Are Barefoot Shoes Good For Running?

Barefoot shoes for running

Barefoot shoes are simply protection for your feet.
Simple minimalist footwear that prevents you from hurting yourself, stepping on sharp stones, glass or harmful elements.

Humans have been running barefoot forever. We have evolved to be the highest endurance species on the planet.

So a simple answer to the question - Are barefoot shoes good for running? The answer is shoes don’t really matter. So yes. As long as you wear something that keeps you safe, go for a run.

But it is not so simple is it?

Regular shoes v/s barefoot shoes

You see our environment has changed, and with the introduction of heavily padded shoes, the ones we have grown up wearing, running mechanics have changed.

And unlike our ancestors who would run from an early age, and slowly develop their muscles over the years, urban running has become more about a couple months of preparation, trying to break the world record almost.

It is statistically predicted that 79% of runners will get injured because of the sport.

And when tested on barefoot shoes, the number was actually a little smaller.

Running mechanics

Running is nothing but falling forward, and catching yourself right before the fall, only to repeat the process again and again with a little jump.

Now if you actually break it down, you will realize that naturally, when you jump, you would always land on your toes, to absorb shock. That is where our arch, our tibialis and our calf muscles come into the picture.

Lately, because of the high heel soft cushiony shoe we run in, we land on our ankle, because there is no shock anymore, not a direct one at least.However studies show that long term use of a heel strike pattern can lead to more load upper in the posterior chain which can cause more injuries.

Barefoot shoes can slowly help you unlearn the wrong running form that leads to long term issues, and help you discover the natural flow of running we have evolved with.

Conclusion