How many of you have been impressed by pictures of Milind Soman running barefoot and wondered if he can do it, so can I? Well, despite its benefits, it is not everyone’s cup of tea. And if Milind Soman can do it, there is every chance that you cannot.
Here’s what he wrote on his Instagram post: “Friday feet and Friday face, both bare, no footwear, no makeup people ask me what happens to my feet when I run barefoot. The answer is they get stronger, more capable of supporting me, making my posture better, better balance, improving my recovery.”
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Milind Soman often shares videos of himself from his workout session or his early morning runs.
But not everyone is a fan. The claims made about going barefoot can range from, “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done” to “I tried it and now I’m in terrible pain.” What does the research say about how to drop your usual runners and take up barefoot running, and why it seems to work for some people and not for others?
A new paper, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, tested a new way of switching from a traditional shoe to barefoot running and investigated why some runners may not tolerate barefoot running. It identified two key characteristics of runners who failed to transition to barefoot running, a report in The Conversation reads.
Here’s what was found
A stud was done on 76 runners who transitioned to barefoot running over 20 weeks – using a minimal running shoe as an intermediate phase between the traditional shoe and barefoot running. The runners ran in traditional running shoes for the first four weeks. For the next four weeks, they increased their time in minimal running shoes by no more than 20% of their total running volume each week.
After running full-time in minimal shoes for another four weeks, they then spent the next four weeks gradually increasing their time running barefoot by no more than 20% per week. Finally, they ran barefoot for a further four weeks.
The runners were asked to do some calf and foot strengthening and stretching, to assist the muscles in the move from a traditional shoe to barefoot running. Using this strategy, 70% of runners were able to successfully transition to barefoot running over 20 weeks.
Pain in the calf when running in minimal shoes and pain in the foot when running barefoot were the main reasons for not being able to switch to barefoot running.
Two features present in runners who failed to transition to barefoot running were identified.
Contacting the ground first with the heel while running.
Very mobile feet (which means the arch is more flexible when the foot is bearing weight).
It’s too early to say for sure, but we do know barefoot running tends to increase stress in the tissues of the foot and calf, according to the report.
The findings seem to indicate this tissue stress was not well tolerated in those who habitually contact the ground with their heels and/or have very mobile feet when they run barefoot or in minimal shoes.
This may result in pain and eventually injury. It is also known from other studies that running barefoot or in minimal shoes will result in higher rates of foot injury (such as stress fractures of the bones of the foot) and pain in the shin and calf. Traditional shoes usually provide more support and cushioning. It seems runners who habitually contact the ground with their heel while running find it difficult to switch to contacting the ground with more of their midfoot or forefoot, which is what barefoot running tends to promote.
Those with mobile feet may need their muscles to work harder to stiffen the foot when pushing the foot off the ground while running. Perhaps a more gradual transition period during which the limit is 10% (not 20%) weekly increase of running in minimal shoes or barefoot spread over a longer period (such as 40 weeks) would enable those wishing to run barefoot to do so without pain or injury, according to the report.
Here are some tips for successful barefoot running if you insist on doing it:
- Transition gradually over at least 20 weeks. Take longer if needed.
- Use a minimal shoe as an intermediary, if possible.
- Limit any increase in running in minimal shoes or barefoot to no more than 20% of the total running distance per week.
- Use pain during and in the 24 hours after running as a guide – especially if you feel the level of severity is unacceptable.
- Consult a sports and exercise health care professional (such as a physiotherapist or podiatrist) if you experience pain or require assistance in transitioning – especially if you have previous injuries.
- Consult a qualified run coach to assist with your running program.
- When barefoot running, protect your feet by running in well-lit conditions so you can see obstacles, and avoid excessively hot, cold or sharp surfaces.
- Mix it up – people who run in lots of different types of footwear report fewer injuries than those who only run in one type of shoe.
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