I almost did not get to writing this post today. Mainly because the topic has been done to death and I would really like something more interesting to blog about. I have litigated the footwear and running economy issue many times: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. So why did I decide to […]
Tag Archives | barefoot
Impact loads in barefoot and shoe running
I currently sitting in Toronto airport waiting for a flight, so will not say anything much on this: The effects of barefoot and barefoot inspired footwear on tibiofemoral kinetics during running Jonathan Sinclair Human Movement. ISSN (Online) 1899-1955, DOI: 10.1515/humo-2016-0022, October 2016 Purpose. The current investigation aimed to examine the effects of running barefoot and […]
Footwear and Flatfeet: Correlation or Causation?
One of the arguments that often get advanced for a barefoot lifestyle is that shoes cause flat feet as they weaken the muscles. Not sure how people make that conclusion as there is no evidence that footwear wearing populations have feet that is any weaker than barefoot wearing populations – you would have thought that […]
Wearing shoes impairs intellectual development
Its Sunday, I not feeling too well and am not up to writing something serious. I needed another loon to ridicule. I was wondering what to write about, then I remembered this from many years ago that gave us a good laugh at the time: Among the untold problems that wearing shoes can impose in […]
The effects of shoes and barefoot on postural stability
I have no doubt about the importance of plantar sensory input has on normal gait, balance and postural stability; having spent many years looking at the impacts of diabetes and what the sensory neuropathy does to gait and balance. What I do have doubts about, and will address this in greater detail in a future […]
Kinematic changes after 12 weeks of running in minimalist running shoes
One of the potential shortcomings of kinematic, kinetic and metabolic studies of barefoot or minimalist running versus traditional shod running is that acute interventions are often used, rather than a prolonged period of habituation to the different conditions under study. It is not known if what is found in these acute intervention studies will still […]
Barefoot vs Shod and patellofemoral joint stresses
There is an increasing number of studies on patellofemoral pain syndrome or anterior knee pain in runners and the affects of gait changes on the biomechanics of it. The British Journal of Sports Medicine just published this: Take your shoes off to reduce patellofemoral joint stress during running Jason Bonacci, Bill Vicenzino, Wayne Spratford, Paul […]
Does Barefoot Running Lead to a Higher Arch of the Foot?
I am assuming that you have all seen the claims made many times in the barefoot running books, You Tube video’s, blogs and forum posts that barefoot running can increase the height of the arch of the foot due to an increase in muscle strength. Yet you never see any evidence quoted to support the […]
Critique of ‘are you ready for minimalism’ preparation tests
There are a number of tests or evaluations that are recommended before starting the transition to minimalism or barefoot running. I have come across various permutations of these tests on a number of blogs, articles and books and most recently in Scott Douglas’s Runners World Complete Guide to Minimalism and Barefoot Running (a good book!), but I […]
‘Barefoot Science’ Insoles
If I was to invent an insole, maybe one with some fancy ‘bells and whistles‘ and then simply made the claim that it strengthens the muscles of the foot, would you believe me? What if I added the word ‘barefoot’ to the products name to make it sound impressive? Would you believe me then? Of […]