The Earthing Movement (Part II): A Closer Look at the Benefits of Barefoot Running

"Pronation has long been a dirty word in running shoe stores...but the salesmen forget that the ankle was designed to pronate."

In our last blog, we discussed the positive health effects of being grounded with the earth. Walking or running barefoot is a great outlet for earthing - as well as an effective way to increase foot/ankle strength.  Few people talk about the advantages of incorporating consistent barefoot running - see my Tips below – which can help further develop and strengthen the more than 100 combined muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the foot and ankle joint.  Over time, the multi-billion dollar running shoe industry has made unvalidated claims about their products’ effectiveness in preventing injury.  On the contrary, some researchers have found a 125% higher injury rate of injury among wearers of expensive running shoes.  Unfortunately, neither side can back up their claims with longitudinal studies involving large sample populations over long periods of time. In his book Born to Run, author and running enthusiast Christopher McDougall examines a variety of runners who have realized the potential in barefoot running – from top collegiate track athletes with unlimited resources to a primitive tribe of champion ultramarathoners raised in Mexico’s desert canyons. He notes that humans roamed the earth barefoot for centuries - and goes on to explain that the underside of the foot functions much like an arch support bridge. Studies have shown that the foot’s natural arch structure acts as an efficient spring – converting over 90% of stored energy at landing into an elastic recoil at toe off.  Comparatively, the ultra-cushioned midsoles and outersoles of fancy running shoes are only capable of returning about half of that energy.  It is a beautiful thing to witness an unshod foot flex as the toes spread to grip the surface and thereby distribute pressure over a wider surface - reducing ground reaction forces and the need for significant foot/ankle pronation.

 One of the main arguments for stability shoes has always been to control excessive pronation during the stance and support phases while running. What the shoe salesmen forget is that the foot was designed to pronate to some degree; however, researchers have found that the degree of ankle pronation is actually reduced when running barefoot!  Furthermore, we know that runners alter their gait and muscle activation patterns when running with supportive shoes as compared to running barefoot. The plantar surface (underside) of the foot contains sensors to detect the magnitude of loading forces underneath.  Researchers have found that by inhibiting this natural feedback mechanism, runners in overly cushioned or high-support shoes actually expose their skeleton to higher loading forces as a result.  In the 1970’s, Bill Bowerman and his cohorts at Nike ushered in a revolution of highly cushioned, waffle-soled shoes that began to encourage more of a heel strike – as well as over-striding by stepping out ahead of your center of gravity.  Barefoot running, in contrast, forces a runner to run with the feet directly underneath the hips – encouraging a more efficient forefoot strike.

  Now clearly every foot is different; and shoe orthotic inserts can help prevent injury by correcting poor biomechanical habits – some of which may be amplified by continuing to run for too long in a pair of well-worn shoes.  But often by placing someone in rigid orthotic devices, one can create new balance problems that didn’t exist before.  Furthermore, by always locking the foot into expensive high-support shoes, you are encouraging tendons to stiffen and muscles to atrophy and weaken.  Over long periods of time and with increased mileage, the deconditioned foot musculature can also lead to chronic overuse injuries like runner’s knee, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendonitis. Athletes like dancers, rock climbers and martial arts experts have learned the value of letting the foot do its job.  However, there must always be a progression in increasing the barefoot load time or volume -especially with running.  Too much too soon is bound to get you hurt – so please reference these tips:

START SLOW AND BUILD UP: Begin with just a half-mile or mile at a time on grass or sand before gradually increasing barefoot distance.
INCORPORATE EXTRA STRETCHING: There will be initial shock periods of soreness and tightness at first; use a slant board or other tools to keep the calf, soleus, and Achilles stretched out and encourage good dorsiflexion range of motion.
SURFACE CONCERNS: Be careful not to change surfaces rapidly while increasing volume; don’t always run one-way on slanted beaches, and always check grass or sand first for uneven surfaces, holes, or sharp objects.
THE SAND IS YOUR FRIEND: If available, you can use some aggressive walking, toe dragging, and pivoting patterns in deep sand to help increase ankle stability and encourage joint range of motion.                                                              

                         – CHRIS BORGARD