Comments on: Barefoot Running – The Real Deal or Just a Fad? http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/ Exploring The World And Your Potential By Foot Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:51:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: JohnH http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2770 JohnH Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:18:44 +0000 http://www.madetorun.com/?p=640#comment-2770 @Kyle Not sure why I have to point this out, but you should not be taking antibiotics or cancer drugs when you are healthy and don't need them. They can be damaging to healthy people. In that same light, humans MAY not need heavily padded shoes unless something is wrong and they need them ... and overuse in healthy individuals MAY cause harm. I'm honestly a bit on the fence with the whole barefoot / minimalist thing, and need to see more studies, but I also think your argument is at best irrelevant. @Kyle

Not sure why I have to point this out, but you should not be taking antibiotics or cancer drugs when you are healthy and don’t need them. They can be damaging to healthy people. In that same light, humans MAY not need heavily padded shoes unless something is wrong and they need them … and overuse in healthy individuals MAY cause harm. I’m honestly a bit on the fence with the whole barefoot / minimalist thing, and need to see more studies, but I also think your argument is at best irrelevant.

]]> By: Aaron http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2755 Aaron Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:33:56 +0000 http://www.madetorun.com/?p=640#comment-2755 I recently bought a pair of vivobarefoot shoes and they're pretty nice for facilitating a barefoot style (esp if you don't want to wear toe socks/no socks). I got patella tendonitis, a.k.a. runner's knee, my senior year of high school (last year) and ran through it so I could go to state. After 6 months, it had improved but wouldn't go away, even with physical therapy. Still, I don't regret that decision, and luckily barefoot running seems to be helping where physical therapy could only take me so far. My cardio sucks now, but once I can run longer distances with my new gait, I see my college running career going places. If you decide to try barefoot running, START SLOW. This isn't emphasized enough in some guides. It's taken me a month just to be able to run about a mile, if even that, and I've probably been going too fast. If you're going truly barefoot, it'll probably be an even longer adjustment considering you need to toughen your skin as well as your foot/calf muscles. Anyways, whether or not scientific proof says barefoot running could help you run more efficiently, I say it's worth a try if you have frustrating injuries. Good luck and keep runnin'! I recently bought a pair of vivobarefoot shoes and they’re pretty nice for facilitating a barefoot style (esp if you don’t want to wear toe socks/no socks). I got patella tendonitis, a.k.a. runner’s knee, my senior year of high school (last year) and ran through it so I could go to state. After 6 months, it had improved but wouldn’t go away, even with physical therapy. Still, I don’t regret that decision, and luckily barefoot running seems to be helping where physical therapy could only take me so far. My cardio sucks now, but once I can run longer distances with my new gait, I see my college running career going places.
If you decide to try barefoot running, START SLOW. This isn’t emphasized enough in some guides. It’s taken me a month just to be able to run about a mile, if even that, and I’ve probably been going too fast. If you’re going truly barefoot, it’ll probably be an even longer adjustment considering you need to toughen your skin as well as your foot/calf muscles.
Anyways, whether or not scientific proof says barefoot running could help you run more efficiently, I say it’s worth a try if you have frustrating injuries. Good luck and keep runnin’!

]]> By: Kel http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2746 Kel Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:42:39 +0000 http://www.madetorun.com/?p=640#comment-2746 @Kyle Though I appreciate your logic regarding the opposing view of barefoot running. I do believe it is subjective to each runner. In the above article, I believe the author does qualify this by saying "...each runner should ask themselves, “what really works for me?” As far as it being a fad... Maybe so. I was even skeptical of this method myself as I once read someone saying that barefoot running "channeled the energy Gaia through you feet to enhance your energy.....". Of course, that almost made me discount it completely as I do not go for that hippy stuff that some people adhere to:) But that being said, I started running about 1.5 years ago. I am 5'5" and weighed 210 lbs. Basically a bowling ball:) But through running (and reasonable diet) I dropped down to respectable 140 lbs. However, during that, my knees and back were constantly killing me. When I ran my first 10k back in Nov '10, I had so many braces and ace bandages on me which made me resembled more of a mummy than a runner. So, enter barefoot running. I did try it. Slowly at first, then added distance as it went along. The back pain went away, and then the knee pain went away. I then gradually switched back to my regular Mizuno's and gradually the back and knee pain came back, as my gait reverted back to it's old way. Then I again, went back to minimalist shoes and it went away again. So for me, it's work. Im faster and feel better. Went from a 1:01:45 10k down to a 49:21 using this method. SO for me, it's been a complete Godsend. HOWEVER, a running buddy of mine tried it, and didn't work out for him at all. It did cause him some pain that went away with going back to the regular support shoes. So, once again, I really think it really depends on the each individual situation. And the author does point that out without being absolute that barefoot running is not right for everyone. Oh yeah, not sure if I personally am better off with penicillin, as I my throat swells up to the point I cannot breathe:) @Kyle

Though I appreciate your logic regarding the opposing view of barefoot running. I do believe it is subjective to each runner. In the above article, I believe the author does qualify this by saying “…each runner should ask themselves, “what really works for me?” As far as it being a fad… Maybe so. I was even skeptical of this method myself as I once read someone saying that barefoot running “channeled the energy Gaia through you feet to enhance your energy…..”. Of course, that almost made me discount it completely as I do not go for that hippy stuff that some people adhere to:)

But that being said, I started running about 1.5 years ago. I am 5’5″ and weighed 210 lbs. Basically a bowling ball:) But through running (and reasonable diet) I dropped down to respectable 140 lbs. However, during that, my knees and back were constantly killing me. When I ran my first 10k back in Nov ’10, I had so many braces and ace bandages on me which made me resembled more of a mummy than a runner.

So, enter barefoot running. I did try it. Slowly at first, then added distance as it went along. The back pain went away, and then the knee pain went away. I then gradually switched back to my regular Mizuno’s and gradually the back and knee pain came back, as my gait reverted back to it’s old way. Then I again, went back to minimalist shoes and it went away again. So for me, it’s work. Im faster and feel better. Went from a 1:01:45 10k down to a 49:21 using this method. SO for me, it’s been a complete Godsend.

HOWEVER, a running buddy of mine tried it, and didn’t work out for him at all. It did cause him some pain that went away with going back to the regular support shoes. So, once again, I really think it really depends on the each individual situation. And the author does point that out without being absolute that barefoot running is not right for everyone.

Oh yeah, not sure if I personally am better off with penicillin, as I my throat swells up to the point I cannot breathe:)

]]> By: A Barefoot Pursuit: Part I (Introduction) « A Curious Pursuit http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2740 A Barefoot Pursuit: Part I (Introduction) « A Curious Pursuit Mon, 23 May 2011 09:28:05 +0000 http://www.madetorun.com/?p=640#comment-2740 [...] Made To Run [...] [...] Made To Run [...]

]]> By: Linda Pramshafer http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2739 Linda Pramshafer Sun, 22 May 2011 18:16:56 +0000 http://www.madetorun.com/?p=640#comment-2739 I think another issue, while it might not pertain to the average "runner" is our population is much heavier putting a lot more weight on our knees, hips, ankles, etc. So a heavier runner might have more problems barefoot running just because they are trying to "run" in general. Just a thought.... AND every BODY is not the same, we HAVE evolved, however, I think an open mind and trying something (especially when it is cost effective) may be a smart option. I think another issue, while it might not pertain to the average “runner” is our population is much heavier putting a lot more weight on our knees, hips, ankles, etc. So a heavier runner might have more problems barefoot running just because they are trying to “run” in general. Just a thought…. AND every BODY is not the same, we HAVE evolved, however, I think an open mind and trying something (especially when it is cost effective) may be a smart option.

]]> By: Chris http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2566 Chris Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:17:11 +0000 http://www.madetorun.com/?p=640#comment-2566 @Kyle The modern style running shoe that focuses on a heel strike was developed by Nike with the sole intention of selling shoes. Read up on the history of Nike and the modern running shoe and you will see where the roots of the barefoot running fad lie. Also proponents of barefoot running don't say that it's what everyone should do (seems your Ankle issues might need that lateral stability that shoes can provide). I wouldn't blindly point to science and technology without doing your own research and reading the science on both sides of the argument. @Kyle
The modern style running shoe that focuses on a heel strike was developed by Nike with the sole intention of selling shoes. Read up on the history of Nike and the modern running shoe and you will see where the roots of the barefoot running fad lie. Also proponents of barefoot running don’t say that it’s what everyone should do (seems your Ankle issues might need that lateral stability that shoes can provide). I wouldn’t blindly point to science and technology without doing your own research and reading the science on both sides of the argument.

]]> By: Lauren http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2560 Lauren Sat, 09 Apr 2011 23:54:10 +0000 http://www.madetorun.com/?p=640#comment-2560 Yeah, the tribesman didn't have running injuries, but he wasn't running on concrete, either. A lot has changed. And @Graham--no, actually, there is relatively little scientific evidence pointing to one running style being better than the other. Yeah, the tribesman didn’t have running injuries, but he wasn’t running on concrete, either. A lot has changed. And @Graham–no, actually, there is relatively little scientific evidence pointing to one running style being better than the other.

]]> By: Kyle http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2455 Kyle Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:46:26 +0000 http://www.madetorun.com/?p=640#comment-2455 Saying the "They didn't have running shoes X amount of years ago" is flawed logic. Back then we didn't have penicillin, does that mean we are better off without it? I have done some damage to ankles through the years from basketball. I am relying on science and medicine... technological progress to fix my ailments. This barefoot running fad is equivalent to the people who get cancer and choose to pursue holistic treatment rather than real doctors. I have some experience with corrective exercise myself. My brother is doing this barefoot running thing and his posture and gait are all out of whack now. The same people that have him running barefoot also have him doing squats in the gym with his toes pointed out 45 degrees. Saying the “They didn’t have running shoes X amount of years ago” is flawed logic. Back then we didn’t have penicillin, does that mean we are better off without it? I have done some damage to ankles through the years from basketball. I am relying on science and medicine… technological progress to fix my ailments. This barefoot running fad is equivalent to the people who get cancer and choose to pursue holistic treatment rather than real doctors.

I have some experience with corrective exercise myself. My brother is doing this barefoot running thing and his posture and gait are all out of whack now. The same people that have him running barefoot also have him doing squats in the gym with his toes pointed out 45 degrees.

]]> By: Barefooter http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2284 Barefooter Mon, 24 Jan 2011 03:21:16 +0000 http://www.madetorun.com/?p=640#comment-2284 @Anonymous What does that have anything to do with BF running? You can always wash it off later! @Anonymous
What does that have anything to do with BF running? You can always wash it off later!

]]> By: Graham O'Shaughnessy http://www.madetorun.com/the-human-body/barefoot-running-the-real-deal-or-just-a-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-954 Graham O'Shaughnessy Sat, 18 Dec 2010 13:25:30 +0000 http://www.madetorun.com/?p=640#comment-954 This is a great post. One of the sort that you get sucked into reading. Very well done. Also, i think it shines some light on the taboo that is barefoot running. There has been so much research done on barefoot running that it is virtually impossible to say that it is not good for the human body. @ fit feet.ie i am trying to boost the overall profile of barefoot running as people need to realize the benefit to running without the padding. In conclusion thank yo for the post and for helping people to realize that they can optimize there running performance by taking off the padded shoes. This is a great post. One of the sort that you get sucked into reading. Very well done. Also, i think it shines some light on the taboo that is barefoot running. There has been so much research done on barefoot running that it is virtually impossible to say that it is not good for the human body. @ fit feet.ie i am trying to boost the overall profile of barefoot running as people need to realize the benefit to running without the padding. In conclusion thank yo for the post and for helping people to realize that they can optimize there running performance by taking off the padded shoes.

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