ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Barefoot Running and Minimalist Shoes-A Good or a Bad Thing?

Updated on May 29, 2012
Source

Barefoot training and minimalist footwear have experienced a popularity surge in the past few years, and many companies have produced minimalist shoes to answer the demand. The trend is credited with strengthening the extrinsic and intrinsic foot and ankle muscles that are supposedly neglected by shoes with excessive support.

Strengthening these muscles, in theory, should help prevent common injuries due to weaknesses brought on by too many years of shoe support. Barefoot or minimalist footwear enthusiasts point out that for over 10,000 years, humans didn’t have supportive shoes, if they had any at all.

In an age where it seems everyone has a pair of thick-cushioned running or cross-training shoes in their closet, are the minimalist enthusiasts right? Should we all be going barefoot or running in flat, thin-soled shoes?


Bare Feet/ Vibram FiveFingers

Barefoot running and training is just that, barefoot, unshod. Some folks would prefer a protective layer between their skin and potential ground hazards, however, which is where the Vibram FiveFingers shoe comes in. The ‘shoe’ fits like, well, a glove, but on your foot, and is tough enough to ward off damage from rough ground without offering unnatural support. We will refer to both types as ‘minimalist.’

The benefits of minimalist running are in the way the foot strikes the ground. The heel strike shifts to a forefoot strike, which creates less and slower reactive ground forces to channel back through the body. The result is less impact on the knees, hips, pelvis and spine.

In theory, unshod runners should experience fewer injuries because there is less impact on their body; the theory is sound, but the research data confirming this is still thin. Minimalist runners also believe their training methods strengthen the smaller supporting muscles of the feet and ankles, and they are right. However, running with shoes does this also, just to a lesser degree, and using a different motion.

One reason for common running injuries while wearing shoes is the repetitive and limited action of plantar flexion that can lead to muscle imbalances. Runners who fail to address these imbalances risk developing Achilles tendon issues, shin splints and plantar fasciitis to name a few.

How does one address these muscle imbalances? Try running barefoot or in Vibram FiveFingers, for starters. The forefoot is striking the ground first, so different foot muscles are being used, and the stabilizing muscles are forced to work harder.

Running with Shoes

In an article about the perils of barefoot/minimalist running, one author pointed out the explosion of injuries linked to minimalist training. He interviewed several doctors and physical therapists who confirmed and unprecedented influx of minimalist running injuries.

This does not mean running without shoes is a bad idea, but as one marathoner pointed out, it is a gradual process. An instant switch to running unshod is a bad idea, however. Several common methods for transitioning to minimalist running are suggested in professional literature:

-Start by walking barefoot for short periods of time.

-Start with very short periods of barefoot running; 30 seconds a day after your typical run in the beginning, building up to 5-10 minutes at a time.

-Walk or run on soft surfaces such as grass and sand.

Professionals agree, some people should not be running without solid, supportive shoes and orthotics in certain cases. Among the reasons listed for keeping your shoes on were biomechanical disadvantages such as:

-Weak forefoot stability

-Overpronation

-Supination

-Severe flat feet

-Severely high-arched feet

-Diabetics with poor sensation in their feet

Regardless of who tries minimalist running, the golden rule is to proceed with caution at a gradual pace.

MBT and Shape Ups

Another facet of minimalist footwear is not minimal at all. The unstable MBT and Skechers “Shape-Ups” shoes are examples of shoes with a lot more, but designed to support the foot a lot less. The shoe’s bottoms have an anterior to posterior curvature, a ‘rocker’ that is designed to turn everyday flat walking surfaces into unstable challenges.

Even standing is a challenge in these shoes. So far, both anecdotal and initial scientific research supports company claims that this design strengthens the smaller and often neglected stabilizing foot and ankle muscles. Over time, stronger feet and ankles should perform better and resist common injuries.

Real Benefits?

It is certainly possible to strengthen the foot and ankle muscles to the point where shoes can be discarded for life. However, people with problem feet should see their doctor first. Everyone starting barefoot training needs to transition gradually to prevent injury. As one coach put it, any sudden change in the training program should begin with very little volume and introduced over an extended time period.

MBT and Shape Up shoes, intended to impart the same benefits as going barefoot, should also be worn for short periods of time at first. As with minimalist footwear, these unstable ‘rocker’ shoes can be beneficial for strengthening neglected foot and ankle muscles.

What if you’re not willing to part with those stylish running shoes? Then keep on running! Just be sure to keep the muscles balanced with additional exercises when you are not on the road or track.


working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)