Each person has different levels of strength, needs, and anatomical ... After
several years of discussing my position about barefoot and minimalist running
and.
Running Out on Barefoot and Minimalist Running By: Suzanne Hawson, PT, MPT, OCS When Christopher McDougall published Born to Run in 2009, not a day went by when I did not find myself answering questions from athletes about whether or not barefoot running is a good or bad thing. I would get questions about this in the clinic, during my workouts & when teaching seminars. My triathlon coach had me doing barefoot drills and I did them. Why not? I constantly have my patients do their standing leg exercises barefooted because this allowed for increased proprioception (feedback to the brain) and helped to strengthen muscles and tendons. My position from the beginning and up to now is the same: • Barefoot running is great for some people but not others. • It is a useful training tool. • Each person has different levels of strength, needs, and anatomical make up. • Evolution makes us very different from the Tarahumara tribe of Mexico that Chris McDougall wrote about in his book. • The best shoe for a person is the one most appropriate for his/her specific foot type and running style. Recently, I was reading a Men’s Health magazine, well, mostly looking at pictures since Tom Brady was on the cover, and I came across Michael Behar’s article, “Barefoot Running Stumbles”, September 2013, pp. 112-‐118. After several years of discussing my position about barefoot and minimalist running and trying to convince frustrated injured runners that maybe, just maybe their minimalist shoes may have something to do with their Achilles tendinitis or plantar fasciitis; I am a little relieved that finally, the mishaps of barefoot and minimalist running are getting some publicity and hitting mainstream media. The article is well written, with references backed by research studies that have looked at the effects of barefoot and minimalist running shoes/style. The bottom line is the same: it is not for everyone, start slowly for tissue adaptation, and improve running form. In my experience, I have seen more injuries from wearing minimalist shoes than with the Vibram five fingers/barefoot-‐type shoes. I attribute this to people being more skeptical with the Vibrams and probably stopping its use when they start to get pain. However, minimalist shoes are a little more deceptive. They look more like traditional running shoes; they make runners feel lighter and faster and they are not “barefoot” shoes. If you are wearing minimalist shoes and it is working well for you, then keep using them, but don’t forget the following tips as these differ from traditional running shoes: 1) The sole will wear out sooner because it is much thinner and made of a different material than traditional running shoes. So instead of replacing them every 350-‐500 miles, they should be replaced much sooner.
2) Be aware of the heel drop in minimalist shoes. Traditional running shoes usually have > 8 mm, where minimalist shoes can have 0-‐4 mm of heel drop. The lower the heel drop, the more tension on the Achilles tendon which increases calf tightness. Keep your calves as loose as possible after workouts. 3) If you just wear these shoes for casual “walking,” it still puts a lot of strain on the Achilles and calf muscles since the Achilles has to stretch a longer distance when your heel hits the ground. I’ve met lots of people who have changed from traditional shoes to minimalist shoes & have done really well without issue. On the other hand, I’ve also treated many with the opposite and have gone back to traditional shoes. Like I said, barefoot/ minimalist type shoes will work for some people and not others. The one thing that has stayed constant for my patients with running injuries is that most running injuries occur from overuse, regardless of shoe type. Increasing mileage too quickly, lack of rest, wearing worn out shoes and muscle imbalances such as impaired muscle-‐tendon function, weakness, poor tendon gliding, and tightness all affect body mechanics and the ability of any tissue (bones, muscles, tendons) to withstand stress. I am no stranger to injury and know very well about the need to push and train constantly, in spite of myself. So train smart and if something is working well for you, then keep it up. Let’s not forget that our bodies were made to move but we all do it differently and our needs vary from person to person.
My position from the beginning and up to now is the same: • Barefoot running is great for some people but not others. • It is a useful training tool. • Each person has different levels of strength, needs, and anatomical make up. • Evolution makes us very different from the Tarahumara tribe of Mexico that Chris McDougall wrote about in his book. • The best shoe for a person is the one most appropriate for his/her specific foot type and running style.
Train smart, happy and healthy! About the author: Suzanne Hawson, PT, MPT, OCS Suzanne is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic physical therapy with an extensive background in sports medicine, post surgical rehabilitation, and biomechanical evaluation. She works for University Foot & Ankle Institute, Valencia and teaches Applied Biomechanics at California State University Northridge. Suzanne has special interests in injury prevention and sports medicine and just recently finished Ironman Canada. Contact:
[email protected]
