Middle School Science Fair Project on Shod Running vs. Barefoot Running

Richie, I hope you get lots of input from BRS folks. Good luck with the science fair project!

Here's my input.


1.)Have you tried barefoot running? Yes2.)If yes, did you run barefoot or with minimalist shoes? Both Barefootand in Minimalist Shoesa.If yes, what type of minimalist shoes? Depending on temperature and terrain, I've run in socks, several types of water shoes, ZEMs, and Vivobarefoot Ultras.3.)Why did you switch over to barefoot running (you can have more than one response)?a.Read book about Barefoot runningb.Medical issues with Shod Running (if yes please elaborate in question 4)c.Did not feel like you could run well with classic running shoes on.d.Other (please describe) Hip pain from running in shoes got me to seek alternatives. I discovered barefoot running on the internet and tried it. That was 2.5 years ago and I've had no hip pain since. I never had my pain diagnosed, so I don't know if it was a true medical condition. I think I just had horrible running form and bfr corrected it. 4.)In regards to 3b (if answered yes) what medical issues did you have?a.Surgeryb.Pain in leg (if yes please elaborate, i.e. calf, shin)c.Pain in feetd.Pain in backe.Other Medical Issues (please describe in a couple of sentences) My hips were hurting from running to the point I had to take a pain killer to sleep. That was from running only 12 miles per week in typical running shoes. I never sought medical attention for it, so it was never diagnosed. I don't know if it was the beginning of osteoarthritis, or if I had injured my hip joints from running with bad form. 5.)When you transitioned to barefoot running did you do a gradual transition? Yes, very gradual. My first barefoot run of 1/4 mile gave me blisters. After the blisters healed, my first week consisted of 4 runs each 1/8 mile. After a month I could run 1 mile barefoot. At 3 months I ran 9 miles, so it increased more quickly with time. 6.)Did you experience pain when you transitioned to barefoot running? Yes, mostly from blisters, but also from getting soles toughened and used to stepping on pebbles, etc. 7.)If yes to #6 rate your pain in yourfeeton a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain in a couple of sentences. 1 2 3 4 5 I'd give foot pain a 3. Foot pain at the beginning was mostly from blisters and stepping on objects like pebbles.8.)If yes to #6 rate your pain in yourlegon a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain and location of pain (i.e. calf vs. shin) in a couple of sentences. 1 2 3 4 5 I'd say leg pain was a 2, mostly sore muscles from being used differently compared to running in shoes. 9.)If yes to #6 rate your pain in yourbackon a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain in a couple of sentences. 1 2 3 4 5 Back pain was 1, or 0. I did not experience back pain when transitioning to bfr. 10.)If yes to #6 did your pain go away? Yesa.If so how long did this take? Leg pain was gone in a couple weeks. Foot pain was diminished signifficantly in 1 month, although I continued to get blisters for over a year when I pushed the distance envelope, and had to lay off a few days to let them heal.11.)Are you currently continuing to run barefoot? Yes. Of 677 miles run this year (in 2011), 390 miles was barefoot. The remaining 287 miles was in a variety of socks and minimal shoes. My longest single barefoot run was 18 miles, which I did late this past summer. Lovin' it!

Richie:



Here are my responses to your survey. Best of luck with this project!




1.) Have you tried barefoot running? Yes 2.) If yes, did you run barefoot or with minimalist shoes? Both Barefootand inMinimalist Shoes a. If yes, what type of minimalist shoes? water shoes, Vibram Five Fingers and Altra Adams3.) Why did you switch over to barefoot running (you can have more than one response)? b. Medical issues with Shod Running4.) In regards to 3b what medical issues did you have? e. Other Medical Issues (please describe in a couple of sentences)Hip pain due to 25 years of shod running in (and after) the Army. I was running fast and hard about 30 miles per week until I started having hip pain that just wouldn't go away. 2 orthopedic surgeons told me that I had worn out all of the cartilege in my right hip, and that my only options were hip replacement surgery (at age 42, which probably sounds very old to you, but isn't nearly old enough for hip replacement) or to stop running. A marathoner/triathlete friend of mine suggested barefoot running as a third alternative, which I tried (successfully). _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5.) When you transitioned to barefoot running did you do a gradual transition? I went straight to Vibrams, which allowed me to run farther and faster than my newly unshod feetcould sustain, resulting in a stress fracture of my left foot's third metatarsal head (the last bone in the foot where your middle toe attaches). That led me to 10 weeks off totally from running to heal, then a start over, this time truly barefoot, which has worked much more effectively (and injury-free) for me.6.) Did you experience pain when you transitioned to barefoot running? Minor, due to the time it took to learn how to run without scuffing my soles and while adapting to stepping on very small rocks and other stuff.7.) If yes to #6 rate your pain in your feet on a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain in a couple of sentences. 1 2 3 4 5 I'd call it a "2" at the worst, which is stepping on small rocks on top of hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt. The friction that produced lots of blisters early on was probably something less than a "1" on the 1-5 scale. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8.) If yes to #6 rate your pain in your leg on a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain and location of pain (i.e. calf vs. shin) in a couple of sentences. 1 2 3 4 5 The longer I ran barefoot, the less hip pain I had. None of the hip/leg pain came from barefoot running; it was all leftover from shod running, and has continued to diminish. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9.) If yes to #6 rate your pain in your back on a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain in a couple of sentences. 1 2 3 4 5 Never have had any back pain with barefoot running. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10.) If yes to #6 did your pain go away? Yes or Noa. If so how long did this take? Yes, over perhaps 8-12 weeks. _______________________________________________11.) Are you
currently continuing to run barefoot? Yes, about 20-25 miles per week (4 times per week)

Thank you!

Awesome, thank you!

1.)Have you tried barefoot running? Yes2.)If yes, did you run barefoot or with minimalist shoes? Barefoot a.If yes, what type of minimalist shoes? ________________________3.)Why did you switch over to barefoot running (you can have more than one response)?c.Did not feel like you could run well with classic running shoes on.4.)In regards to 3b (if answered yes) what medical issues did you have?a.Surgeryb.Pain in leg (if yes please elaborate, i.e. calf, shin)c.Pain in feetd.Pain in backe.Other Medical Issues (please describe in a couple of sentences) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5.)When you transitioned to barefoot running did you do a gradual transition? Yes6.)Did you experience pain when you transitioned to barefoot running? Yes7.)If yes to #6 rate your pain in yourfeeton a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain in a couple of sentences. 3 I tried, as many do, to transition too quickly and experienced top of foot pain.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8.)If yes to #6 rate your pain in yourlegon a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain and location of pain (i.e. calf vs. shin) in a couple of sentence
s. 1 2 3 4 5 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9.)If yes to #6 rate your pain in yourbackon a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain in a couple of sentences. 1 2 3 4 5 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10.)If yes to #6 did your pain go away? Yesa.If so how long did this take? __Several days_____________________________________________11.)Are you currently continuing to run barefoot? Yes

Thank you for the response NickW!

Thank you for the response Barefoot Ramzev!

1.) Have you tried barefoot running? Yes2.) If yes, did you run barefoot or with minimalist shoes?Minimalist Shoes (and rarely barefoot)a. If yes, what type of minimalist shoes? VFFs, NRS Kicker Remix (for below freezing)3.) Why did you switch over to barefoot running (you can have more than one response)? d. Other (please describe)My wife adopted barefoot running and I learned about it from her. I switched because it seemed more efficient and natural.4.) In regards to 3b (if answered yes) what medical issues did you have? a. Surgeryb. Pain in leg (if yes please elaborate, i.e. calf, shin)c. Pain in feetd. Pain in backe. Other Medical Issues (please describe in a couple of sentences) ____________________________________________________________________________none____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5.) When you transitioned to barefoot running did you do a gradual transition? Yes6.) Did you experience pain when you transitioned to barefoot running? Yes7.) If yes to #6 rate your pain in your feet on a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). 1Please describe pain in a couple of sentences.Brief sharp pin-prick sensations in the plantar foot. Never much and neverhad to stop. Also some occasional blisters when barefoot on cement. 8.) If yes to #6 rate your pain in your leg on a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain and location of pain (i.e. calf vs. shin) in a couple of sentences. 09.) If yes to #6 rate your pain in your back on a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain in a couple of sentences. 010.) If yes to #6 did your pain go away? Yesa. If so how long did this take? 1-2 months11.) Are you currently continuing to run barefoot? YesNote: My wife and daughter run in FiveFingers as well. May I repeat this survey with their data or email it as they are not members of this forum?

Hello, Yes, you can fill in the survey for your wife and your daughter. In the bottom of the survey (where you put the note) please state that you are filling in for another individual. Thank you so much!

1.)Have you tried barefoot running? Yes or No2.)If yes, did you run barefoot or with minimalist shoes? Barefoot or Minimalist Shoesa.If yes, what type of minimalist shoes? ________________________3.)Why did you switch over to barefoot running (you can have more than one response)?a.Read book about Barefoot runningb.Medical issues with Shod Running (if yes please elaborate in question 4)c.Did not feel like you could run well with classic running shoes on.d.Other (please describe) _______________________________________________________________________Chronic Achilles problems when running shod. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4.)In regards to 3b (if answered yes) what medical issues did you have?a.Surgeryb.Pain in leg (if yes please elaborate, i.e. calf, shin) achillesc.Pain in feetd.Pain in backe.Other Medical Issues (please describe in a couple of sentences) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5.)When you transitioned to barefoot running did you do a gradual transition? Yes or No6.)Did you experience pain when you transitioned to barefoot running? Yes or No7.)If yes to #6 rate your pain in yourfeeton a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain in a couple of sentences. 1 2 3 4 5 _________________________________________________________________________________________________I had moderate top of foot pain during my transition but the Achillies pain diminished. I also got bliters when running (foolishly) on hot pavement once. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8.)If yes to #6 rate your pain in yourlegon a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain and location of pain (i.e. calf vs. shin) in a couple of sentences. 1 2 3 4 5 No pain in my legs. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9.)If yes to #6 rate your pain in yourbackon a scale of 1-5 (1 being very little pain, 5 being extreme pain). Please describe pain in a couple of sentences. 1 2 3 4 5 ______________________None __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10.)If yes to #6 did your pain go away? Yes or Noa.If so how long did this take? _5 days on one foot and then a month later I had a 2 week discomfort on the other foot.______________________________________________11.)Are you currently continuing to run barefoot? Yes or No With no pain!