Barefoot Running/Minimalist Shoes Decrease Injury Risk – Fact or Myth?

Barefoot running/minimalist shoe is not a new phenomenon.  Olympian, author, running guru and IAWR Faculty Member Jeff Galloway writes: “I’ve seen this fad come and go 5 times during my 52 years of running”.

The current craze results from the simultaneous popularity of two publications: 1) Bestselling book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall and 2) Research paper “Foot Strike Patterns and Collision Forces in Habitually Barefoot versus Shod Runners” by a team headed by Dr. Daniel Lieberman of the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University.

The mainstream media started publicizing claims that barefoot running reduces the risk of running injuries. Running shoe manufacturers were quick to jump on the bandwagon and bring out their own minimalist models, citing the Harvard study that purportedly concluded that these shoes would both overcome current injuries and reduce the risk of future ones.

Galloway: “I hear the other side of this issue, about every day, from those who have been injured (often severely) by using these products or by running barefooted.  Many have to stop running for 4 to 6 months.  Thousands have reported significant problems.”

But wait a minute! What did Lieberman and his team actually conclude from their research?

“We tested and confirmed what many people knew already: that most experienced, habitually barefoot runners tend to avoid landing on the heel and instead land with a forefoot or midfoot strike………We show that most forefoot and some midfoot strikes (shod or barefoot) do not generate the sudden, large impact transients that occur when you heel strike (shod or barefoot). Consequently, runners who forefoot or midfoot strike do not need shoes with elevated cushioned heels to cope with these sudden, high transient forces that occur when you land on the ground. Therefore, barefoot and minimally shod people can run easily on the hardest surfaces in the world without discomfort from landing. If impact transient forces contribute to some forms of injury, then this style of running (shod or barefoot) might have some benefits, but that hypothesis remains to be tested.

Please note that we present no data on how people should run, whether shoes cause some injuries, or whether barefoot running causes other kinds of injuries. We believe there is a strong need for controlled, prospective studies on these issues.”

Taken from http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/

Lieberman and team make no claim that barefoot running or any particular type of shoe leads to injury, or conversely, can reduce the risk of injury!

Come to think of it, all road running shoes during the first running boom in the 1970’s and the early 1980’s were minimalist, as shoe technology was still in its infancy.  There were a lot of injured then, me included. Why?

Most running injuries are caused by a lack of running-specific strength (i.e. weakness) in muscles and tendons.  They are unable to withstand the stress they are subjected to during training.  Your muscles don’t care whether you run barefoot or what type of shoe you wear.  They do care and let you know in no uncertain terms if they are too weak and thus have not recovered from the micro-tears that they suffered during previous runs.

On the flip side, changing from a heavier shoe to a lighter shoe should result in faster running.  Also, shifting from a rearfoot strike to a midfoot strike should both a) reduce the braking action caused by the overstriding common in rearfoot strikers and b) increase turnover – both of which will increase your speed.

If you are tempted to try barefoot running or minimalist shoes — any change in type of shoe or biomechanics must be done very gradually to allow your muscles to adapt to your new gait.

Lastly, I seriously doubt that there is a magic pill (or magic shoe) that can alleviate injuries and reduce the risk of future ones.  If you find yourself frequently injured, the cure comes from within.  Strengthen your biomechanical weak links in a running-specific way so that they can withstand the stress and strain of training and support you in reaching your running goals!

© 2011 Savvy Runner Inc.

Bennett Cohen (The Savvy Runner) and Gail Gould are the Founders and Presidents of the International Association of Women Runners.  To learn more about this global community of women runners, visit www.iawr-connect.com.
 

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