Barefoot running questionnaire

[J Klooster]

Dear barefoot runners,



As you may know the incidence of running injuries is high. In the past years barefoot running has become very popular. And it is believed that barefoot running has a positive influence on the incidence of running injuries. However, scientific prove is still lacking.

We conduct a study in which we try to gain insight into the effects of barefoot running on injury incidence. In this study we compare running injuries of barefoot runners to runners who use running shoes.

We are looking for habitual barefoot runners, or runners who use minimalistic shoes, who want to fill in the questionnaire in the link below. It will only take 5-10 minutes of your time. All participants can be kept informed on the results of this study by filling in their e-mail address in the questionnaire. This is completely optional.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFhLc3Nvb25VQmh0X2VDWEZQdFVoTVE6MQ

This research is part of my bachelor thesis for Human Movement Sciences at the University of Groningen in partnership with the Center for Sports Medicine of the University Medical Center Groningen.



Thank you beforehand for your cooperation and time.

Jesper Klooster

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Hey all,Please do take just

Hey all,

Please do take just a few moments of your time to answer this survey. It's in the best interest of barefoot running that we take part in as many surveys and studies as possible as they relate to progressing our way of running. If we don't take part, then we won't have the data out there to back up our claims.

MOST IMPORTANT!!!! When they ask you if you ever experienced a barefoot-related running injury and you were actually wearing VFFs or something else on your feet, answer truthfully. If you had something on your feet, you were not BARE IN THE FOOT! Therefore, that would be classified as a shoe-related running injury not a barefoot-related running injury.

Please.

TJ

 

[JosephTree]

Jesper,  I had a small

Jesper, I had a small problem with 3.11: I didn't run in shoes before running in VFFs. I ran strictly BF for more than 4 months before purchasing them. Hence, no "ramp up" time. I answered 6 weeks just in order to be able to submit, but you can chuck my answer or my whole submission if you wish. My email starts with "josephm" if you care to dig it up.

 

[J Klooster]

Dear Joseph,thank you for

Dear Joseph,

thank you for taking the time to fill in the questionnaire!

It's not a problem that you didn't run on normal running shoes before starting to run barefoot/minimalistic. But most people do start running on normal shoes before running barefoot, and I'm also interested in the reason why people shift to barefoot running.

But in your case I'm interested in why you switched from totaly barefoot to minimalistic running? And how long did you need to become adjusted to running barefoot, and after that running on the minimalistic shoes?

Jesper

 

[J Klooster]

Dear barefoot runners, I

Dear barefoot runners,



I would like to thank all the people who have participated in the study so far!

To all people who haven't answered the questionnaire, please reconsider, it would help our research greatly.

Like TJ said, this research could mean the beginning of scientific proof of the benefits of barefoot and minimalistic running. And you could be a part of it!

Again thank you for your cooperation and time!



Jesper

 

[sloutre]

I just answered the

I just answered the questionnaire. It really doesn't take more than 3 min.

I wish there was a question about what percentage of the runs are done truly barefoot vs. minimalist and why. I would be interested in knowing how many people run 100% barefoot, how many run 100% minimalist, who runs minimalist in the winter and 100% bare in the summer or who switch back and forth and for what reason (like training barefoot and racing minimalist, or depending on the surface, or minimalist only on wet ground, or only on trails, or hills, etc)



I think it may be a relevant question since some injuries can be caused by switching from barefoot to minimalist.

 

[J Klooster]

Dear  Sloutre,First I would

Dear Sloutre,

First I would like to thank you for your participation in this study!

Your questions are indeed very relevant. But unfortunatly I have to focus on some aspects of barefoot an minimalistic running, eventhough there are so many interesting aspects to the sport. The focus of this study is to begin reporting on the injury incidence, training characteristics of barefoot and minimalistic running.

This study is hopefully the start of a larger prospective cohort study on barefoot running, also conducted by the Center for Sports Medicine of the University Medical Center Groningen.

 

[pbarker]

I have a hard time with what

I have a hard time with what is an jury.



Is it something like TOFP that requires two or three days to recover from, is a blister a injury. I have never had to stop running for more then three days while running barefoot. I want to report injuries properly. I just do not know.

 

[barefootmarc]

Just completed this survey.

Just completed this survey. Thanks for doing this key research. The truth will set us free.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Sloutre, those are very

Sloutre, those are very credible questions. I think having any survery break down the percentages of barefoot running one does and minimalist running that same person does is very important to the outcome, since many of us do tend to swap up our running types. Just as important, as you pointed out, is whether or not an individual was injured from swapping out barefoot for minimalist or back again. Perhaps their next survey will include percentages.

A blister is not an injury. It's a little teacher of love. ;-)

 

[JosephTree]

Jesper,I integrated VFFs

Jesper,

I integrated VFFs into my running to extend my range of available running sites. I didn't have the depth of experience or skill needed to run new trails with confidence. In my neighborhood some trails are very stoney or infested with nasty thorns. I can now run those, pretty much sight unseen with my VFFs. I also have run my longer races in VFFs because, again, my feet haven't the endurance for much more than 10 miles. I just ran 13.1 last weekend in an organized race, and was happy to be in the VFFs. Oh, yes, and we have a real winter here, with deep snow which turns into icy, miserable surface after a bit. I was able to run through the winter with my VFFs, with very little discomfort.

To get accustomed to BF running I just went out and ran. It only took a week or 10 days to reach the point where my feet were not the limiting factor. I started with a slow mile, and ran every other day. At the end of 2 weeks I could run 3 miles and I stayed at that level for about 6 weeks. I ran trails with gravel and dirt to start with and didn't try pavement for a couple months. It was a pleasant surprize to find it easier on my feet than the trails, though not as satisfying.

Anything else?

 

[Smelph]

No complaints here, but I'll

No complaints here, but I'll echo the BF vs. Min thoughts: I used some kind of minimalist footwear when there was snow on the ground this winter, but didn't when it was dry. I have also swapped out to my Min footwwear when having to tackle some gravel roads and then went back to BF after getting back on pavement.

 

[Paleo]

I just want to say how great

I just want to say how great I think this study is. Filling it out took me about 4 minutes.

We need much more research on the subject.

Thanks, Jespers, for doing it!

Cheers

Paleo

 

[J Klooster]

In all previous running

In all previous running research there have been many different definitions of a running related injury. It varied from discomfort after a run to not being able to run for several months. So I understand your difficulties.

I'm going to use a definition for a injury that was used by one of the researchers at the center for sports medicine. At this point I can't tell you what the definition is, because I don't want the people who still want fill in the questionnaire to be biased.

 

[khyricat]

Another does both runner- the

Another does both runner- the ONLY place near me that doesn't involve running on major roads or driving to get there has CHIPSEAL, so I use shoes for at least parts of my runs there, but when I can, I run elsewhere and occasionally stick to the sidewalks on the main roads instead.... Next weekend I'm hitting trails for the first time in the season.. Also, another MIchigander who uses shoes to get through the WINTER!

 

[LavaRunner]

I answered, I will refrain

I answered, I will refrain from critique, I think anyone doing research is great. Keep up the good work and feel free to contact me. My email starts with Scooter if your interested.