Running...Without Shoes?

Imagine, waiting among a sea of hundreds, thousands of sprinters anxiously awaiting the beginning of race. As you observe those around you, one of the things that catch your eye is the variety of brightly colored running shoes each sprinter is wearing. A few of these people, however, stand out to you. They aren’t wearing shoes.

Barefoot running has gained popularity since the release of author Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run. According to Kevin A. Kirby, doctor of podiatric medicine on www.podiatrytoday.com, it’s just another passing fad within the running community.

Dr. Michael Dupper, assistant professor of exercise science at the University of Mississippi, has an interest in running shoe research.

“It’s a niche thing,” Dupper said when asked his opinion on barefoot running.

Barefoot running exhibits pros and cons when compared to running with shoes. Research has suggested that the extra cushioning in running shoes leads to an increased risk of injuries in the foot, ankle, and knees due to increased stress on these joints. When running with shoes, sprinters tend to land on the heel of the foot, exerting two to three times their body weight on the lower limbs. Running without shoes, however, allows the runner to land on the ball of their foot and then bring down the heel.

“Biomechanically we weren’t born with shoes so you would think that our bodies would adapt to it, but most of us have worn shoes since we were fitted with baby booties,” Dupper said.

“Your body builds up calluses over time, but there’s still going to be that soft tissue between the ball of your foot and the heel,” Dupper said. “The whole idea of running shoes is to act as a shock absorber, to decrease the amount of pressure throughout the entire foot. It’s important that you get shoes that fit your body and that are made for your particular running style.”

People turn their foot one way or the other when they’re planting their feet. There are also other factors to consider, such as if the arch of your foot is high, average, or low. This plays a major role in how much support the foot has. Also, body size must be considered when purchasing running shoes because lighter people will need lighter running shoes.

“It’s important to get shoes that not only fit you in size, like if you have a 7 1/2 and an 8, but also in width and in terms of the running style that you have in the foot placement,” Dupper said.

Whether to pursue this new trend and jog the trails barefoot, or sprint away with the shoe that’s right for you, the choice is yours.

Dr. Michael Dupper

Assistant Professor of Exercise Science

915-5564

mad@olemiss.edu