Heel or toe? Running science backs off minimalist shoe

Barefoot TJ

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Six years later, the barefoot trend has faded significantly
Really? o_O

“In fact, many studies show that just as many injuries happen - only in the forefoot and midfoot rather than the hindfoot and knee,” she wrote in an email.
Ok, but what's the nature and severity of injuries in the forefoot and midfoot?

“The reality is that the same amount of force relative to a person’s body weight and speed of gait, is coming down with each stride while running (roughly three time your body weight).”

Right, that's why you should use the parts of your body that have evolved in a way to absorb potential damage when running.

Also, this: http://www.runningpad.de/en/index.html
 
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does necessarily force have to be multiplicated when speed is faster ?
I dont think so.

a good runner is going forward on a straight line, without bouncing up and down, slow or fast.
I use to feel it easier to run properly with a 4min/k pace than with a 6 min/k pace
with higher speed, the momentum is easier to feel
but I dont have videos to check or prove what I'm saying

but KB Saxton does prove that its possible to run without 3 times your weight,
contrary to what the article is saying.
 
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Article fails to mention that research is generally unsupportive of shoes in general.

http://journals.lww.com/jaaos/Abstr...Perspective_on_Barefoot_and_Minimalist.6.aspx
because of the effects of the natural environment and the lack of a standardized transition program, barefoot running could lead to additional, unforeseen injuries. Studies have shown that, with the transition to minimalist running, there is increased stress on the foot and ankle and risk of repetitive stress injuries. Nonetheless, despite the large gap of evidence-based knowledge on minimalist running, the potential benefits warrant further research and consideration.
Study confirms what we all know, the increased risk of injuries during transitioning.
Study also acknowledges the lack of research and need to do more.
 
Before i got metatarsal stress fracture running with vibrams, i was sure our barefoot camp is always right.

Well, I don't know who the "barefoot camp" is, but if you'd listened to KenBob, you'd know how stupid running in vibrams is. If you are going to start minimalist, always start completely barefoot. You need the feedback from your soles to tell you that you need to STOP. Otherwise, you are overstressing your bone and tendons and ligaments. Your shod-weakened feet are simply not ready for running minimalist without reversing all the weakness inflicted by shoes.

And I'm not convinced that even starting barefoot is sufficient for running barefoot (or minimalist). You need to simply hike barefoot, for miles and miles and miles in order to undo the terminal atrophy that shoes have inflicted on your feet. Then, after maybe a 1,000 miles of hiking your feet will have built up enough (previously considered) normal strength to enable you to run without damaging them.
 
Before i got metatarsal stress fracture running with vibrams, i was sure our barefoot camp is always right.
I am sad to hear about this. I believe in the value of barefoot running.When things aren't working for one of us, I worry. It's clear that @Einar took some bad advice from somewhere. Namely that toe shoes equaled barefoot running.

I think the lesson here for all of us is to approach our message about barefoot running from a well informed position and deliver that message with the greatest of courtesy towards one another.

One of us was injured running in what was thought to be the barefoot way. Regardless of how this information came to him, making any one of us feel less because we didn't read the right book is worse than unhelpful. It is demoralizing.

We are a small community and our active participation here is too limited as it is. Only positive dialog between ourselves is going to make a difference.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
 
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[...] If you are going to start minimalist, always start completely barefoot. You need the feedback from your soles to tell you that you need to STOP. Otherwise, you are overstressing your bone and tendons and ligaments. Your shod-weakened feet are simply not ready for running minimalist without reversing all the weakness inflicted by shoes.

And I'm not convinced that even starting barefoot is sufficient for running barefoot (or minimalist). You need to simply hike barefoot, for miles and miles and miles in order to undo the terminal atrophy that shoes have inflicted on your feet. Then, after maybe a 1,000 miles of hiking your feet will have built up enough (previously considered) normal strength to enable you to run without damaging them.

I don't agree. I don't mean what you say is not true, but it sounds too determinant, too final to me, as though there's no other proper way to switch into barefoot running.

As @Sid says:
Study confirms what we all know, the increased risk of injuries during transitioning.
Study also acknowledges the lack of research and need to do more.

Therefore, the same way research has not been able to come to final conclusions about the benefits of barefoot running vs. shod, I don't think we can conclude you need to hike for 1000 mi before starting running barefoot, and that you necessarily need to start barefoot instead going through a minimalist stage. I didn't do any of those and I consider I'm doing pretty well.

What I mean, it sounds like we are demonizing minimalist shoes as an anathema, whereas I believe we should praise those who embrace minimalism —and specially those who do it as a transitioning stage into barefoot running.

My point is: there's not enough research about the benefits of barefoot running, even less about the proper way to get into barefoot running. I won't deny barefoot walking and hiking has huge benefits in toughing up one's feet, or that @Barefoot Ken Bob advice is right, but what works for some (or even for many) does not necessarily work for all.
I belive the principle everyone should keep in mind is: avoid overdoing. I admit you will notice sooner when you are overdoing if you go barefoot, but with a bit of common sense you can also notice it when shod.

I advocate for everyone finding their own way into barefootedness. There may be some rules of thumb, but there's also a huge variety of paths. Try it your way, make mistakes, learn from them, check with others, mix everything and get your own conclusions, that may work for you, but not for everyone.

Cheers!
 
There may be some rules of thumb, but there's also a huge variety of paths. Try it your way, make mistakes, learn from them, check with others, mix everything and get your own conclusions, that may work for you, but not for everyone.

Yeah, there are many paths. The trouble is in picking a path that doesn't work for you (even if it does work for others) and then blaming "the barefoot camp" (who are they, anyways, because so many in the barefoot camp, like KenBob, was advocating NOT starting wearing minimal shoes).

It would seem to me the way to start would be first by learning everything I could, and then knowing about the pitfalls of the various paths, starting conservatively.
 
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