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Do We Need Running Shoes To Run?
prostoalex writes to tell us The Daily Mail has an interesting look at current research in the field of running and injuries related to running. Most of the evidence pointed at a lack of any need for running shoes. Some of the more interesting points: the more expensive the running shoes, the greater the probability of getting an injury; some of the planet's best and most intense runners run barefoot; Stanford running team, having access to the top-notch modern shoes sent in for free by manufacturers, after a few rounds of trial and error still chose to train with no shoes at all."
Then I noticed that it's an extract from a book and some attached material which almost certainly came from the publisher too, as part of the promo. Thereby bypassing the Daily Mail's staff entirely and "ensuring quality".
No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
I love running barefoot. If you keep an eye on where you're going, you won't step on anything you shouldn't. And once you get calluses built up you can take a bit more than 'normal'.
The longest I've ever run (10 miles, 8 miles, 7 miles) were all bare foot. If you stay on the balls of your feet and don't heel strike it feels like you're gliding. Funny that this is just now being researched heavily. I did my own anecdotal research and it made sense 4 years ago.
http://runningbarefoot.org/
It would seem that way These Toes Were Made for Running
The correct running technique - which can vary from runner to runner - is much more important than the type of shoes. Some running shoe brands claim that their shoes encourage and help do the right technique, but it really boils down to doing it by yourself.
The only point I see in running shoes is an certain amount of cushoning, since we tend to run on concrete quite a lot, allthough our type of pavements have only been around in recent history.
It's safe to say that most of the running shoes available are mostly snakeoil.
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zola_Budd There ya go.
I'm glad you pointed that out, I thought I was going mad. For those colonials out there, the Daily Mail doesn't have the best reputation for rational reporting. I'm suprised they didn't manage to blame running injuries on foriegners TBH.
I want a list of atrocities done in your name - Recoil
Something TFA doesn't mention is that most people buy running shoes off the shelf based on silly considerations like colour, brand loyalty, whatever.
I was recommended a local sports shop where they look at your foot, watch you run on a treadmill, and ask you what kind of running you do (road, trail, track; distance; etc.). That leads to a shortlist of appropriate shoes, then you try those out on the treadmill, and eventually (in theory) leave with shoes that are right for you.
If you over-pronate, and you buy shoes designed for under-pronators, that's likely to lead to injury.
Nope, they checked that too. From TFA:
I'm no runner, I'm more into downhill skiing. Equipment does play a huge role, from shoes to skis to how you set it up. Yet you would not put the same equipment on an inexperienced person just learning that an expert uses. First, the size of your skis. You couldn't turn my skis if you're new to the sport, they're just too long and too clumsy for you. An accident is almost inevitable. My shoes, you wouldn't want them, they kill you and take away any kind of feeling or movement you might still have. The way I set my binding would certainly mean a torn lingament to you when you hit the ground because it would not open.
I can only assume it is the same with running equipment. I guess, when I use the equipment of someone who has the muscles and sinews of an experienced runner, I'd sooner or later twist my ankle (because frankly, my ankle stability is close to nonexistant compared to the rest of my foot), and I'd probably end up with really bad knees because I wouldn't know how to run in those things sensibly to handle the shock, something that, again I assume, an experienced runner can easily handle.
There is ski equipment, good equipment actually, available to people who are new to the sport. They don't give you top speed or handling, but they are quite forgiving and they do "cushion" you a lot and keep you from being injured. I can only assume it could be the same for other sports, including running.
So my guess would be that, as someone new to running, you'd probably need equipment that helps you avoid injury rather than equipment that "makes you good". At least, well, that's what I'd want when I start with a sport. I certainly don't want a Formula 1 car to learn driving, the chances to kill myself are just a wee bit too high.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
I've been wearing them nearly every day for 6 months, including on runs. Very comfortable, sole is holding up well. You do have to adjust your running style, but my feet feel fine when I wear them.
Back when I was in school, I ran on the track team for a few years. The way we were taught was that when you land, your foot should be directly beneath your torso (posture almost vertical). This is very difficult to do when you heel strike.
The way we were taught went something like this:
(1) Land on the ball of your foot
(2) As you continue forward, your heel comes down, striking the ground and immediately lifting off again (almost a spring effect).
(3) Never, ever, ever land your foot ahead of your body.
When you heel strike, you are essentially putting on the brakes for a brief moment. This is a very inefficient way to run. Landing with your foot ahead of your body (a heel strike) also changes the force dynamics. The calf takes less of the strain, and the flexure of your foot is less efficient.
When I got into trail running, I heard the same advice, only for different reasons. Landing on the balls of your feet reduces the amount of potential twisting if you land poorly (uneven ground, on a root, etc), making it easier to avoid a sprain.
From personal experience, I find my knees hurt more when I heel strike, though this is partly a result of damaging my left knee playing soccer as a kid.
They wear strips of leather or rubber to protect their soles from being actually cut. if you read the article, there's quite a bit of talk of "barefoot" runners wearing simple sandals of various designs to prevent cutting injuries while still being essentially "barefoot".
I don't need a million points of light, just two points of multi-mode fiber and a 10 Gig-E router.
Running shoe padding wears out over time. In fact there is even a "best by" date on good running shoes. After a couple years on the shelf they get recycled because the padding material inside begins to break down. With regular running it also breaks down. Please try to be informed about a subjective before ridiculing someone who is actually directly involved with it.
Some may say "how convenient" regarding the sell-by date, but I'm in the same boat. I can tell when a running shoe is beginning to wear out as I begin to have more knee and foot pain. Of course, my whole body is screwed up so I'm more sensitive than most.
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I still wonder how the occasional barefoot track runner deals with the gravel. I guess they grow leathery hobbit-feet or something.
Pretty much. If you walk around barefoot on a regular basis the skin on the soles of your feet will thicken and become leathery and you no longer need shoes, even when walking or running over gravel. The reason the skin on your feet is so soft compared to every other animal is because you've worn shoes your whole life.
If I seem short sighted, it is because I stand on the shoulders of midgets
If God was a man, the bible would be a tri fold pamphlet with pictures of boobies on at least 30% of it to keep our attention..
Have you ever read it? There's just enough sex and violence to keep you interested for most of it.
Or concrete.
Yeah, the ground in the savannah is much softer, and doesn't even have any small rocks and stuff like that.
Really? You realize concrete is from 8 to 10 times harder than asphalt. And while I can scratch the ground on the Savannah with my fingernail (which has a Mohs' hardness of about 2.5), asphalt scratches off my fingernail which means it's at least 2.5 hardness or harder.
I've run on the desert floor. It's like running on a feather bed compared to running on concrete. Though I do have to admit I've never had a cactus thorn run clean through my toe while running on concrete.