A blog post about wearing shoes again...

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We all must find what works for us. I am glad you found what works for you.

I can no longer run barefoot because I had many treatments and surgeries to try to correct the damage done to my feet by wearing the wrong types of shoes (Morton's Neuroma), but all those procedures have failed me.

What concerns me is what you wrote in your blog: "I feel like the barefoot running community is not as upfront about the injuries that come along with it." I don't think that is a true or fair statement. We, at the BRS, are always warning beginners and each other of the potential for injury, especially if the runner is not conditioned and not prepared for the distance or the terrain. It was the same at the other forum I started. I know there are several book authors who warn of injuries as well. There is a ton of info out there. It's not as simple as just take your shoes off and run. When you take your shoes off, after wearing them all your life, you no longer have the shoes doing the work for you; instead, now you have to do the work.

So, will you run barefoot at all ever again, even for just short distances...or will it always be minshoes for you? I would hope that you could still find joy in running barefoot, but perhaps start over from the beginning and treat yourself like you are a beginner. Then gradually increase your distance as you go, and be sure to incorporate some rough surfaces so you can condition your soles and learn how to step lightly. Good luck to you, Steph! -TJ
 
I think that while some parts of the community address injuries there are also injuries that are inherent with barefoot running that just aren't there when running shod, even minimally. Not all the injuries are a result of too much too soon. I spent lots of time building up to distances and that wasn't why I was getting injured- me stubbing my toe so hard that I still have stiffness two years later because I wasn't wearing shoes isn't something that is going to change through slow building. There are a million suggestions regarding form that may prevent it but so does wearing some minimal shoes. I will still run barefoot but probably only on distances 10 miles or less... At this point I just am not having as much fun running barefoot as I am with shoes anymore. That's basically it. I don't want to take days or weeks off from running because of an injury that could have been prevented by wearing shoes.
 
Hi Stephen13 (B?) - I think having fun is a big part of running. And when I personally give advice to "be careful" or whatnot to prevent injuries I assume that the person is still interested in running barefoot. The one thing that I wish there were more data on, and maybe someday there will be is the cumulative effect that shod vs unshod has on the long-term injury rate. Im not just talking about something that takes you out of service for the big race you had trained all year for, but the 20-yrs from now effects of running in shoes vs bare. Like I said, I just dont know, but for me, I believe it is worth the risk of stepping on a stick or a rock to avoid a bigger debilitating injury.

I do understand where you are coming from, and I think that many more on this site understand your pain and frustration than you realize. I hope that you have fun running and stay safe and injury-free regardless of what you put on your feet.
 

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