Barefoot Running

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barefoot Running

By Erin Marston

After the release of Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run, barefoot running has taken off. Runners everywhere are shedding their running shoes and hitting the trails in their naked feet. Barefoot running is now the great debate in the running world. Will barefoot running become the norm or is it just a passing trend?

This past weekend we hosted the Colorado Endurance Conference at The Denver Athletic Club. The last event of the day was a Barefoot Running panel. The panel consisted of Alan Culpepper, two time Olympic Marathoner, Eric Mundt, owner of Frontier Physical Therapy, and Scott Poston, Endurance Coach and Fitness Director of The Denver Athletic Club. These experts advocated barefoot strengthening in lieu of barefoot running.

It is true that since childhood we have been walking, running, jumping, and living mostly in shoes. Many people have supportive shoes or inserts, and spend little time barefoot. According to Eric Mundt, Frontier physical therapist, the muscles of the foot tend to be very weak and are often overlooked during strength training programs. Most people, especially runners, need greater foot strength. Simple foot strength exercises: barefoot walking- start with about 50m of slow heel to toe walking, toe crunches-pulling a towel in with your toes (do this on a slick surface and make sure all your toes are working together, not just your big toe). Strengthening the foot can lead to better biomechanics and fewer foot/lower leg injuries so common in runners. Alan Culpepper, two time Olympian and owner of Solepepper Sports, emphasized the importance of trying out less stable shoes. Many runners are afraid to switch running shoes after years in the same pair. A combination of foot strength training as well as less stable shoes can add to the integrity of your training.  

Taking feet from years in a stable shoe to the instability of barefoot running can be a shock to the kinetic chain. The kinetic chain is a term used to explain the connectedness of all the muscles and joints in the body. It is the concept that each part of your body is interconnected. The biomechanics of your foot affect those of your ankle. The biomechanics of your ankle affect those of your knee. The biomechanics of your knee affect those of your hip, etc… This concept is vital to consider when discussing barefoot running. Any instability in the body will likely be made worse by adding the extra instability of barefoot running. As Eric Mundt explained, instability plus instability will likely lead to injury. In such a high injury sport as running, barefoot running may not be the answer, but simply a reminder of our need to strengthen the entire body.

To improve as a runner and remain uninjured it is important to strengthen the muscles of your foot in addition to legs and hips. Remember, the body works as one functional unit to accomplish movement. All movements begin from the center of the body or the “core”. It’s imperative to strengthen your body as a functional unit and not one muscle group at a time. To become a stronger runner and athlete strengthen the body as one unit instead of separate groups. These additions to your training program will help you become a strong healthy runner.

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categories Uncategorized | emarston March 18, 2010

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