I have been running barefoot for some time now, and am fully convinced of the efficacy of natural movement to be an aid to longevity in the activity of running and good body posture.
The exteroceptor function of the skin of the foot aids the proprioception feedback needed by our bodies, to stimulate correct form and aid in the reduction of injury patterns.
I will always be a voice to remind people that we ALL started out barefoot and in the spirit of the ethic behind this site, there is "species specific" way of operating at optimal efficiency.
Just as we contend our birth right is to have a life full of succulent ripe fruits, clean water and fresh air, so we were given the evolutionary abilities to run with what nature intended.
As with all systems of purity, the Machiavellian nature of commercial industry, corrupts the font of human expression found in the pureness of our creation.
I would not contest, that, in various applications, the intelligence that is the hallmark of the evolution of compassionate society, leads us to invent solutions creating a loss of purity in a system.
Hence you fly out to asia to feast on durian, we truck in to australia oranges from california, mono crops and oil dependent farming made it "easier" so the rot sets in.
Struth, I don't want to go around banging a drum about barefoot running as a hate against shoes, but it has the same call to conscientious action as does our support of the agricultural farming practices we now feed ourselves with.
Because of human vanity, corporate advertisement, and judgmental attitudes, sweat shop labour is used to produce footwear with artificial short life span, that takes up land fill, creates toxic waste, and is a part of the huge gap between our connection to this earth and all that is precious on it.
Yes use industrial work boots, ski boots, rock climbing boots, protection is sensible, but footwear is not natural.
I would forward the notion, go against the idea that we are broken as runners, and need an artificial aid to enable natural locomotion.
Just as the " where do ya get ya protein " and "you need meat to be healthy" is part of the ignorance that has been spawned by vested interests, so is the hijacking of the ability to go and just run without the vestibule of antipronating, spring-loaded, fashion driven footwear .
This and other cultural expectations drives up the cost of entrance, to a world of sporting activity, and in turn contributes to even more uunnecessary waste and toxic environments, both socially and materially.
I recently put a podcast up on this subject http://www.rawfoodbarefoot.com/podcast/durianrider-ex-shoe-salesman/
Replies
The worst part about that, is the spin the corporations have put on " giving children proper support " it is now not possible to send your child to school in anything other then " correct " footwear.
I switched to vibrams a few months ago after consistently having annoying knee pains for about a year. No knee problems anymore. I think it was due to the fact that running shoes allowed for a lot more over pronation whereas barefoot/minimalist running forces you to rework your running form.
Having run in vibrams, I would never go back. The form you use feels so much better. I simply feel more fluid and light on my feet and carry a more active, upright posture.
As far a concrete goes, its not an issue for barefoot running. A study back in the 80s showed that thicker heel padding in running shoes actually correlated with more impact force being transferred to the knees. The reason for this is that when you land on your heel, all of the impact force is transferred up your shin to your knee, and from there to your hips. Cushioning in shoes helps to slow the impact duration so it isn't painful to your heel, but it is a very poor absorber of energy. None of the total energy really gets reduced; its sort of like just using a spring as a shock absorber for your car. The impact isn't as sudden, but most of the total force is still delivered to the vehicle so the car bounces all over the place (the spring has to decompress with as much force as compressed it). You need the hydraulic piston to absorb the impact energy. When you run barefoot and land on the forefoot, your calves and arch muscles are able to absorb impact energy (as they were meant to).
hey Allan, a word of advice I can give you, is to make sure the five fingers footwear fit you properly, as this is how I became injured by a using that type of footwear as I have what is called Morton's toe.
I will always encourage people to keep with bare feet until such time you have a feel for running with no footwear.
Thanks.
I tried on the FILA version today...and I couldn't really get in them. I'm usually a size 8. I tried an 8 and couldn't get in them. Tried a 9 and the toes were too long. So I'm sticking with bare feet for now. I recently bought a pair of lightweight nikes that I guess i might experiment with as well...especially when it gets too cold.
I never ever felt right even walking barefoot; my mum used to make me go barefoot round the garden, beach etc in summer, I always hated it and couldn't wait to get my shoes on and feel secure so I could move properly. She said children should "toughen their feet up", I don't know what for! I found it quite cruel, wheras some kids (and adults) relish it.
It seemed explained when I got gait tested in my 30s, sought because of low-back and neck pain from only a few years' teaching aerobics. I have one leg 1cm+ longer, plus a twisted pelvic alignment. My orthotics have been in my trainers or day shoes constantly since, and enabled me to enjoy exericise (incidentally, far more intense than I used to do) without injury. I truly think everyone should be tested, from a child onward, and receive orthotics on prescription/subsidised; this would save nations multi-millions in orthopaedic care later.
A friend of mine, only same age, had one leg 4" shorter! She wore a built-up shoe into early teens, then the matter was abandoned due to her own and parents' ignorance of the need (possibly vanity too at his age). So at only 51 she needed ahip replacement, and has been told to expect the other hip to require same in next 5yrs. These issues are not the least unusual: just walk behind people and see this very common misalignment.
A wonderful and true message about being in touch with Nature, but we have the rest of our bodies to touch Her with if we are not fortunate enough to be skeletally balanced. Wild animals have gait problems too, and must suffer the effects of wear and tear of the joints, tho osteoarthritis as such seems the province of mainly SAD-eating cultures. As rational, analytical beings, we can do better, so why not where appropriate.
You are on the right track I would believe Swirl, if you read up on the way a heel on a shoe came into being you realize how unnecessary it is, you could even say it is detrimental to the body.
Kate For you to have a dislike about walking barefoot as a child, I would not think would be the consequence of any deficiencies in your skeletal structure manifesting itself.
This is not to cast judgment on your feelings but there are many other possibilities why you feel that you have a need to put shoes on to feel "secure".
Indeed the biomechanics of a foot are somewhat hampered with most footwear, so I do not see this reasoning.
What you are saying that it's necessary for the majority of the population to have some sort of orthotics from childhood I perceive is putting the cart before the horse.
I would observe that the problems with such as you are talking about are more prevalent when we force children into shoes for school at an early age and discourage natural movement.
Apart from the obvious malformations, most imbalances will be taken up if the condition is treated with a mindfulness of purpose.
My original purpose of writing my rant was to stimulate, not so much a discussion on our mechanics as I can defend that Ad nauseam, but more so on what I perceive is the hijacking of a natural and sustainable form of healthy activity i.e. running, by multinational corporations with large budgets and small consciences.
As Linda said the more we involve ourselves in the rate of speed that is "necessary" to be part of a society that is falling apart we allow the role of stress, lack of time, and disconnect affect us.
I may be drawing a long bow, and there a many other issues that take precedent in weighty discussions that go on at this forum, but the more we get fed information from companies and conglomerates that by their very actions have nothing to do with natural progression, or "species specific" needs, the need to be part of the consumer culture, will be dictated by a system that has a voracious appetite for profit over truth.
Russell
What matters is what works. Running in shoes is faster than running barefoot, period. Haile Gebrselassie set the marathon world record in a pair of Adidas Adios. Vegan ultramarathon guru Scott Jurek (ironically one of the main characters in the "Born to run" book, which started the barefoot trend) runs in various Brooks models. Dean Karnazes runs in heavily cushioned North Face shoes. Et cetera.
The day you can compete with these guys I will take your barefoot rant more seriously.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next