Barefoot running shoes?

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  • forthefab5
    forthefab5 Posts: 187 Member
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    I spoke to a friend of mine who is training to be a podiatrist and he says that they are really good. I have the plantar facistis and will have to build up my wearing time and he warns me I might get a flare up of my condition until I strengthen m feet and legs.

    now i have to decide one which ones i want... there are 3 vibrams.... a sprint and a KSO one is like a fuller foot and the other has a strap across it..... there is also one that looks like a proper runner with laces but with the toes....

    any thoughts people?? look at ebay!! careful though they are real vibrams

    I totally agree with building up in them! I am still not 100% there... I can run in them fine for maybe a mile - mile and a half (I took a break in them for awhile because I was training for a race and was certain I couldn't complete it in them) but then walk for a bit then carry on. Your calves will be sore for sure for awhile but not in a painful way, more in a "I used new muscles" way :) With regards to the plantar fascitis, I cannot recommend them enough because I have not had one flare up since I got used to them.

    I have the Bikila LS's which are specifically running shoes with the laces - again, it's because my feet are quite wide and the normal straps felt too tight. However, I use them for everything, walking, yoga, aerobics classes at the gym, even while doing my grocery shopping! Prepare to get a few stares though :)

    Definitely beware of imitations!!! If you have a look at some reputable sporting stores online, you will be able to still get a good price on them.

    Good luck!
  • forthefab5
    forthefab5 Posts: 187 Member
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    Btw I just realized last night that I have to retire my first pair...the rubber wore out on one of the toes. So after a while you might want to start inspecting them, granted I had sewed the seam on the top of both of my KSOs so I do tend to use them for as long as I can so far...

    Hmmm.. sounds like a good reason to try out a new style! Lol :)
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    I have just got the vibram bikilas. I haven't tried running in them yet, but looking at them, they have no cushioning at all, they are for off road running. If you are running on pavements or roads, you need proper running shoes. I also have some inov8s, which are also considered barefoot shoes, although they look like normal trainers, but have no cushioning, they are also for offroad, but as long as the on road part of your route is no more than a mile or so, they are fine. Barefoot shoes are for trail running, really, they aren't suitable for road or city running.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    Another point - my physio says 80% of the running injuries she sees are from people wearing offroad shoes and not running appropriately in them. You have to adapt your running, and you have to start out doing short distances. Your fitness increases a lot faster than your small muscle strength, and barefoot running is all about building up the strength and flexibility in your small calf/ankle/foot muscles and tendons, your posterior tibialis. Those are the muscles that flex your toes and hold your arch up, they get really worked in barefoot shoes, but not at all in cushioned road running shoes, so we aren't used to using them.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I have just got the vibram bikilas. I haven't tried running in them yet, but looking at them, they have no cushioning at all, they are for off road running. If you are running on pavements or roads, you need proper running shoes. I also have some inov8s, which are also considered barefoot shoes, although they look like normal trainers, but have no cushioning, they are also for offroad, but as long as the on road part of your route is no more than a mile or so, they are fine. Barefoot shoes are for trail running, really, they aren't suitable for road or city running.

    This really isn't true. While I do use mine both for trails & road running, road running in them is rather enjoyable because its flat and easy to avoid rocks. Pavement isn't any softer than bone dry ground. Your feet/legs are made to cushion your stride if done so properly.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    I have just got the vibram bikilas. I haven't tried running in them yet, but looking at them, they have no cushioning at all, they are for off road running. If you are running on pavements or roads, you need proper running shoes. I also have some inov8s, which are also considered barefoot shoes, although they look like normal trainers, but have no cushioning, they are also for offroad, but as long as the on road part of your route is no more than a mile or so, they are fine. Barefoot shoes are for trail running, really, they aren't suitable for road or city running.

    This really isn't true. While I do use mine both for trails & road running, road running in them is rather enjoyable because its flat and easy to avoid rocks. Pavement isn't any softer than bone dry ground. Your feet/legs are made to cushion your stride if done so properly.

    But your feet aren't designed to deal with rock hard surfaces. They aren't natural. In the archaeological record, once roads came to be used, and people walked on them rather than on natural surfaces, there was a huge huge huge increase in the instances of heel cysts, which continued until the invention of protective shoes. Sorry, but it just isn't true that we are designed to run on hard surfaces. Naturally there would hardly be any hard surfaces. On dried ground/trails, you have to run more carefully, and last with less force in case of rocks and things that could harm your feet. If you don't have that caveat, and are running on a hard flat surface you are infinitely more prone to injury. Maybe not immediately, but you are very likely to get foot problems in the future.
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
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    I have VFFs and have built myself up to walking and hiking pretty long distances in them over the past two years. During my foray into long distance running a few months ago I wore Nike+ Freeruns and had luck with them as they have a little more support for running primarily hard, paved surfaces.

    Keep in mind that some of us may adjust more quickly to minimalist footwear if we've spent a lot of time barefoot outdoors in our life. I grew up hating shoes, and my feet are strong and essentially used to being outside without cover.

    Your walk/run gait changes with minimalist footwear, your heels taking less of a hit.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    I have just got the vibram bikilas. I haven't tried running in them yet, but looking at them, they have no cushioning at all, they are for off road running. If you are running on pavements or roads, you need proper running shoes. I also have some inov8s, which are also considered barefoot shoes, although they look like normal trainers, but have no cushioning, they are also for offroad, but as long as the on road part of your route is no more than a mile or so, they are fine. Barefoot shoes are for trail running, really, they aren't suitable for road or city running.

    This really isn't true. While I do use mine both for trails & road running, road running in them is rather enjoyable because its flat and easy to avoid rocks. Pavement isn't any softer than bone dry ground. Your feet/legs are made to cushion your stride if done so properly.

    Agreed. I have run with mine on a treadmill as well as basic sidewalks. It takes time for your legs and feet to get accustomed to them but they are made for this time of training. As so many have said, we were created to run barefoot but now our bodies are conditioned to run with shoes on.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    I have VFFs and have built myself up to walking and hiking pretty long distances in them over the past two years. During my foray into long distance running a few months ago I wore Nike+ Freeruns and had luck with them as they have a little more support for running primarily hard, paved surfaces.

    Keep in mind that some of us may adjust more quickly to minimalist footwear if we've spent a lot of time barefoot outdoors in our life. I grew up hating shoes, and my feet are strong and essentially used to being outside without cover.

    Your walk/run gait changes with minimalist footwear, your heels taking less of a hit.

    I also run in my Free Run +2 but a few shops and people have said they are not made for long distance pavement running. Longest I have ran in them is a few miles so I will test them on a 5 miler one day.
  • brityn
    brityn Posts: 443 Member
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    I have vibram five fingers that I have to run in at least once a week to keep my heel/arch pain at bay. I ran a 1/2 marathon a few months ago and started getting really bad, tightness in my heel/arch area. My uncle (25 time marathoners) suggested I try barefoot running. It's been three months now and I havent had ANY pain. I didn't think it would work this well but it did
  • CherrySunday
    CherrySunday Posts: 301
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    Highly recommended by me!! I bought kind of a hybrid of a running shoe and the five fingers. Mine are the "New Balance Minimus" with the Vibram sole. They are wonderful!!

    http://www.fleetfeetchicago.com/filebin/images/product/shoes/womens/full/New_Balance_W_Trail_Minimus.jpg

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