the most famous remark often made about barefoot running is that humans evolved
to run barefoot, but not on pavement and this remark is the same pitch that
footwear companies use so you buy their shoes. Conventional wisdom holds that if
you run barefoot on pavement doing so magnifies impact and is a logical
precursor to injury versus running barefoot on softer surfaces. We are
primed to believe that softer surfaces equate to softer landings and less
impact generated during running, hence we are strongly advised to wear cushioned
running shoes when running on hard surfaces, like pavement. It is believed
that there are more intense impact currents shooting through the foot in
the body when you run on harder surfaces, again which is why it strongly believed
that footwear or cushioned footwear offers the best protection from impact
when a runner runs on pavement, but let's recognize that much of the running
injuries are still rooted in how certain forms of footwear changes our foot
strike pattern when we run. For instance, the traditional running shoe which often
has an elevated cushioned thick heel, often enables or encourages a heel strike
leaving pattern during running which is a foot strike landing pattern that
appears to generate more impact than forefoot strike running. A forefoot
strike landing is a strike landing that is most often utilized by barefoot
runners as well as many elite runners and by extension a forefoot strike
landing provides sufficient impact protection because a forefoot strike
landing eliminates an injury-inducing impact variable known as the spontaneous
impact transient force which is uniquely produced in a heel strike landing and
I'll link a video that I did below about how the spontaneous impact transient
force is generated in a heel strike landing, but not in a forefoot strike
landing. This is one of the factual basis for why forefoot strike running
may be a safer style of running compared to heel strike running. Heel strike
runners tend to be flooded with more impact than forefoot runners
whereas in forefoot running many injurious impact variables are bent
downward. There's essentially intense impact projected on the leg in
forefoot running than in heel strike running and I also posted a video down
below in the description box on the demonstration of a proper forefoot
strike landing. In getting back to the relationship of running surface and
injury because forefoot running is associated with less impact parameters
than heel strike running, a forefoot strike landing is enough to provide
sufficient protection for barefoot runners who run on pavement. It's
important to know that if you run barefoot with a forefoot strike landing
on pavement, this is especially relevant because you typically do not produce any
more impact than if you were to run barefoot on grass. That sounds like a
positive, making running shoes less of an important player and this is also why
running in traditional running shoes is really falling out of favor among many
runners who do take up barefoot running and discover that barefoot running feels
much better in a substantive way. Many runners who do take up barefoot running
have a complete resolution of injuries. Now, I always like to say that there are
a number of factors that contribute to running injuries, but running barefoot on
pavement may not be one of them. In fact I was really struck by a 2012 Harvard
study, which is also linked down below in the description box, the researchers
compared the impact variables and impact parameters, such as impact intensity,
impact duration as well as magnitude in heel strike and forefoot strike runners
and how surface type influenced impact parameters during forefoot strike &
heel strike running. It's important to overstate that the researchers found
that the foot strike type, NOT surface type, may determine impact intensity
generated during running. Unsurprisingly, the researchers found that heel strike
runners generated more impact than forefoot strike runners and the
spontaneous impact transient peak force which is known to cause many running
injuries, this particular impact variable was generated in a heel strike landing
but not in a forefoot strike landing and I was also thrilled to learn about. from
the study, that since forefoot runners ran with less impact and
no spontaneous impact transient force was generated, cushioned running shoes may
not be needed to reduce impact on harder surfaces, such as a steel plate. A
forefoot strike landing during running may be enough to serve the need for
enriched impact protection especially when a barefoot runner runs on harder
surfaces the main distinction is that forefoot running does not produce the
measurable spontaneous impact transient force that may be the real source of
most injuries that is produced in heel strike running and this impact transient
force is often the main reason why runners wear thick cushion heel running
shoes but if this unique impact component is not generated in a forefoot
strike landing we can with high confidence be less dependent on cushion
running shoes for impact protection this is how for pura training is associated
with less impact than heel strike running and when you can manage to run
with less impact doing so is essential for getting better results in terms of
running pain and injury free ultimately this piece of evidence we put a new
emphasis on changing the way we think about running and surface type forefoot
running whether it be on hard or soft surfaces knocks out a major impact
component that is well known to cause injury and thus could make you more
injury resistant to impact related injuries this must be why many barefoot
runners and remember that most barefoot runners land with a forefoot strike not
a heel strike this distinct lack of certain high impact variables in a
forefoot strike landing during running is central to the maintenance of impact
protection in barefoot runners and this observation really does challenge a
deeply entrenched way of thinking that running on pavement equates to greater
impact production but one of the incentives gained from forefoot running
is that this style of running may free a runner from high risk impact forces if
they choose to run on hard surfaces if for fistrick landing can factor into why
you look at a barefoot runner running happily and gracefully on pavement and
wonder why they're not getting hurt while running
on pavement doesn't hurt nor does it cause injury
if you run with a forefoot strike the forefoot strike landing is the secret
mechanical sauce that's gonna keep impact low
it's the forefoot strike landing that is going to be necessary for the barefoot
runner or any runner to potentially dodge impact related injuries when
running barefoot on pavement and that forefoot running is an irreplaceable
resource that alleviates and effectively relieves the consequential impact
associated with heel strike running so the take-home message the central
insight is that foot strike pattern during running seems to be the main
determinant of the force intensity that appears to influence injury not the
surface you run on so not surface type whereby if you run with a forefoot
strike landing especially when barefoot if you were to run on pavement just
because you're running barefoot on pavement does it necessarily mean that
you will produce more impact if you were to run barefoot on grass or on sand or
other forms of soft natural surfaces because a forefoot strike landing
appears to offer sufficient mechanical mechanisms that may drive a softer
lighter less forceful exchange with you in the ground and landing four-footed
during running it may be the best delivery system that can be helpful in
your effort to avoid impact related injuries ask for heel strike runners
heel strike runners seem to generate more impact than a forefoot strike
runners no matter the surface type the heel strike runner runs on this more
than suggests that heel strike running may be more harmful than forefoot strike
running in the fact that heel strike runners generate greater impact when
running on harder surfaces as compared to forefoot runners could certainly be
used as a justification that forefoot running is a more safe way to run
especially at the mechanical level awareness of these fine beings may
inspire and encourage runners who are stuck in reverse with their injury
prevention efforts to practice forefoot running and to adopt a forefoot running
technique to achieve more games when it comes to avoiding running
related injuries there may not be such thing as a magic bullet but landing with
a forefoot strike comes a remarkably close so just know that running on
pavement does not create another risk of running injury if you run with a
forefoot strike landing especially if you plan to run barefoot or in
minimalist running shoes and running barefoot is always an important tool to
help polish and refine your running style because it provides immediate
feedback whereas in cushion running shoes you get reduced feedback accuracy
but the high degree of sensory input flooding the foot when you run barefoot
enables you to make a continuous assessment to make the basic adjustments
in postural alignment foot strike intensity and other additional
mechanical form fixers favorable to safe for running that can otherwise be made
sloppy when running in thick cushion running shoes but most importantly when
you run barefoot you are more alerted on your foot strike pattern your forefoot
strike landing will be more targeted with greater perceptual accuracy and of
course another side benefit of barefoot running is that it works well to
strengthen your feet and improve arch height and improves balance control
especially at the ankles for more information regarding forefoot running
versus heel strike running as well as barefoot running versus shod running
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thank you so much for listening and watching have fun out there on the roads
and trails bye for now