible runner. I look like a wounded hippo and sound like a pair of old bellows. But I’ve run both barefoot (in socks and then barefoot shoes) and with cushioned trainers. And my husband is a runner. I think it all comes down to personal preference, and whichever option you choose you need to start slowly. It’s a different running style (forefoot in bare foot vs heel strike in shoes). They initially distribute the weight and force differently, which is why barefoot can help with hip pain etc.

    I personally preferred barefoot style shoes but I was a martial artist and used to training in bare feet. I struggled to feel the connection with the ground and just could not get on with shoes. I’m now older and used to wearing lifters (ie shoes with a rise) so I would naturally go for trainers.

    If you are an experienced runner and want to try barefoot, warm up with a short normal run first, then try c1mile barefoot slowly. You need to build up slowly as it can hurt / cause severe doms if you go all out!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,435 Member
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    At home I wear some kind of mocassins with a sock-like sole, and I do strength barefoot. that's enough for me. Running barefoot, with pebbles and twigs everywhere, not to mention dog pee, cigarette butts, sticky residue of I don't what to know what and whatever fellow humans spit or pee on the road. Ugh...
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    There was a poster years ago who ran barefoot in the hills in California for long distances. She was tall---5'11'' I believe, and was in great physical shape. I used to run barefoot everywhere when I was a little kid--in the summer in Minnesota. I loved to run.

    Now, I live in a big, dirty, European city and I would never even consider it. I agree with @yirara on that.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,637 Member
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    wildhoney1967 wrote: »
    Hi I would love to have a thread/discussion about the health benefits of running barefoot as I started doing it in 2020 and my knee and hip niggles disappeared !

    What are niggles? It sounds like a parasite of some kind...
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    I found the lady that ran barefoot for over 8 years-- @RunsWithBees. You can see her running pics and others on the "Mom bod thread" pages 44 & 45. This was in 2021. She's no longer active on MFP, but you can maybe get some ideas.
  • ltomberry
    ltomberry Posts: 12 Member
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    Running barefoot can correct a lot of problems with running form. You're not going to overstride/heelstrike and your cadence will be quicker. Your feet will want to land under you instead of out front. Having said that don't make too drastic of a change too quickly. Start with a mile once a week and work up to what you can stand.

    I personally don't run totally barefoot too often, there are hazards, rocks, glass, etc I don't want to step on. (Stepped on a frog once, it was weird and squishy 😳) I have minimalist sandals that get the barefoot effect with some protection but no cushion or arch support. I like Shamma sandals and there are some other good brands out there too.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
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    kbrown1527 wrote: »
    I like to walk barefoot for “grounding” but I’ve never tried running. Does that not hurt your feet?!

    Yes...if you're heel-striking/over-striding, then it'll smart a bit EVERY single step. which is kind of the point...it trains you really, really quickly to not do that (eliminating what would have been knee pain later in the run for those prone to issues from bad form). There's a decent selection out there now of more minimalist running shoes (no cushioning,..), so no need to truly run barefoot.

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