It seems like going outside and running on a road or trail with no shoes on would seem like a bad idea. But people have been barefoot for thousands of years. The average person now has a weaker foot then our ancestors because shoes have made our feet weaker. When walking or running in a shoe, certain muscles are being used. When the body is not using a muscle it will shrink. When walking or running barefoot (which is the natural way of moving) the body uses more foot muscles. Which means going Barefoot running can strengthen feet. This essay will discuss the reasons why people run barefoot, the reasons why people switch to barefoot running, the differences between people that run with shoes and people that run barefoot. Also this essay will talk about how a person can start running barefoot, proper form and barefoot running shoes.
Some reasons that people switch from shoes to barefoot running is for the challenge. Another reason people run barefoot is to strengthen foot muscles. Barefoot running can strengthen muscles in feet, making them more durable and less injury prone(Quinn, Elizabeth). Some muscles that barefoot running can strengthen are the Achilles tendon and calf muscles stretch and lengthen and may reduce injuries, such as calf pulls or Achilles tendinitis(Quinn, Elizabeth).
More people are making the switch to barefoot running because people’s feet were getting repeated injuries from their running shoes. Mr. Judd is a science teacher at Scotia-Glenville high school who has been running barefoot for two and a half years “I tried barefoot running first out of desperation. I was getting injured a lot as I was trying to increase my running mileage past 50 miles per week. My shins were in severe pain. My knee was making strange noises. My right hip was tight and painful. I knew I could run longer distances, but certain parts of my body were limiting me”.(Judd)Cushioned running shoes, which date back only to the 1970s, may seem comfortable but may actually contribute to foot injuries, say Daniel Lieberman, PhD, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, and colleagues.( "Barefoot Running May Have Health Benefits.") The scientists, using motion and force analyses, showed that barefoot runners who strike on the fore-foot (land on the balls of their feet) generate smaller collision forces than shod rear-foot strikers.( "Barefoot Running May Have Health Benefits.")
There are differences between people that run in shoes and people that run barefoot. One difference is that people who run barefoot have a different ankle angle. The barefoot runner has a more plantar flexed ankle when they land. This means that the toe is pointed away from the body more compared to dorsiflexion, when you pull it back towards you at the ankle. ("The Science of Sport: Running Barefoot vs Shoes.") Another difference is that people who wear shoes cause the small muscles in there feet to weaken and the tendons, ligaments and natural arches to stop doing their job.(Quinn) This means that people that run with shoes can suffer injury easier then someone who runs barefoot.
Some tips how a person can begin barefoot running are, to begin running barefoot at the end of a workout. When starting barefoot running your feet will hurt when they do stop immediately, because a person can cause a lot of damage. Working through the pain can set a person back weeks. When they hurt put back on the running shoes. It will take time to build up to the same distance that a person can run in shoes. ("How Do I Start”)
When running barefoot a person has to operate their body differently then running in normal running sneakers. First they must be relaxed and free of all tension , if any muscle is tight or tense the risk is higher for an injury. Secondly Posture should be upright with a very slight forward lean. Very importantly eyes should be focused on the road, track or trail that they are running on to avoid sharp or hard objects. Arms should be loosely held close to the body with elbows bent. Knees should be bent throughout the entire stride. Instead of focusing on “pushing off” with each step, focus on picking your foot up off the ground by raising your knee. The foot will touch the ground under their body as opposed to in front of the body (as most people do when wearing a traditional running shoe)When their foot gently touches the ground, they will land on the mid foot area, not their toes or heels. The rest of the foot will almost immediately settle to the ground in a rolling motion. ("Barefoot Running.")
A good shoe for runners that want to run barefoot in is the vibram five fingers. The shoes should fit like a glove. They have toe pockets so they feel natural on your feet.
I’ve given away my Asics, and now I run exclusively with my Vibram Fivefinger KSOs or completely barefoot. I’m running as fast or faster than ever, lighter than ever, injury-free, and I feel connected to the ground I run on. My feet have become stronger, and I feel better. Running was always fun, but now it feels like play! ("zen habits") I searched online for treating my shin splints and arch pain and found a lot of websites that promoted barefoot running. I also found that some people were using minimalist shoes to help them transition to barefoot running. I tried some barefoot running on my street and it felt good, but the rough pavement was a bit uncomfortable on my soles. I went back to Fleet Feet and ordered another pair of expensive shoes. My wife was not very happy with me. I ordered a pair of Vibram five fingers. They are weird looking minimalist shoes with toes pockets. These are now what I run races in. (Judd)
Barefoot running can strengthen feet. I have discuss the reasons why people run barefoot, the reasons why people switch to barefoot running, the differences between people that run with shoes and people that run barefoot. Also how a person can start running barefoot, proper form and barefoot running shoes.
Mitch Andrako
Faulkner/Muscato
English 11
period 8
April 12, 2011
Barefoot running
It seems like going outside and running on a road or trail with no shoes on would seem like a bad idea. But people have been barefoot for thousands of years. The average person now has a weaker foot then our ancestors because shoes have made our feet weaker. When walking or running in a shoe, certain muscles are being used. When the body is not using a muscle it will shrink. When walking or running barefoot (which is the natural way of moving) the body uses more foot muscles. Which means going Barefoot running can strengthen feet. This essay will discuss the reasons why people run barefoot, the reasons why people switch to barefoot running, the differences between people that run with shoes and people that run barefoot. Also this essay will talk about how a person can start running barefoot, proper form and barefoot running shoes.
Some reasons that people switch from shoes to barefoot running is for the challenge. Another reason people run barefoot is to strengthen foot muscles. Barefoot running can strengthen muscles in feet, making them more durable and less injury prone(Quinn, Elizabeth). Some muscles that barefoot running can strengthen are the Achilles tendon and calf muscles stretch and lengthen and may reduce injuries, such as calf pulls or Achilles tendinitis(Quinn, Elizabeth).
More people are making the switch to barefoot running because people’s feet were getting repeated injuries from their running shoes. Mr. Judd is a science teacher at Scotia-Glenville high school who has been running barefoot for two and a half years “I tried barefoot running first out of desperation. I was getting injured a lot as I was trying to increase my running mileage past 50 miles per week. My shins were in severe pain. My knee was making strange noises. My right hip was tight and painful. I knew I could run longer distances, but certain parts of my body were limiting me”.(Judd) Cushioned running shoes, which date back only to the 1970s, may seem comfortable but may actually contribute to foot injuries, say Daniel Lieberman, PhD, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, and colleagues.( "Barefoot Running May Have Health Benefits.") The scientists, using motion and force analyses, showed that barefoot runners who strike on the fore-foot (land on the balls of their feet) generate smaller collision forces than shod rear-foot strikers.( "Barefoot Running May Have Health Benefits.")
There are differences between people that run in shoes and people that run barefoot. One difference is that people who run barefoot have a different ankle angle. The barefoot runner has a more plantar flexed ankle when they land. This means that the toe is pointed away from the body more compared to dorsiflexion, when you pull it back towards you at the ankle. ("The Science of Sport: Running Barefoot vs Shoes.") Another difference is that people who wear shoes cause the small muscles in there feet to weaken and the tendons, ligaments and natural arches to stop doing their job.(Quinn) This means that people that run with shoes can suffer injury easier then someone who runs barefoot.
Some tips how a person can begin barefoot running are, to begin running barefoot at the end of a workout. When starting barefoot running your feet will hurt when they do stop immediately, because a person can cause a lot of damage. Working through the pain can set a person back weeks. When they hurt put back on the running shoes. It will take time to build up to the same distance that a person can run in shoes. ("How Do I Start”)
When running barefoot a person has to operate their body differently then running in normal running sneakers. First they must be relaxed and free of all tension , if any muscle is tight or tense the risk is higher for an injury. Secondly Posture should be upright with a very slight forward lean. Very importantly eyes should be focused on the road, track or trail that they are running on to avoid sharp or hard objects. Arms should be loosely held close to the body with elbows bent. Knees should be bent throughout the entire stride. Instead of focusing on “pushing off” with each step, focus on picking your foot up off the ground by raising your knee. The foot will touch the ground under their body as opposed to in front of the body (as most people do when wearing a traditional running shoe)When their foot gently touches the ground, they will land on the mid foot area, not their toes or heels. The rest of the foot will almost immediately settle to the ground in a rolling motion. ("Barefoot Running.")
A good shoe for runners that want to run barefoot in is the vibram five fingers. The shoes should fit like a glove. They have toe pockets so they feel natural on your feet.
I’ve given away my Asics, and now I run exclusively with my Vibram Fivefinger KSOs or completely barefoot. I’m running as fast or faster than ever, lighter than ever, injury-free, and I feel connected to the ground I run on. My feet have become stronger, and I feel better. Running was always fun, but now it feels like play! ("zen habits") I searched online for treating my shin splints and arch pain and found a lot of websites that promoted barefoot running. I also found that some people were using minimalist shoes to help them transition to barefoot running. I tried some barefoot running on my street and it felt good, but the rough pavement was a bit uncomfortable on my soles. I went back to Fleet Feet and ordered another pair of expensive shoes. My wife was not very happy with me. I ordered a pair of Vibram five fingers. They are weird looking minimalist shoes with toes pockets. These are now what I run races in. (Judd)
Barefoot running can strengthen feet. I have discuss the reasons why people run barefoot, the reasons why people switch to barefoot running, the differences between people that run with shoes and people that run barefoot. Also how a person can start running barefoot, proper form and barefoot running shoes.
Works Cited
Judd, Chris. Email interview. 27 Mar. 2011.
"Barefoot Running." Sportscience. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0103/mw.htm>.
"Barefoot Running May Have Health Benefits." WebMD - Better information. Better health.. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20100127/barefoot-running-laced-with-health-benefits>.
Burfoot , Amby . "Should You Be Running Barefoot?." Runner's World: Running Shoes, Marathon Training, Racing. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319--6728-0,00.html>.
Fitzgerald, Matt . " The Barefoot Running Injury Epidemic." Competitor Running is the leading source for news, training and information in the world of Running and Marathons. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://running.competitor.com/2010/05/features/the-barefoot-running-injury-epidemic_10118#>.
"How Do I Start- A section of Barefoot Chronicles- The adventures of barefoot ultrarunner Jason Robillard." Jason Robillard- The Barefoot Ultramarathon Runner. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://jasonrobillard.com/barefootchronicles/howdoistart.html>.
Quinn, Elizabeth. "Barefoot Running - Pros and Cons of Barefoot Running." Sports Medicine, Sports Performance, Sports Injury - Information About Sports Injuries and Workouts for Athletes. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. <http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/runningworkouts/a/Barefoot-Running.htm>.
"Running Barefoot: Training Tips." Running Barefoot: Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2011. <http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/5BarefootRunning&TrainingTips.html>.
"The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Barefoot Running | zen habits." breathe. | zen habits. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://zenhabits.net/barefoot-running/>.
"The Running Barefoot." The Running Barefoot. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2011. <http://therunningbarefoot.com/>.
"The Science of Sport: Running barefoot vs shoes." The Science of Sport. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. <http://www.sportsscientists.com/2010/01/running-barefoot-vs-shoes.html#>.
"The rise of barefoot running." National Center for Biotechnology Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2011. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3017283/>.
"Vibram FiveFingers Barefoot Running FAQ." Vibram FiveFingers : Barefoot Sports Shoes : Toe Shoes & Minimalist Shoes. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/faq/barefoot_running_faq.htm>.
Weiner, Adam. "Will Running Barefoot Cure What Ails Us? | Popular Science." Popular Science | New Technology, Science News, The Future Now. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://www.popsci.com/entertainment-amp-gaming/article/2009-05/running-barefoot>.
collision, barefoot runners have almost no impact, much less than most shod runners generate when they heel-strike. Most people today think barefoot running is dangerous, hurts, and it might be less injurious than the way some people run in shoes.". "Barefoot running: How humans ran comfortably and safely before the invention of shoes." Science Daily: News & Articles in Science, Health, Environment & Technology. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100127134241.htm>.
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