Skeptic before...believer now.

MoreBean13

I have a free pair of running shoes that only get stronger the more I use them. They are called my feet! Evolution has successfully designed our feet and leg muscles to be running machines. Most brand name shoes over support (minus minimalist shoes), make muscles weak and in turn make our bodies more prone to injury. Science and nature are your friend!

http://www.therunningfront.com/running-form/shoes-cause-injury/
http://www.pmrjournal.org/article/S1934-1482(09)01367-7/fulltext

But for anyone that has worn shoes all their lives, it's running suicide to go from shod to unshod. Maybe I'll think about making the switch when you barefooters start beating me to the finish line. (tongue firmly planted in cheek).

I agree that you can't just go straight to barefoot running after a lifetime of wearing shoes. If you're mostly barefoot throughout the day, you might be fine, otherwise you need to work up to it and probably run in minimalist shoes for a while first (they can offer protection without altering your natural gait).

On the other hand, our feet really are designed to support us, even while running. Good shoes can be great, but as they wear out the support structure changes and if they're not replaced soon enough they can damage your foot. Also, the support and padding can allow you to run comfortably in a way that will injure you and that barefoot running will not allow. I recently had to get a new pair of trail running shoes. The ones I was using still looked good, but the support structure was worn to the point that it was hurting my arches when I ran (or even just walking around in them). I got some new shoes and went out for a short run the next day. That night, I had the worst shin splints (a problem I haven't had in years). My theory is that the comfort of the new shoe allowed me to heel-strike without pain. I switched back to my Vibrams the next day, but it was a hill run and my shin pain was intense, especially on the downhill. It still hurt the next day when I went for a 6-mile run on the level with my Vibrams and the pain was gone by the end of that run and hasn't come back. I'm still wearing the new shoes for my trail runs (too rooty and rocky for barefoot); I just have to pay very close attention to my form.

Also, I think it's interesting to point out that most of the best distance runners in the world typically don't wear shoes until they get an endorsement deal. I've watched a fair number of foot races in Kenya and hardly ever saw shoes on those athletes. In my last race I wore shoes (so I could go faster) but I did get beat by a number of guys in Vibrams.

Yeah, I don't disagree with any of that. I just don't believe that going barefoot is the end all, be all for all runners. I also don't believe that shoes are inherently evil. You can run pain and injury free in shoes as well as without. Barefoot has it's place for all runners, I just don't think it's necessary for everyone to work to the point where they can run barefoot all the time. I do barefoot strides from time to time and a nice barefoot cool down run on grass. This reinforces the proper foot strike for me. I guess I'm fortunate that my mechanics have always been pretty good, so I haven't had to break any bad habits.

You anecdote about the Kenyan runners is a great illustration for both our points. Barefoot running is efficient and the way we are designed to run, but unless you have been doing it all your life, it takes work to get there.

^^Agree with everything Carson said. And there's simply not enough long-term data, aside from n=1 anecdotal data, for people that transition from running shoes to barefoot to convince me yet . And like Carson, I'm fortunate to have naturally decent mechanics so inattentive heel striking doesn't happen for me.

tappae

Yeah, I don't disagree with any of that. I just don't believe that going barefoot is the end all, be all for all runners. I also don't believe that shoes are inherently evil. You can run pain and injury free in shoes as well as without. Barefoot has it's place for all runners, I just don't think it's necessary for everyone to work to the point where they can run barefoot all the time. I do barefoot strides from time to time and a nice barefoot cool down run on grass. This reinforces the proper foot strike for me. I guess I'm fortunate that my mechanics have always been pretty good, so I haven't had to break any bad habits.

You anecdote about the Kenyan runners is a great illustration for both our points. Barefoot running is efficient and the way we are designed to run, but unless you have been doing it all your life, it takes work to get there.

^^Agree with everything Carson said. And there's simply not enough long-term data, aside from n=1 anecdotal data, for people that transition from running shoes to barefoot to convince me yet . And like Carson, I'm fortunate to have naturally decent mechanics so inattentive heel striking doesn't happen for me.

I'm not going to disagree, either. These Kenyans I've known never wore shoes at all. I tried to go running completely barefoot while wearing shoes the rest of the time and ended up getting sick. The Vibrams have really helped my form, though. I had thought I was doing pretty good with not heel-striking, but I tried the Vibrams and I learned that I was still doing it.

There is a widespread problem of injury among runners, though, and I think shoes are part of it. Both the fact that people are wearing the wrong shoe (like the OP was) or not replacing their shoes soon enough and also because the shoe allows bad form and the bad form causes injury. Of course, there are lots of other reasons for injury, too. Also, while our feet were designed to support us even while running, their design predates tarmac, concrete, broken glass, etc.