Barefoot running-Beneficial or fitness fad?

Here is a very informative article dealing with the popular debate of barefoot running. Personally, I think the Five Finger Shoes that are being mass marketed by fitness “pros” look absolutely ridiculous and wouldn’t wear them even if I agreed with the idea of barefoot running in the first place. The risk for injury in individuals transitioning from running shoes to barefoot running is the major concern. The rate of injury for this type of transition is high. However, if you have been running (and walking) barefoot since an early age (like some of the East African nations that boast some of the greatest distance runners on the planet!), then you are at much less risk.

The concept of “barefoot running”  has been around for a very long time (racing flats and racing spikes that I used in high school, college, and professionally) and should be dealt with slowly and carefully. It certainly is not for everyone. I know for a fact that many orthopedists and physical therapists are jumping for joy from “barefoot running among misinformed, running novices and the general public that, to this point, have been unsuccessful in their current fitness endeavors”,  as they have an influx of new patients with joint and muscle injuries as a result.

What I do find interesting is that the individuals that are advocating this type of running are not runners themselves, but rather researchers and and PhD’s. However, this article is very well done and will explain and answer many questions about the good and bad of this fitness fad.

Good luck one way or the other!!

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