How Barefoot Running Works

A curious tradition takes place every year outside an inn in the Welch town of Llanwrtyd Wells. To test a hunch that people can outrun much faster animals over long distances, the innkeeper hosts the annual "Man versus Horse Marathon." Hundreds of distance runners and dozens of mounted riders traverse over 22 miles of tough, hilly trails to see which species emerges victorious. In 2004, man actually bested the horses for the first time.

Such an outcome bears out the theories of paleoanthropologist Daniel Lieberman and biologist Dennis Bramble, who are researching the theory that humans have adapted to running long distances. Human bodies sport a large number of sweat glands. They have very little hair, though, which allows for the quick dissipation of heat. Humans also have Achilles tendons, long necks, large knee joints and a comparatively gigantic gluteus maxiumus. Though faster, animals without these features tend to overheat and tire over longer distances. Lieberman and Bramble believe that humans may have evolved specific distance running traits in order to chase faster prey past the point of exhaustion [source: Chen].

There are competing theories -- for instance, other researchers point out the fact that well developed gluteus muscles would also be essential for squatting and foraging) -- however, even skeptics acknowledge that the Lieberman-Bramble theory is solid [source: Chen]. Barefoot running advocate Christopher McDougall cites Lieberman's research as evidence that humans are not only fine-tuned endurance running machines, but that for thousands of years people did their distance running barefoot or in the most minimal footwear. Why spend hundreds of dollars on fancy running shoes, McDougall argues, when running barefoot gets the job done and may even minimize running-related injury?

Though barefoot running may seem faddish or far-fetched to a lot of people, there's actually no evidence to support the popular idea that fancy stability or motion-control shoes reduce the rate of injury. In the next section, we talk about the mechanics of bare feet versus feet in footwear.

Author Christopher McDougall suffered such extreme foot pain before switching to barefoot running that doctors advised him to give up the sport. "Eight out of 10 runners are injured every year." McDougall asserts. "It doesn't matter if you're heavy or thin, speedy or slow … you're just as likely as the next guy to savage your knees, hamstrings, hips or heels."

Running shoes are big business, and recent advances in shoe technology claim to correct for a myriad of biomechanical deficiencies, including high or low arches and overpronation or underpronation. However, in spite of major improvements in sports shoe technology, injury rates for runners have remained fairly steady since the 1970s. In fact, certain types of running injuries have actually increased [source: Cortese].

There's no conclusive evidence that corrective sports shoes prevent injury or improve performance [source: Richards]. On the other hand, neither is there evidence that running barefoot can reduce injury. However, research on several purported benefits of barefoot running is currently underway:

Indeed, the purported benefits of barefoot running are so tantalizing that they've piqued the interest of most major shoe manufacturers. Many shoe companies now offer minimal footwear. The Nike Free is lighter-weight and has less padding than most Nike shoes, while the Vibram Fivefingers is little more than a sock with a bit of tread on the bottom. Before you rush out to try your first barefoot mile, however, you should educate yourself about the unique potential for injuries related to barefoot or minimal running. We explore that topic in the next section.

In spite of the purported benefits of barefoot running, physical therapists and doctors of sports medicine are reporting a sharp rise in injuries related to barefoot running. Physical therapist Darwin Fogt and sports doctor Lewis Maharan report that plantar fasciitis, a painful heel condition affecting about 15 percent of average runners, accounts for up to 90 percent of injuries among runners who have switched to barefoot running [source: Fitzgerald]. These doctors also caution that biomechanically disadvantaged runners, such as those who supinate or overpronoate, have no business ditching their shoes.

Champions of barefoot running, however, believe that most barefoot running injuries stem from making the switch to barefoot running too quickly. In fact, they suggest that your first barefoot running workout should be no more strenuous than walking around your house without shoes [source: Morris]. Aspiring barefoot runners should gradually acclimate to outdoor conditions. First, walk slowly for just a few minutes a day on grass, dirt or another soft surface. Gradually, over many weeks, work up to running a couple of miles barefoot on a soft surface.

Minimal running shoes such as the Vibram Fivefingers offer obvious protection from certain common barefoot running injuries, including:

However, the very protection they offer may also give a runner a false sense of security. Striking the ground with too much force is a suspected cause of many running injuries. Traditional, cushioned running shoes change your gait to offset some of these forces. Minimal shoes don't offer the same protections; when this type of shoe, it's important to be extra cautious about doing too much too fast.

Whether it's a fad or a wave of the future, the barefoot running movement seems to have sparked a sea change in thought about running and running shoes. In 2005, when Nike discovered that a popular track coach they sponsored had his team running barefoot drills, they developed the minimalist Nike Free. Differences between barefoot and shod running gaits are currently the subject of intense research. Researchers hope the conclusions they reach will benefit all runners and lead to better running techniques and better running shoes -- or lack thereof.

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