It's been all over the news this week! Barefoot running is good for you!
Nature, the International weekly journal of science has published research that compares barefoot runner's to those wearing modern, cushioned running shoes.
The researchers found that running in bare feet – which was until relatively recently in human evolution, the natural way to run – may give better protection against the sort of repetitive-impact injuries caused by striking the ground with a force equivalent to several times a person's body weight.
Scientific research appears to have shown that cushioned shoes lead many of us to heel strike: Shod runners land on their heel and then bring there foot down. This means the body comes to a dead stop - a rapid force on impact, like somebody hitting you on the heel with a hammer.
Barefoot running encourages the use of a different set of muscles as well as a different gait that avoids repeated heavy impacts between the feet and the ground: Barfoot runners land more towards of the front of the foot and then let the heel come down and the vertical decelaration gets converted to a rotational force.
While you have to pay to read the research papers and the expert view on this research there is a great video on the topic available: Video of The Barefoot Professor
