Here's a great study that was conducted on 2300 children between the ages of 4 and 13. The purpose was to determine if there was a link between wearing shoes and developing flat feet. The conclusions were: "...The incidence [of flat foot] among children who used footwear was 8.6% compared with 2.8% in those who did not ... Flat foot was most common in children who wore closed-toe shoes, less common in those who wore sandals or slippers, and least in the unshod. Our findings suggest that shoe-wearing in early childhood is detrimental to the development of a normal longitudinal arch... Click here for the complete article! Add Comment I just couldn't do it... I gave up the FF's after a tear in my right foot. But, after months of recovery, things are back to normal. And, barefoot running is just too fun. It's like being a kid again, just running around and having fun! But here are a few things I learned from my injury:
Well, all good things have to come to an end. And three weeks ago, my love affair died. Well, it actually tore. It was a beautiful morning at Rancho, and I was out for a run with the Five-Fingers. About 2 miles into the run, something went haywire in my right foot. I had to walk back out, with excruciating pain shooting from the top of my foot all of the way up the back of my leg. The X-rays showed that nothing was broken, but some ligaments were obviously severely strained. The culprit? The damn Five-Fingers. When I went to see my doctor, he gave me the "I told you so" lecture, as previously he had told me that it wasn't prudent to run without proper shoes. And so it goes, and a love affair dies. Unfortunately, it is worse than a relationship break-up because I am left with physical damage as well as the emotional scars. Hopefully things will heal soon, but as for the Five-Fingers, they are off to the landfill to rot along with the Chia Pets, Cabbage Patch Dolls, Furbies, and other fads from a past generation...  Today on the run I learned about a new minimalist running shoe: the RunAmoc from Soft Star Shoes. This running moccasin is designed and handmade in Oregon, and comes in a road and trail version. Watch out Five-Fingers, the RunAmoc could be the next best thing since sliced bread! RunAmoc's can be ordered directly from Soft Star Shoes or from a local store. See the website for details. On May 1st, join Barefoot Ted McDonald and ZombieRunner for an informative clinic on Barefoot Running. Barefoot Ted describes himself as an independent athlete committed to re-discovering primal natural human capacities and encouraging others to do the same. He's spent the last 7 years focused on mastering barefoot long distance running, including running 100 mile ultramarathons, such as the Leadville Trail 100 and the Angeles Crest 100. For more information visit the ZombieRunner Events Page!  Get your very own pair of Minimalist Huarache Running Sandals, made by you or custom-made by Barefoot Ted! "I believe that there are a growing number of runners and outdoor enthusiasts who are looking for time-tested solutions to the challenge of traveling on foot over rugged terrain. The huarache is a viable alternative, an alternative with a long history, and it is an alternative that you can learn how to make yourself." - Barefoot Ted Click here for more info...  While poking around Runner's World today I came across this exhaustive list of info, articles, videos, and websites that discuss Barefoot/Minimalist Running. It's a great way to kill off several hours/days of your free time at work... Click here for the complete list.  Given all the current interest in running form, including foot strike, Runners World did an interview with running form expert Jay Dicharry. Dicharry is director of the SPEED Clinic at the Center for Endurance Sport, University of Virginia. He has a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology, and a masters in physical therapy. The SPEED clinic works with athletes and coaches across the country to improve their understanding of proper running form. He discusses such topics as proper running form, common mistakes runners make, and barefoot running. Read the entire article here.  Christopher McDougall, author of the influential book Born to Run, discusses the motivation for his book and his interest in barefoot running. Watch the video here.  Harvard professor Daniel Lieberman has ditched his trainers and started running barefoot. His research shows that barefoot runners, who tend to land on their fore-foot, generate less impact shock than runners in sports shoes who land heel first. This makes barefoot running comfortable and could minimize running-related injuries. Watch the exciting full video here. | AuthorsCarl ArchivesJuly 2011 CategoriesAll |
RSS Feed
Create a free website with
Weebly
