Barefoot Running
The natural run
History of the Modern Running Shoe
Before his revolutionary shoes were created, athletes would use what are known as minimalist shoes. Shoes with nothing to them other than a thin layer of leather to protect their feet from the elements. This idea of natural running has begun to make a comeback in the runner's world. Advocates for the minimalist running argue that running barefoot strengthens feet and reduces the risks for injuries like IT band syndrome, runner's knee, shinsplints and many other running related injuries. While others would say that we have come too dependent on the modern running shoe to cushion our strides to go back to barefoot running, that our feet and become too adapted to shoes to take the padding away all together. However, if you slowly bring barefoot running into your training routine, the benefits of the natural run will outweigh the few problems you may have when running barefoot.
Natural Running: Injury Prevention
Natural running the key to faster running
Why Change Now?
If you take into consideration all the benefits that you get from minimalist running, why not try it. It corrects your running form, which will also help prevent injuries. Barefoot running gives you shorter, faster strides, making you a more efficient athlete. It will strengthen your muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the foot and give a runner a more developed natural gait. Also, when you remove the lift that is in the heel of most shoes, it will help to stretch and strengthen the Achilles tendon and calf muscle which can help to reduce chances of calf strains or Achilles tendinitis. Now you don't have to completely give up shoes all together and run barefoot through the snow. Simply doing a short run every week in minimal shoes like the Nike Flys can greatly improve your running form or help you better prevent your injuries. So, if you are a serious runner, who wants to make the most out of their runs, who wants to be the greatest athlete their body could possibly allow them to be, then adding in some natural running to your routine could help you reach those goals.
Resources
Douglas, Scott. "What Happens When You First Run Barefoot." Runner's World & Running Times. N.p., 7 May 2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.
"Barefoot Running." Runner's World & Running Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2014.
Randsell, Eric. "The Nike Story? Just Tell It! | Fast Company | Business + Innovation." Fast Company. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.
Kelso, Tom. "The Pros and Cons of Barefoot Running: What the Research Says." Breaking Muscle. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.
Harvard, University. "Barefoot Running: How Humans Ran Comfortably and Safely before the Invention of Shoes." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 1 Feb. 2010. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.