A lot of the benefits brought by running barefoot revolve around the anticipation of the ground forces and loading patterns, according to Caleb Wegener, a Sydney podiatrist who has presented at international conferences on the biomechanics of running shoes.



While running shoes are ostensibly designed to reduce impact, the theory is that they actually “deaden” or limit our perception of the muscles, joints and ligaments in the foot. Traditional thinking goes that when the foot is bare, the muscles of the foot and lower leg prepare and adapt for the landing and subsequent lift-off, whereas in the shoe they do less preparation. Motion studies show that barefoot runners have a shorter ground contact time (half that of runners wearing shoes), a shorter stride length and higher stride frequency. Barefoot runners also have a significantly greater rate and amount of knee flexing which acts as a natural shock absorber, and they tend to land with a flatter mid-foot strike.



View photos An alternative to barefoot - Vibram's Five Finger shoes More





All this was confirmed in a biomechanics study at Nike's Sports Research Lab in 2005, after the company found that Stanford University head track coach trained his runners with no shoes at all – even though they were sponsored by Nike.



Barefoot running would especially benefit runners who heel strike and/or land with a straight knee. Even limited exposure to barefoot running – a warm up each session or one light session per week – would help train the foot and lower leg to make technical adaptations that will carry over when running in shoes.



Have you dared to bare? Leave your comments below.



Runner’s World Australia & New Zealand is a magazine (and website) that informs, advises, and motivates runners of all ages and abilities. Visit us at www.runnersworldonline.com.au