More About Barefoot Running

The barefoot running movement has a loyal following of athletes who believe that the human foot and lower leg are ideally suited to absorb the shock of running and that shoes only impede the performance. Many have discovered that barefoot running provides relief from chronic injuries to the knees and hips.

To make the transition to running without shoes, many runners change their stride so they strike the ground with the middle of their feet instead of landing on their heel – that would be painful without the padding of a running shoe. Many believe that this change in stride allows individuals to avoid recurring injuries – shin splints, IT band strains, knee and hip strains.

There are many studies about the impact of running with or without shoes. A good compilation of existing research was done by Michael Warburton and published in 2001 in SportScience.

Shoe companies have responded to the growing trend by developing shoes that replicate the sensation of running barefoot but provide protection from glass, stones and other roadside debris. The most common shoes are:

• Vibram Five Fingers – www.vibramfivefingers.com
• Nike Free

Famous Barefoot Runners:

• Abebe Bikila, 1960 Rome Olympic Marathon Champion.
• Tegla Loroupe, 2-time NYC Marathon Champion, several world titles at many distances.
• Zola Budd, former world record holder in the women’s 5000 meters.

Barefoot Running Web-Sites

www.runningbarefoot.org , Ken Bob Saxton.

www.barefootrunner.org , Rick Roeber, aka “Barefoot Rick”, holds the record for most miles run barefoot in a 12 month period (2,725 miles).

www.barefootted.com, “Barefoot Ted” McDonald.