Nature has recently published a study by a team from the Harvard University lead by Dr. Daniel E. Lieberman about barefoot / minimalist running and biomechanics. In order to popularize the study they set up a site where you can find the results:
I'm cutting and pasting their own summary which is better written than what I would ever be able:
I got this link from another very interesting blog which also includes a ton of useful information about training and biomechanics, specially for those interesting in the nitty gritty science stuff:
Enjoy
I'm cutting and pasting their own summary which is better written than what I would ever be able:
Our research asked how and why humans can and did run comfortably without modern running shoes. We tested and confirmed what many people knew already: that most experienced, habitually barefoot runners tend to avoid landing on the heel and instead land with a forefoot or midfoot strike. 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.
I got this link from another very interesting blog which also includes a ton of useful information about training and biomechanics, specially for those interesting in the nitty gritty science stuff:
Enjoy
