Running Barefoot!

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by Pitfighter, Oct 17, 2009.

  1. Pitfighter

    Pitfighter Valued Member

    Anybody else heard of the movement to run barefoot? The theory behind it is that running barefoot is healthier for your feet, your ankle joints, and knees.

    It claims that running with shoes does basically few things to your feet that are bad. One it blocks the tactile mechanorecptors in your foot, the sensory cells that help your feet naturally balance your legs. It also may squeeze your feet into an unnatural position that might also aggravate or create foot or joint problems. With shoes you may also be immobilizing your feet improperly preventing it from flexing properly as you run.

    http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307266309

    "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall is prolly the most well known book supporting this theory.
     
  2. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    I've heard and read a little about this before; supposedly a study showed that people who run barefoot tend to be midfoot strikers, those who run in shoes change their running style to land heel first. This obviously takes advantage of cushioning in the shoe but also changes the mechanics of your running action.

    At least one company is now producing shoes with toes and minimal padding, suitable for running, hiking etc. I've not tried them as it's a lot of money to punt on what could just be a gimick. They have the obvious advantage of letting you run on surfaces where there may be sharp stuff and/or poo:eek:

    [​IMG]

    If anyone has used them I'd be interested on opinions.

    Mitch

    Edit to add some reviews: Linky1 Linky2
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2009
  3. slipthejab

    slipthejab Hark, a vagrant! Supporter

    hahah love how poo is now the equivalent of sharp stuff. :D
     
  4. boards

    boards Its all in the reflexes!

    Gotta say I've never noticed any difference between running barefoot of with shoes....I've always run midfoot or on my toes regardless. Perhaps this is down to being a high jumper at school?
     
  5. robertmap

    robertmap Valued Member

    Used to run barefoot, haven't done so in a lot of years... Might be an idea to start up again...
     
  6. Frodocious

    Frodocious She who MUST be obeyed! Moderator Supporter

    I know of a couple of people who have Vibram Five Fingers and swear by them for gym work and running. I don't have personal experience with them yet, but have been thinking about getting a pair. However, cost and not having anywhere near me that sells them, is putting me off at the moment.
     
  7. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    They are certainly on sale in Sheffield and available mail order from there.

    No point for you though, they'd never fit over your hairy hobbit toes :p

    I wonder if they'd fit over my hammer toes?

    You can also get them for $75 in the states, which makes the £98-110 over here seem pretty steep...

    Mitch
     
  8. Frodocious

    Frodocious She who MUST be obeyed! Moderator Supporter


    :hammer: Cheeky thing! Actually, I get my hairy hobbit toes waxed regularly, so they are silky smooth. :)

    I saw online that there is a Five Fingers seller in Sheffield, I'm just a bit reluctant to buy them without trying them on, as apparently their close fitting nature means that the sizing can be a bit awkward to figure out. Plus, as you say, the price tag over here is a bit steep!
     
  9. Anth

    Anth Daft. Supporter

    They look interesting but have a feeling they wont make them in my size :woo:
     
  10. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Troll feet rather than hobbit feet?

    Mitch
     
  11. Anth

    Anth Daft. Supporter

    Close!

    On the subject of hobbit feet though, don't tell Saz I posted this old pic from the MAP Edited Pics thread :Angel:
     

    Attached Files:

  12. ColaMike

    ColaMike Valued Member

    Those actually look pretty cool.
    Might look forward to buying a set when they start making cheap knock offs.
     
  13. dormindo

    dormindo Active Member Supporter

    Same issue as Anth, here. When I first heard of these and checked on them (nearly two years ago, mind you), they didn't make a size 15 (US, I don't know what that would be in the British system).

    paz,

    dormindo
     
  14. flammee

    flammee Valued Member

    Feelmax shoes are also good for barefoot running..
    [​IMG]

    They are more like socks.. I have used them for barefoot running, but I run so rarely that my calf muscles have never gotten accustomed to bf running on harder surfaces.. Very nice shoes for summer usage, really enjoyable to run on grass or softer surfaces..
     
  15. Pitfighter

    Pitfighter Valued Member

    I can't find the website anymore that suggested this but here's my suggestion for that dilemma. Just get a comfortable pair of cheap shoes instead of the new fangled "minimalist" shoes.

    It is the overcushioned expensive shoes that may or may not be causing foot or ankle probs. Even if they don't hurt your feet there is no evidence the more expensive more cushioned shoes work any better than a cheap less cushioned pair of shoes.

    Personally I think those minimalist shoes are overhyped and are just cashing in on the new craze.

    I support barefoot running it helps me because I think my feet balance better running barefoot and I've had less ankle problems but I can't really run barefoot in the winter, or peak of summer even a tough pair of feet can handle the freezing ground or baking hot ground or broken glass.

    After trying it a while, about 2 months, I like it I recommend doing it where you can but be practical and put shoes on when your feet are exposed to harsh elements.
     
  16. Pitfighter

    Pitfighter Valued Member

    Now that you mention this I recall one of my buddies, a triathalon competitor has been recommending striking your feet toe's first when you land your foot each stride. The idea being that one going heel-toe has a recoil that slows you down and hurts your knees cuz when you strike down on your heal the impact goes straight to your knees. Second you have less contact time on the ground therefore move faster.

    Some articles on the internet suggest that barefoot running naturally causes your feet to strike the ground toe first or midfoot first rather than heel to toe.

    I haven't really thought too much about where my feet land when I run but I'll try to see if running barefoot changes the way my feet land when I stride.
     
  17. flammee

    flammee Valued Member

    Yeah, and there were interesting point about expensive well cushioned shoes on McDougall's born to run -book. Humans have natural instinct to step down harder, if the surface of ground is softer. With cushioned shoes it causes more shock than without cushioned shoes, and because with cushioned shoes it's possible to strike on heels it causes more pounding to joints, because then shoe's cushioning is only thing absorbing that shock. And it isn't good enough, in born to run book there is interesting statistics; with expensive shoes it is about 120% more possible to get injury than with cheap shoes.. :eek:
     
  18. Javi

    Javi Valued Member

    I've started to make the transition by using minimalist shoes with no sole and my calves feel it every time I run...
     
  19. Hatamoto

    Hatamoto Beardy Man Kenobi Supporter

    I don't do wing chun anymore so I tend to wear my feiyue shoes that I got for that, I feel more comfy walking and running with as little on my feet as possible, and I always run on the balls of my feet. A while back in karate we warmed up with lots of jogging about, my calves were killing me for days after that lol but it's how I run, all I know is I feel less of a thud in my legs when I run that way.
     
  20. Javi

    Javi Valued Member

    can't wait til I get my Feiyues in a few months...
     

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