Podcast summary and Notes on "barefootrunning"

Barefoot Shoes

This is one of your most-requested topics and as a keen runner myself I couldn’t wait to get into it. Barefoot shoes claim to encourage you to run in a more ‘natural’ way, landing on your mid or forefoot rather than on your heel. Some brands say they’ll increase your speed and reduce the likelihood of injury. But will they?

Listener Sam runs marathons and wants to know if the science backs up the marketing hype. He also wonders whether the wider toebox in barefoot shoes really does allow for our toes to be separated out in a more natural way.

It’s not just runners who got in touch either; Jon is a dog walker and is interested in wearing barefoot shoes on a more casual basis. Is there any benefit to that?

And what about children? Listener Zoe already wears barefoot shoes herself but wants to know if they might be good for her son, too. In this episode I speak to experts to weigh up the evidence. Are barefoot shoes the best thing since sliced bread? Or just marketing BS?

PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban

enJuly 06, 2023

These Shoes Are Killing Me! (Ep. 296 Rebroadcast)

The human foot is an evolutionary masterpiece, far more functional than we give it credit for. So why do we encase it in “a coffin” (as one foot scholar calls it) that stymies so much of its ability — and may create more problems than it solves?

en-usMay 20, 2021

#128 – Irene Davis, Ph.D.: The evolution of the foot, running injuries, and minimalist shoes

Irene Davis is the founding Director of the Spaulding National Running Center at the Harvard Medical School. In this episode, Irene describes how her research of biomechanics and clinical work with running injuries, as well as research by others, has shaped her views on maintaining body alignment and foot health. Irene discusses her argument for the role of modern footwear in running-related injuries and how minimalist footwear helps resolve the subsequent biomechanical issues.

We discuss:

Irene’s path to her Ph.D., her entry into physical therapy, and her interest in biomechanics [3:20];
How Irene’s thinking about the use of orthotics has changed [7:15];
The evolution of the human foot and the transition from walking to running [10:30];
The evolution of shoes and its impact on running injuries [17:30];
An overview of running injuries [26:00];
Cushioned running shoes, heel striking and impact forces [29:30];
Shin splints [33:45];
How heel strike patterns promotes knee stress through rate of loading [35:30];
The critical importance of exercise [42:15];
Impact forces and injury potential [45:45];
How shoe cushioning alters impact forces despite forefoot striking [49:00];
An overview of minimalist shoes [52:30];
Irene’s protocol for transitioning people out of orthotics [58:45];
Transitioning to minimalist shoes and a forefoot strike [1:05:30];
Foot muscle volume, minimalist shoes, and orthotics [1:07:00];
The recognition of the importance of foot strength in podiatry [1:09:45];
Minimalist shoes across the lifespan—from children to adults [1:12:30];
Why learning to forefoot strike on soft surfaces is not the best approach [1:20:00];
Knee valgus and factors related to knee injury [1:21:45];
IT band syndrome [1:28:30];
Physics and ground reaction forces [1:33:15];
Irene’s approach to retraining a runner’s gait [1:36:00];
Case study—How the transition to minimalist shoes decreased injury and improved performance [1:42:15];
Importance of proper movement patterns and the negative influence of our modern environment [1:45:30]; and
More.