Have to preface that this article was written before the infamous Vibram Class Action Settlement. Today the question I get asked the most is "Did you get your refund?" in reference to the settlement from a class action lawsuit following false advertising allegations. My response is sometimes lengthy but always at least "Nah, I owe them more then they owe me!" Their footwear has really enabled me to run and live the way I prefer to and I'll always support. If a major brand of running shoes had to fulfill claims from when they started the dependency we have on insoles in shoes as a culture they would surely be hurting. Vibram seems to be weathering the storm just fine and hopefully by making their dissatisfied clients happy they will secure even more happy and satisfied lifelong customers.
I was asked to write an article about the trend in barefoot running and just couldn't. Hard for me to call it a trend since there are cultures in the world that don't ever shod their feet. I personally remember spending a few hours out of each session at summer camp as a child in the infirmary soaking my big toe after stubbing it since I ran bare everywhere. Maybe not so much a trend but a style that we are slowly trying to turn back to?
One thing about barefoot running as a trend is that it correlates with negative effects. Like many bare skin sports, barefoot running carries a higher consequence for injury. We attempt to make every step count while watching every placement to avoid obstacles which may result in injury. Some believe that its pure punishment and that something might be wrong with a barefooters brain. The introduction of Vibram Five Fingers allowed the barefooter more protection and provided much more confidence in foot placement. Not having to worry as much about the chance of injury definitely opened this style of running up to an entirely new crowd. Suddenly an outdoor enthusiast was able to navigate their favorite trails, whether pavement or other, with just enough protection for their feet while still being able to move their entire foot freely.
I must state that I am in no way, shape, or form a licensed practitioner of sports medicine. There is one doctor who has done miracles in uncovering the truths and myths that surround barefoot running. Dr. Daniel Lieberman has created one of the most comprehensive studies on barefoot running to date and a great deal of information is available at http://barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/. He was also at the forefront of the second wave of the trend building marketing. His study provides evidence and support necessary to visualize the benefits of natural movement. Although I was running barefoot before I was so excited when his work published to be able to share with others about the concept.
At this point I have structured my life so that I am either barefoot or in Five Fingers almost every single day of the year. I try to work a normal looking shoe in every once in a while but it just feels better with my toes spread out. Running barefoot is amazing. The muscle groups that are lost from turning five toes into one have redeveloped and with it an agility level I never experienced. I realized the difference very quickly. Toes drive connective tissue that links to four major muscles that surround the tibia and fibula and play backup for the gastroc. Building these muscles takes time of course but over time they become active and provide support which coincidentally translates into confidence. I consistently hear stories about minutes being shaved off of longer distance runs after the first few weeks of running bare.
The concepts of barefoot and minimalist running are not novel by any means. Being shod in footwear has been popular since ancient Egyptian times but throughout the world today there are environments and climates that support a barefoot lifestyle. Barefoot society thrives in dry, equatorial regions that allow for a substrate which consists of sand or clay along with warmth. Even in these regions completely barefoot doesn't work for some adventures. Barefoot footwear offers a great deal of freedom for situations normally deemed unsuitable for raw skin. For a majority of cultures this ends up being a sole strung to the foot by cordage to make a sandal. Cold weather environments along with skin damaging terrain leads us to cover our feet for protection from the elements, classically done in leather but today's product offering seems limitless. The growth of the modern running shoe since somewhere in the 1950's has led companies to modify soles to provide a resilient foam support instead of simply protection. This was historically provided by the "break in" of a leather, cork, or cotton sole which results in a "bed" that matches your foot exactly. Modern or classic? What about historical or natural? Adding support in any way allows for atrophy. Muscles, tendons, and even skeletal fundamentals of the foot no longer have to provide stability when "supported" by an insole. I can only relate it to semi-permanent medical devices designed to stabilize the body after injury or redirect motion for corrective treatment. So maybe, just maybe, there is some benefit to taking away the support that we think we need and relying on our feet and toes to move us forward. It's not easy. No one ever said it would be. There is something natural about it though.
"Showoff", someone whispers to there running mate as you run by. "Ouch" someone says as they express what they think it would feel like. Running barefoot is one of the more attention grabbing sports you could get into. Running in Vibram Five Fingers can be just as captivating depending on how adventurous you get with your color preferences. The reactions are finally tapering since I started wearing five fingers. I'm sure marketing has had its effects but I still hear "look at his shoes" or "he's wearing those shoes" on a regular basis. Strange that something so natural ends up being so remarkable.
"There is no way I could ever run in those. My knees and my back would kill me." I've heard this so many times. Running can hurt your knees and your back but it's your body telling you that you're doing something wrong. There are a lot of opportunities for you to harm your body while running so limiting them is crucial since most of us are trying to get healthier not weaker. For barefoot runners sensitivity is increased therefore the stresses from negative impact are much more prevalent. This profound awareness most commonly guides a runner to naturally shift their form to the mid and forefoot. Although this is where you want to be to limit impact the shift can be immediate and sometimes a little too immediate. If you're a runner already you may want to tack a few extra miles on or if you're new to running you may feel like running your first few. Either way pushing yourself your first time out barefoot or in minimalist footwear can be a bad idea. Our feet, like our hands, play host to quite a few delicate bones that are surrounded by an intricate network of tissue. Since your feet may have previously relied on the support and shape from your current footwear you will want to build both your body and your feet before you dive right in. Treat them nicely and they will do the same. If you dislike running and are trying to find a fix instead of seeking the shoe with the right fit take a fresh look at using something closer to what your body already offers.
A note about Barefoot vs. Minimalist running
There are numerous vendors who offer footwear with a toe box capable of handling splayed toes but only one separates them and gives them individual freedom to grow. This is where the debate on barefoot vs. minimalist comes in. In my opinion the barefoot designation should only be strictly used for true skin to ground bare feet. Minimalist footwear has quite a few players with quite different designs. The most outstanding is of course the Vibram Five Finger. This foot covering allows each individual toe its own freedom to do what it likes. It is the only shoe which allows this type of growth outside of true barefoot running.
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