A few years ago, I was your typical office-worker: stressed out, uneven energy, overweight, and inconsistent complexion. Now I'm just your typical 28-year old urban hunter-gatherer on a quest to be healthy, and having a few adventures along the way. See my full bio.
Get ready for some bullshit. A podiatrist, Dr. Robert A. Kornfeld, just posted a detailed criticism of barefoot running over at Huffington Post. This should be fun -- let's see how it stands up.
Fads come and go.
Thanks for starting with a softball. A fad? Humans have been running barefoot or in minimalist footwear for, oh, millions of years. Humans have been running in high heels for four decades. Which would you say is normal? Which is the fad?
We are in the midst of another passing fad of products, this time designed to mimic or support "nature." And who doesn't want to be more natural these days? Barefoot running shoes are designed to re-create a "natural," barefoot running dynamic on "unnatural" surfaces like concrete, asphalt, red top, black top, etc.
"Natural" and "unnatural" are very squishy terms that are easy to abuse. The point of barefoot running is not to be natural in some hippy-dippy sense, but to run in the way that humans are best adapted to run based on the science and evolution of running.
How can we have a barefoot running shoe? Doesn't barefoot denote without shoes?
Apparently, Kornfeld specializes in pedantic podiatry.
Barefoot running shoe manufacturers believe that the human foot, unimpeded by synthetic surfaces and restrictive running shoes, should function at its best. That is a correct assumption, save for the fact that the human foot was designed long before the paving of roads. In fact, uneven, grassy surfaces are the most natural surface for the human foot...
First, nature isn't one big grassy lawn or well-manicured golf course. There are rocks, roots, and all different types of surfaces (hard/soft, wet/dry, even/uneven). Second, most barefoot runners will tell you that it is more difficult to run on grass than on concrete. It's hard to see where you are stepping -- grass often hides objects and uneven surfaces. So we're not pursuing "naturalness" at all costs. Furthermore, when you are running on a difficult surface, it's more important to run with a forefoot strike, because then you have the ability to shift your weight more quickly if you land on an object or uneven patch. Third, Lieberman's work has shown that the force generated while running has more to do with the foot strike than the surface. You can run on steel plates gently. And the steel plates will give you better feedback about your form.
It is this dynamic -- the decrease in heel strike -- barefoot running shoes seeks to achieve. This is precisely why this technology is failing its mission. The lack of heel strike on unnatural surfaces is not mimicking the way the foot would perform barefoot on natural surfaces. For this very reason, these shoes will eventually come up short, as the foot requires either cushioned heel strike on an unnatural surface or minimal heel strike on natural surfaces.
If you look at podiatry text books, they often still teach that walking and running use pretty much the same bio-mechanics. A heel-strike followed by a transfer of weight forward. As it turns out, running and walking use different bio-mechanics. Walking uses a reverse pendulum motion, where you plant your heel and pitch yourself over. Running uses a spring motion, where the energy from each stride is stored in the tendons and ligaments and released in the next stride. Heel-striking is normal for walking, but a forefoot strike is normal for running. They need to update the text books.
Then he writes about some specifics of metatarsal flexibility which I don't know much about.
As for injuries:
We will see things like first metatarsal phalangeal joint pain, pain under the second metatarsal head, Achilles' tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, posterior tibial tendinitis and/or peroneal tendinitis. Eventual stress fractures of the metatarsals may occur in addition to knee, hip and back problems.
Funny, these all sound like injuries that runners were already getting while running in heavily-cushioned motion-control shoes. It's true that it takes time for your foot to strengthen, your achilles to lengthen, and to learn good form -- so people who transition too quickly are putting themselves at risk. Of course, a podiatrist is only going to see the people who have problems and none of the people who used to have knees problems running conventionally, but who now can run again (like me).
So who should be using barefoot running shoes? The answer is very few people should. Only those people with stable (not flexible) first metatarsals will do well with these shoes, as well as those with very powerful lower leg musculature (although even those with powerful lower leg function will ultimately go on to some type of pathology).
Tell that to the Kenyans. Oh wait, they don't use barefoot running shoes...they just run barefoot.
So let's get real. If you are a serious runner, you need to see a podiatrist who is also trained in functional foot typing, as developed by Dr. Dennis Shavelson to find out if barefoot running shoes are for you. If not, you can safely wear conventional running shoes manufactured by companies who have spent years on research and technology with the addition of a proper running orthotic.
Ah, I guess we owe a big thank you to the shoe companies that have spent years on research and technology -- and have nothing to show for it. As Lieberman published his research in Nature and as Born to Run took off, the shoe companies have not published a single study showing that all their fancy over-engineering prevents injuries. Even the military has called bullshit on them.
Sadly, the podiatrist ends his article in a completely predictable way: selling orthotics. Take his advice and you'll need them.
Comments
"As it turns out, running and
"As it turns out, running and walking use different bio-mechanics."I used to think so, too. But the more I barefoot run and walk, the more I realize the foot mechanics are the same and the body position is a bit different on landing. I can walk faster with a midfoot strike than a heel strike.
Sorry pal, you're wrong.
Sorry pal, you're wrong. While a ball first landing might facilitate speed, it's still anatomically correct to land heel first. Ball, or toe first landings are designed for survival purposes, not for maximum overall bio-mechanical efficiency. All survival standards are extremes that are designed to be used temporarily, in circumstances of crisis. But consistent repeated use of them ultimately stresses and damages the body.
Dear Anonymous 17.16 Please
Dear Anonymous 17.16 Please back that up with some supporting studies. Googling the terms running+biomechanical+efficiency brings up a list of pages, websites and papers that support flatfoot-ball (non heel strike) technique. Here's one for you http://runnerscorner.com/pdf/runningformkines.pdfHave you tried running barefoot? If not you do you would soon realise that striking heel first is not an option and is an invitation to busting your heel up on something hard and injuring yourself within the first few hundred metres. It seems rather unlikely to me that the body would evolve such that the (barefoot) running technique in use for the last million years or two would be less mechanically efficient AND result in an "ultimately stress[ed] and damage[d] body".
Based on what? How about
Based on what? How about some sources?
Contrarily, however, I
Contrarily, however, I actually have a really great podiatrist who encouraged barefoot training in the off-season (basketball) and has given me custom orthotics to wear during the season (can't go barefoot on the hardwood). I used to get debilitating shin splints, but can go for hours without an issue anymore.
It's quite peculiar how when
It's quite peculiar how when any effective device for improving any sort of health status is introduced, pathologies as well as treatments that are patentable and have the ability to score some mad cash for the company that markets them come about (drugs, orthotics, etc.). I wonder why we never make any ground on curing chronic disease? Maybe because a cured disease is one that cannot be profited from. The pharmaceutical and insurance companies have conflicting interests... and usually they have more propensity towards the interest that lands them billions of dollars. I'm not saying that there have been cures that were disregarded, because in this country once you scream "conspiracy" you lose all credibility. However, I continually lose faith in a structure in which the pharmaceutical industry lobbies with the FDA and insurance companies. When chronic, long-term treatment pays, anything natural is disregarded as dangerous (despite the multitude of drugs marked safe by the FDA being pulled off the market for dangerous side effects), and if it isn't FDA regulated it's not covered by insurance companies, despite its efficacy. When doctors receive kick-backs by prescribing certain medications and a magnitude of different compounds prove effective in the 90's but are ignored as treatments today----the truth is there is something seriously wrong with healthcare in this country, but not in the way the President or most of the public believe it to be.
Sadly I think Dr. Kornfeld
Sadly I think Dr. Kornfeld is right about this being a fad (although not in the way he meant it). I think both the barefoot running and the HG diet are fads, with people being attracted to these "new" ideas. Once the "newness" of it wears off and the next big thing comes along in diet or sports, a lot of the people flocking to this lifestyle will abandon it in favor of the new one. Unfortunately most of the people in this world are followers, always going after the next new idea, whether it's a better one or not.
Thanks for this great
Thanks for this great summary and concise responses.I havent read the article but the arguments are familiar..."its a fad"...."we didnt evolve running on concrete paths"...."barefoot = injury"..."feet need protection and support"...In my opinion the switch to barefoot (or VFF depending on circumstances) is the smartest move as far as running goes that ive done in a long while. Yes transition takes time, but to draw an analogy, if you have your leg or foot in a cast (or running shoe), then the cast is removed, it takes time for those muscles that have atrophied to rebuild their strength. For me, it only takes one look at my kids running carefree on the beach or in the park barefoot, to see their stride, the way they naturally forefoot strike, their feet as yet untainted by clunky "scientific" running shoes, to know that barefoot is the natural way to run, the way we are evolved to run and, and most importantly its the most enjoyable way to run.
Nice article! Don't worry
Nice article! Don't worry about not understanding the "metatarsal flexibility." I understand where he is trying to go with it and in my opinion, it does not apply. He seems to be under the flawed assumption that the BF runners bear weight ONLY on the forefoot. The reality is that ground strike is on the forefoot, but then, rapidly, the entire foot comes down to the ground.If barefoot activity benefits interest readers, I have written much about them at http://www.Americaspodiatrist.com
Thanks to barefoot running
Thanks to barefoot running and shoes like the vibram five fingers, Podiatrists and all others who treat running injuries are busier than ever. The injury rate in runners has gone up! Its the economic stimulus package that the sport injury industry needed!
Oh my god are you an idiot?
Oh my god are you an idiot? I run 100 miles a week in Vibrams without a problem. Perhaps you have no idea but are very opinionated and a little obnoxious.Get a clue.
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Podiatrists' Only Tasks Are
Podiatrists' Only Tasks Are To Heal People From Shoe InjuriesOf course they would be opposed to people actually STRENGTHENING this very important part of a bipedal animal: the feet. Podiatrists would have very little work if everyone had strong, functional feet and avoided most shoes. What do podiatrists say when they see a happy troupe of 5-year-olds running and playing barefoot in a grassy park? There are no injuries, no matter how much running, jumping, and twisting goes on. Adults (slowly getting used to it of course) barefoot running have just as healthy, strong feet. I bought Vibrams ONLY because the grass is so cold in the winter. It's what I call "running with a condom on," but it's a little warmer than without. They are not as good as really being barefoot, but for some conditions, they are the next best thing.Wearing shoes weakens feet. When I wore them all the time, my feet would get "sore" standing barefoot. Now that I am in thin-soled shoes all the time or barefoot, and running barefoot, my feet never get sore, from walking through an amusement park for hours, or cooking while standing on a hard tile floor. They are strong now and can take it! This whole thing has got to be quite cognitively dissonant for all the podiatrists and their world views.
Podiatrists' Only Tasks Are
Podiatrists' Only Tasks Are To Heal People From Shoe InjuriesOf course they would be opposed to people actually STRENGTHENING this very important part of a bipedal animal: the feet. Podiatrists would have very little work if everyone had strong, functional feet and avoided most shoes. What do podiatrists say when they see a happy troupe of 5-year-olds running and playing barefoot in a grassy park? There are no injuries, no matter how much running, jumping, and twisting goes on. Adults (slowly getting used to it of course) barefoot running have just as healthy, strong feet. I bought Vibrams ONLY because the grass is so cold in the winter. It's what I call "running with a condom on," but it's a little warmer than without. They are not as good as really being barefoot, but for some conditions, they are the next best thing.Wearing shoes weakens feet. When I wore them all the time, my feet would get "sore" standing barefoot. Now that I am in thin-soled shoes all the time or barefoot, and running barefoot, my feet never get sore, from walking through an amusement park for hours, or cooking while standing on a hard tile floor. They are strong now and can take it! This whole thing has got to be quite cognitively dissonant for all the podiatrists and their world views.
After running on the beach
After running on the beach barefoot with new puppies this summer, I can attest to the pain..BUT, now my feet are stronger and it doesn't hurt anymore. So, I started running again after a few years break (due to some health issues). BUT, my expensive AND cheap running shoes BOTH hurt my shins now after 6 months. So, if I go back to barefoot or vibrams, I suspect the pain will go away...can't hurt to try!
The good doctor's article is
The good doctor's article is so vague, and I'm afraid we are the ones to blame for giving him that opening.The opening is that he keeps trashing "barefoot running shoes". In fact there is no such thing, but companies like Terra Plana and Vibram have called their shoes just that. What they produce are minimalist shoes. Nothing compares to running completely barefoot. My form suffers a lot when I wear my VFF's. Unfortunately my bare feet are not in the right condition to allow me to do too many miles so when I want to push the mileage for fitness I must put on my VFF's (I am kind of tired of the toe separation though so I think out of all the minimalist shoes coming out in the Spring I am most hopeful about the ZEM which might end up with the thinnest sole out there.)Anyway, I never even ran much (preferring soccer), but as I get older it has become harder to keep up with those youngsters on the soccer pitch. Plus I was fighting Achilles tendonitis in both ankles and I was prone to turning my ankles. I credit barefoot running for getting rid of my tendonitis and I haven't turned my ankles since. Also, I had always thought I had nice big calf muscles, but after starting barefoot running I learned that my calf muscles were wimpy. I enjoy having calves of doom now!I hope all the comments will encourage the Huff Po to consider another article in favor of barefoot running.
Calves of Doom. Love it.
Calves of Doom. Love it.
It is true that nothing
It is true that nothing compares to running barefoot. However it is also true that many trails are just no suited to this. I too once suffered the same problems in my VFFs but found that you can learn correct form in BF and transfer this to running in minimalist shoes. While you may not be able to feel the ground as well, think about how your body moves and your feet land while you have BF and mimick this in your Vibrams. It will work and you will be able to run more places sooner.I run ultra marathons in VFFs no worries now, thanks to this little bit of info.
It is true that nothing
It is true that nothing compares to running barefoot. However it is also true that many trails are just no suited to this. I too once suffered the same problems in my VFFs but found that you can learn correct form in BF and transfer this to running in minimalist shoes. While you may not be able to feel the ground as well, think about how your body moves and your feet land while you have BF and mimick this in your Vibrams. It will work and you will be able to run more places sooner.I run ultra marathons in VFFs no worries now, thanks to this little bit of info.
"However it is also true
"However it is also true that many trails are just no suited to this"...well, I don't really believe that completely. I started going barefoot on my hikes in Colorado, walking 3+ hours each morning over very, very rough terrain. Sand and gravel with TONS of small pointy stones, and many areas littered with pine cones and needles. It took some getting used to for sure, but my feet toughened up real fast and before long I learned how to walk and later run comfortably on trails that I would consider extremely rough. It seems like a no-brainer that it takes some adjustment. You can't just go out there are start running over sharp hot rocks for miles upon miles, that would hurt, and hopefully you'd be smart enough to not continue if it feels like torture. That's what is so liberating about being barefoot...you just do what feels right and good, and when you feel like you are overdoing it, you stop. You listen to the feedback your feet are piping loud and clear and you adjust accordingly. It's actually very intuitive. Eventually you get better and you can comfortably navigate trails you never dreamed of touching with your bare skin. I used to turn my ankles ALL THE TIME when I hiked in shoes; I have yet to turn an ankle barefoot. So much for the "support" everyone always told me I needed from shoes. It's just not true. The only reason you need support is because your feet are too weak as a result of giving them artificial support and preventing yourself from developing your own hardware to provide it for you. Ease into it and it becomes clear pretty quick that shoes are an unnecessary evil, except for keeping feet warm in cold weather. That in my mind is the only legitimate function shoes have.
It is fine not to believe.
It is fine not to believe. However I can tell you that running the Alpine Challenge in barefeet is impossible unless you are not looking to be competitive or complete within the cutoff - Vibrams are required as a minimum. Have you run an ultra distance mountain marathon? Extremely rough trails would be nice. I run barefoot in training and have done for sometime and there is no way anyone would consider a 40 mile race such as the Bogong to Hotham , the Razorback or the 160 mile Alpine Challenge in barefeet. I know this because in Australia I am the only one that even tries to run them in minimalist shoes. Imagine a trail that is an eroded gutter full of rocks the size of you head, that roll when you step on them. Imagine a trail that is full of rocks the size of your fist that is loose like scree and sharp. Imagine that mile after mile and you are close to what these courses are like, then put in over 15000 feet of climbing and descending over the same such terrain, and worse alpine grassy meadow that hides all the terrors that eat up your feet.This is not hiking, this is racing. You can't stop in the middle of a race like this and go aw crap, I wish I had something on my feet. Seriously I wish you could run it in bf but you can't. Come along and try it if you still believe you can.Happy new year and remember - puritanism has no survival value whatsoever.
" and remember - puritanism
" and remember - puritanism has no survival value whatsoever. " and neither does the race you run.
Cozmo's post is totally
Cozmo's post is totally missing the point. Since when did Hunter Gatherer people compete in 160 mile alpine challenges? And run in the kind of terrain you describe for mile upon mile upon mile for no reason? If you had to chase an antelope through giant treacherous boulder fields to catch a meal then you'd probably move somewhere else where you could actually compete with this animal, like the prairie. Or try to use techniques (e.g buffalo jump, traps) that didnt required a 40 mile non-stop race. Hunter gatherers did long distance persistence hunting, sure, but it wasn't a race, just a persistence to eventually wear the animal down (look up persistence hunting on youtube)Barefeet aren't invinsible. Obviously there are numerous instances where having something on your feet helps, and this is why people started wrapping animal skins around their feet. Barefeet can't take you running everywhere, and hunter gatherer didn't go running everywhere. The point is, we evolved running and walking barefoot, and therefore barefoot running promotes stronger feet and a better technique than we have developed from always wearing shoes. Feet have evolved to become adapted to the majority of the rough terrain out there, and if you expose your feet to it, then over time you will realise this. I would not recommend running 160miles non-stop through crazy rugged terrain, nor 15000ft of climbing crazy terrain in barefoot. The Hunter Gatherer is smarter than that. He/she would not do this. Why would he/she ever need to? Common sense. If a certain terrane is going to tear your feet apart, don't go there.
Interesting how the
Interesting how the podiatrist talking points haven't changed a bit in the last year and a half. Lazy minds, I guess.
I have had some amusing
I have had some amusing debates with some podiatrists on a podiatry forum about barefoot running. When I explained that I used to wear orthotics and threw them away once I went barefoot, their stock reply was along the lines of "very few people have ideal foot and leg structure".I invited one who lived near me to inspect my "perfect feet" but unfortunately he wasn't interested. I suspect he is the same guy who started this website: http://www.runningbarefootisbad.com/Have a read, it's a good laugh!
A different podiatrist runs
A different podiatrist runs Barefoot Running is Bad, and he prefers to stay annoymous. (My supportive posts on promoting barefoot activity for healthy feet have been targeted by him.)
I like the ads for VFFs on
I like the ads for VFFs on that site. :)
Ha ha I saw that. Can anyone
Ha ha I saw that. Can anyone say irony?
That podiatrist couldn't be
That podiatrist couldn't be any more transparent with his motives. A shoe salesman posing as a doctor.
Ha! That was my first
Ha! That was my first reaction, too. I wonder which shoe company funds him. All I know is that my knees and lower back don't hurt when I run in minimal footwear. That's enough proof for me.
Ha! That was my first
Ha! That was my first reaction, too. I wonder which shoe company funds him. All I know is that my knees and lower back don't hurt when I run in minimal footwear. That's enough proof for me.
I didn't read all the
I didn't read all the comments on the Huff website but only one person on the first page of comments said they didn't run BF or with Vibrams. Hillarious. I run BF in the summer and Vibrams here in NW Ohio because of the temps in the winter. I used to have all sorts of pains when shod.....well the pain is gone. I'm pretty sure doctors are getting worried.....they don't want to lose money....greedy bloodsuckers.
Doesn't look like the
Doesn't look like the comments at HuffPo are going the doc's way, at least the first page that's up.
Richard, on re-reading my
Richard, on re-reading my post, I feel like I should have given you a shout-out for my use of your "bullshit" style.
Imitation is the highest form of flattery. And I'm still learning from the master...
Hey John,I'm glad you did a
Hey John,I'm glad you did a write up on this article. I read it the other day and started becoming a little skeptical about my vibrams. I am currently dealing with a little foot pain that I have not experienced before. It is a sharp pain on the ball of my foot that sparks pain in the top of my foot in between my toes and ankle. Have you or anyone in this forum experienced something like this before? I love my vibrams and have sworn by them and reccomend them to everyone - but this chronic symptom is starting to bum me out a bit. Anyways, love what you do man and I'm stoked for the book.
What you've got sounds
What you've got sounds somewhat like a neuroma. This often happens in connection with trauma. You have to take it easy. I would follow John's advice and just give it a rest over the winter. If you persist in running on it, it will likely get worse and will potentially need surgery. Believe me, you don't want the surgery. I had one of these myself a while back. Took me a couple of months of reduced activity before it went away. Your experience may vary.
If something hurts, you need
If something hurts, you need to rest. Use the winter to give your body the opportunity to heal.
It takes time to build up the muscles in your foot. It may be that your muscles have fully developed yet, and your plantar fascia is doing too much of the work.
Check out the barefoot running forum at runner's world, or search around.
Make sure you still exercise your foot a little even if you're not running (up on your toes, gripping things).
The reason podiatrists never
The reason podiatrists never see actual normal feet of people who go barefoot everywhere is because people who go barefoot everywhere never need the services of a podiatrist.......and if they get the occasional minor injury, it would be a cut that they would simply go their family doctor for.
I'm starting to think of
I'm starting to think of "podiatrist" the same way I think of "chiropracter" - mild quackery.
Buying expensive running
Buying expensive running shoes with doctor prescribed orthotics? As a general recommendation?? This doctor clearly has a financial interest in orthotics and, moreover, the general way of seeing the foot as something that needs to be cushioned, surgically-operated upon, and covered in high tech moisture wicking socks.
I think that the rocker-bottom shoes (where the sole forms a bit of a curve) are the logical result of viewing the foot as a worthless, weak, stump and ignoring any nuances in the different ways the human body moves.
This guy doesn't want to be
This guy doesn't want to be put out of work!
Love your article. I went to
Love your article. I went to a podiatrist once. I had an ankle injury that didn't go away even after 3 weeks of no running and I finally caved. I was just getting into barefoot running and because I was training for a marathon, did too much too soon and got a bad case of peroneal tenonitis. The "doctor" kept me in his waiting room for over and hour and a half beyond my scheduled appointment time. Then, when he finally came in, he briefly examined my feet and asked me what kind of shoes I wore. I told him I wore minimalist shoes. He didn't even know what that meant. He told me I had high arches and needed extra support and "prescribed" me Spira Stinger Elite running shoes with Lynco Orthotics. He told me I didn't have an injury and didn't suggest anything for treatment or give me any idea how much longer I would not be able to run. I basically self-diagnosed and treated myself. I even tried his stupid prescription for a while until the horrible knee pain I used to get came back. I am now back in minimalist shoes/barefoot for good.
It's all about taking it nice
It's all about taking it nice and easy. I had two false starts getting into barefoot running. Both times I did too much too fast. For me, it was going through a few layers of skin. Then having to take three weeks off while my blisters heeled.