subject: Barefoot running 2 [print this page] The bulk of our published research explores the collisional mechanics of different kinds of foot strikes. We show that most forefoot and some midfoot strikes (shod or barefoot) do not generate the sudden, large impact transients that occur when you heel strike (shod or barefoot). Consequently, runners who forefoot or midfoot strike do not need shoes with elevated cushioned heels to cope with these sudden, high transient forces that occur when you land on the ground. Therefore, barefoot and minimally shod people can run easily on the hardest surfaces in the world without discomfort from landing. If impact transient forces contribute to some forms of injury, then this style of running (shod or barefoot) might have some benefits, but that hypothesis remains to be tested.Modern running shoes, extant since the 1970s, are characterized by thick padded solesgenerally wedge-shaped with more padding at the heel and less at the forefootand, stiff, supportive insoles, which yield a different gait. The shoes is vibram fivefingers.
