New study on barefoot running
Always a controversial topic, but I found this summary interesting
There's a free link to the full article at the bottom, which I'm going to get to later today. Seems to be a small crescendo starting to build on this topic. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see many more studies over the next few years supporting this hypothesis. Doesn't necessarily make it right or wrong for any given individual, but it's not hard to read the crystal ball on this one...
Mike
PS. I did just notice that the lead author is from JKM technologies, who "developed patented footwear design used by JKM Technologies, LLC and the OESH brand; 7B, Brooks Sports Inc." Makes me wonder what new shoe is coming out from Brooks...
0
Comments
My feet and stride still haven't adapted to the VFF's but the next best thing, IMO, that still involves footwear is the Nike Free 3.0. I bought 5 pairs and just broke out a new pair today after a year in my last pair. My old ones are not done yet and probably have another year left in them but they are looking pretty shabby (they are in the wash as I type this).
Vince
Have you compared the 3.0s vs the 5.0s? Wonder what the differences are, except I can't ever seem to find 3.0s anywhere?!?
There is a good thread about this on ST right now with some folks posting who have dug into the research a bit. The headline which is coming from the study that running shoes are worse than high heels comes from the findings that there is a bigger force difference between running in sneakers and running barefoot than WALKING in heels vs WALKING barefoot.
I have not been inspired/impressed by this debate one way or the other. Seems like changing something to prevent a recurring injury is a good motivation but changing something when you are currently having no issues is a bad plan especially since people tend to hurt themselves while changing [i.e. Newtons]. What I am looking for is the shoes that will make me run at sub 16 5k with minimal effort.
In full disclosure I have run in Newtons and liked them, did not get hurt just did not want to pay 175 plus shipping for sneakers and usually run in a couple different pair of sneakers. I now am running Asics Landreths, Speedstars, the new Zoot racers and the Nike Luna racers. I would run all the time in Luna racers if they fit my feet a bit better as they are super light and feel like they have a ton of cushion. My favorite are the Speedstars and have been for a while cause they are pretty light and fit great.
Certainly hope they didn't have anyone running in heels for the test
. Seriously, I don't know too many people who would say that walking in heels is good for your lower limbs, so if running in regular running shoes is worse, that's still a surprising finding.
I think that this sort of thing is probably a lot more intellectually appealing to someone who has dealt with injury a bunch and thinks that biomechanics was part of it. I couldn't agree more that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'.
I'm having good success in the Asics DS Trainers, and a pair of first gen Zoots that I don't remember the name of. The Zoots have about zero cushion, whereas the Asics are an improvement.
As an engineer (in a past life) and someone interested in design, there is a certain appeal to the notion that we (humans) were designed to be able to run without injury, and shouldn't mess with that too much. I think that's why this resurgence of minimalist running has tickled the fancy of so many people.
BTW, I too have run in Newtons, and for the same reason, just can't bring myself to buy a 2nd pair, despite liking the first pair. I have a hard enough time spending $90-100 on a pair of shoes...
Mike
Thanks for the interesting reference- the entire study is available through a link from the abstract. I thought the last sentence in the summary was most intriguing:
"Reducing joint torques with footwear completely to that of barefoot running, while providing meaningful footwear functions, especially compliance, should be the goal of new footwear designs."
I assume compliance implies cushioning which many minimalists feel reduces the strength and flexibility of the intrinsic muscles and tendons controlling the foot while decreasing our "feel for the ground". I'm not sure what other "meaningful footwear functions" they are referring too but I suspect that protecting the bottom of our feet from scrapes, cuts and punctures would be the main ones which some of the minimalist footwear like Vibrams admirably provide.
I'm still running almost exclusively (305 of 327 miles since 9/25/09) on Vibram FSS and do notice less knee aching especially after hard bike intervals (bricks or next day) which makes more sense looking at these results.
John
Great discussion, but I just wanna see P running in heels...just sayin'
the funny part of the study is that they chose recreational runners, put them in different shoes than they normally run in and then threw them on a treadmill for 3-5 min and then did the analysis. Have you ever listened to people on the treadmills at the gym? it's like elephants.
personally, I'd be more interested in how competitive runners did. try it out with people who are trained and efficient and see what the studies say.
I will say though- I am enjoying the debate that's come out of all of it in the running world.
So, I have a question since we are on the topic. I have only one pair of running shoes...Adidas Adistar Supernovas and they are definitely a kind of support/running aid shoe. I have never really tried using a minimalist shoe, but, is that something that would be good to incorporate into my training on certain days? I haven't ever explored this option.
Thoughts?
Steve,
the short answer is "it depends"
the slightly longer answer is "only you can answer that question, be wary of any advice you receive on a forum on the internet"
But the abbreviated full answer is that it is well documented that wearing built up running shoes changes your gait, or the way you land in them. Likely, that changes the forces your lower extremities experience.
The argument occurs over whether or not this matters. There is a school of thought, espoused by the likes of Chi Running, POSE Running, and the barefoot runners (as in Born to Run by MacMillan) , that says that "our ancestors ran for thousands of years without all of the injuries we currently experience, therefore, if you can re-adapt yourself to running more like that, then you can/may/will become more injury-resistant, too".
The alternative school of thought, best summarized at sportsscientists.com that I've found, basically says, yeah, the forces are different, but it doesn't matter, because the body is really good at adapting, and it figures out the whole running in shoes thing. So stop worrying about it.
The universally agreed point is that if you've been running in regular shoes for any length of time, and decide to try a change, it needs to be extremely gradual. Things like going out for a 2 mile run, and splitting it half between walking and running. Even the Nike Free's, when they first came out, came with instructions to just walk around the house in them for a few days before starting to try short, 10-15 minute runs. Most people ignore this advice, and that has lead to a thousand threads on boards saying "(Nike Free's / Newtons / Vibram Five Fingers / barefoot running) caused a major calf/ankle/other injury, and it's a bad idea". No, changing your footstrike dramatically, and then keeping up the volume and intensity caused the injury.
So, you may decide to change, you may not, it's up to you. However, keep in mind that there is no disagreement amongst anybody that if you do change, you need to take it very slowly.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that this sort of change is probably best left to the transition phase of the year, between your last race and the start of the OS. Too much work being done in the OS to make it worth sacrificing a bunch of time to adapt a new form.
Hope this helps!
Mike
I'm an 'open-book' - feel i could adopt any technique/wear whatever considering I'm really only 5-weeks into running. If i could could magic the most perfect shoe for me, I'd still need to 'break-in' my body to the new stresses of run training.
Any advice from you or anybody - perhaps I'm in an enviable position! (doesn't feel like it tho having had my run video'd today, see Medical section for thread on 'niggles' )
Appreciate your inputs.
Thanks,
Dave
Thank you for the post!
I've been following this topic closely (lot's of stuff on ST). If you are interested in the topic, you may want to read Born to Run
I personally suffer from constant shin pain and tried many shoe styles - from the cushioned Asics through Nike 3.0 and even the $$$ Newtons. In may case, nothing seems to help,,,
healthier or not, either way minimalist shoes are lighter and therefore should be faster on race day
Thanks for your comments...I find them helpful. I will stick with what works for the season, and maybe tinker a little after things slow down this year to see how I feel. I think that I have solid running form and a nice cadence and stride, so, I don't think I need the shoes for help in that area.
My experience has been very good. I agree with Mike that the transition part of your season is your best time to try it out.
I listened to Born to Run while I was doing my final long running training for IMWI09 and found the idea fascinating. Bought the Vibrams 9/1/09. Ran IMWI in Asic Gel Kayanos(same style for the last 4 yrs) without trouble but haven't put them back on since.
My first week in the Vibram FFSs I followed advice from the web and ran VERY short runs daily to get the bottom of my feet used to the Vibrams and more importantly my calf and soleus muscles used to absorbing the landing forces previously taken by my cushy heeled running shoes. Calf and soleus stretches or TP roller massage can help. I'd recommend Z1 pace initially. Shoot for foot cadence 90-95. Light touch and quick lift.
I worked up from 1/2 mile to 2 1/2 miles daily over 2 weeks which was fine since I was in IM recovery mode anyway. I've logged 310 miles since 9/21 averaging 22 mi/wk without any problems, same original VFFs. My Z5 intervals Wed for the Nov OS felt great in the VFFs. My size 14 feet feel much lighter without the extra shoe wt.
My heaviest weeks were during the Holiday Run Challege where I did a 35 mi week followed by a 44 mile week with only 5 miles in racing flats one week.
Please be careful if you consider this. Several other ENers have switched to mostly minimalist footwear but others may just be using it for short/faster workouts to improve form.
John
Great thread. I switched to the Newtons back in Mid december, and they are only now starting to not cause me a lot of post run pain. I do feel they are finally mechanically making my runs feel better, its just the after that still sucks some. I did want to pass along some purchasing advice. If you dont get email from places like Trisports.com, you might want to sign up. I wasnt going to buy Newtons either until I got a random discount coupon in the mail from them before the holiday. Got my pair for a little over a hundred.
IMO the 'new trend' towards minimalist shoes is a good thing - altho' I'm sure the manufacturers will use it as an opportunity to spoon-feed the public as they've being doing for years, i.e. just another mechanism to sell more (and confuse the newbie).
- Why is it such a surprise that barefoot running is more efficient? The foot and body was designed to do it, period.
- Whats the problem with barefoot/minimalist footwear? Lack of adaptation by our bodies - years of wearing over-supportive/cushioned shoes for running & everyday wear.
- What the route cause of this lack/mis-adaptation? The foot not only is uniquely designed, its an unreal sensory tool part of a sensory/neuromuscular pathway - stick that sensory tool into a tight fitting, over protective casing is akin to wearing earmuffs! I've heard of a functional assessment method in PT called 'the listening foot' -the foot (as part of that 'pathway') can be the cause of issue miles away from the the injury or pain.
- As part of the neuro-musc pathway once again glute/hip-flexors and core is key - most of us have underdeveloped strength/stability in these key areas, the trend towards built-up shoes (or attempts to control) leads to muscles in the pathway being under utilised, switched-off and weakened - switching to minimalist footwear without working on these areas BOTH strengthening and 'switching-on' will lead to the problems we hear of.
Personally as a running newbie, i want to move towards minimalist running shoes but only as part of a overall strategy and as everyone has advised, over a long period of time - perhaps not in season.
May give Newtons a try as a tool only, a mechanism to improve technique and combine them with a race flat BUT stick with my usual shoes for training. Did hear a comment on ST stating that Newtons aren't used by elite runners - no sh1t, they just don't have to use 'em do they!
Anyways, just my take & to add to the thread - airing where I'm at.........
dave
Another great article on the subject here
The Science of Sport Blog is great, for those of you that do not follow it. Highly recommended.
tom
Posting the info below as a follow up to Tom's post, and as another urging to read the Science of Sport blog post. The upshot is--be careful. The study is a lot more nuanced than "running barefoot keeps you less injured." They'll be doing a blog series on this study coming up soon, so stay tuned to that. Interesting stuff.
FROM THE SCIENCE OF SPORT:
And here is where it gets tricky. I must point out that the title of the paper is Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners. I highlight the word "habitually", because it's quite important to appreciate the impact that this word may have on how you apply this finding.
I guarantee that the media are going to be all over this and they are going to tell you that you should be running barefoot or in Vibrams. You will hear how science has proven that being barefoot will prevent injuries, and that those of you who are injured should blame your shoes as you lob them into the garbage bin.
None of these suggestions is true, yet. And Dan Lieberman who headed up this latest study would not even be suggesting this himself. The final sentence in the paper in fact reads "controlled prospective studies are needed to test the hypothesis that individuals who do not predominantly RFS either barefoot or in minimal footwear, as the foot apparently evolved to do, have reduced injury rates" (good science always recognizes what it DOESN'T say, and Lieberman and co fit this category).
I started running with the VFFs in the fall and took it very slow, only a couple miles at a time. I pretty quickly got up to 9 miles with no problems at all. I have switched back to regualr shoes for the winter but will probably work the VFFs back into the mix when the weather gets better (probably around August this year)
I spent some time digging through the data of the LIeberman study and analyzing the results critically. Part of my day job is as a research scientist running a lab investigating cancer therapies so I do far amount of scientific analysis of published research reports. My critique is pretty long so this is the link to my blog where I go through the data point by point. I do run in Vibrams but am not a whole hearted convert to the barefoot running religion. I try to critique the study based on its merits.
pro-five.blogspot.com/
Tom,
Thanks for the link. I learned a lot from the blog comments. On a related note, all of my recent foot pain issues instantly disappeared with I bought new running shoes. I may buy some Vibrams just to check them out though, for walking the dogs, some very, very short runs, etc. Zero running or racing goals for me right now so I good time to experiment.
I found this cool picture of ultra-marathoner Scott Jurek running with a Tarahumara runner. Take a look at the feet and who is landing where.
http://www.allwedoisrun.com/tarahumara.htm
tom
You think its something that deteriorates as we get older and muscle imbalances / underuse kicks-in? These kids are not what I'd call 'elite' and certainly not in the top percentile of young athletes in our area, they are quite fit however for their age.
Perhaps years of over-supportive shoes causes the problem, something that the less developed world isn't prone too?
The Science of Sport Blog has a 5-part examination of the issue. I have't read it yet, but will make it through it all this weekend. Thought you would find it interesting.
I ran 8.5 yesterday in my VFFs. 4mi @ z3, 1mi @ ;z5, the rest @z2.
I watch my girls run and they are always on their toes. I think years of running in regular running shoes changes the way we were born to run.
Shoes ruined my feet, starting in babyhood. There is no doubt about it in my mind. With so much damage done, I wonder what can be undone.