Study: Running barefoot reduces stress on feet, prevents injuries
Study: Running barefoot reduces stress on feet, prevents injuries

Stressing on the benefit of running barefoot, a new study published in the journal Nature suggests that running barefoot changes the way in which a person’s foot hit the ground - bringing about a reduction in the stress-level on the feet as well as preventing injuries that mostly irk the customarily shod runners.

The study, led by Harvard University biologist Daniel Lieberman, noted that barefoot runners generally land on the forefoot, causing a smaller part of the foot to come to an abrupt stop, with any further shock being absorbed by the natural spring-like motion of the foot and leg.

In contrast, runners wearing shoes mostly land on their heels which have to bear the shock of the landing impact – as such sports shoe-makers design footwear with foams, gels, or air pockets in the heels to reduce the potentially damaging impact that equals nearly 2-3 times a person’s body weight.

For the study, the researchers used high-speed video and force plate, which is a bathroom scale-like device, to undertake a digital dissection of the moment-by-moment stress-levels on the feet of 63 runners when they ran barefoot.

Commenting on the findings, the researchers said: “Our feet were made in part for running. For most of human evolutionary history, runners were either barefoot or wore minimal footwear such as sandals or moccasins with smaller heels and little cushioning.”

Latest News

5000 Leprosy Cases Identified in Western Pacific
Genome Sequence Helps in Determining Breeding Crocs
India-EU Tug of War Continues
The New Electric Cheque
Google to Modernize its Networking Sites
Brothers Turn Blind Because of Leber's Optic Neuropathy
Snyder Students Keen on Resolving the Risk of Disease Outbreak
Valentine's Gifts Can Be Dangerous for Your Pets
Need to Go for Regular Dental Checkup
Women Must Take Good Care of Their Heart
Internet is Lovers’ Cupid
Healthy Looking Skin Attracts Women towards Men