(ACE), America’s leading authority on fitness and the world’s
largest nonprofit fitness certification, education and training
organization, today announced the results of an independently
conducted, academic study on Vibram FiveFingers, a sock-style
shoe designed to simulate the effect of running barefoot while
still protecting the foot. The study found that while the shoes
may be beneficial for those who suffer from chronic running
injuries, using Vibrams and barefoot-style shoes for running can
pose additional risks if runners do not adopt the correct foot-
to-ground strike style. ACE commissioned the study to determine
what happens when runners switch from their traditional running
shoes to wearing minimalist running shoes like Vibram
FiveFingers. Advocates of barefoot running suggest that
traditional running shoes may increase a runner’s risk of
injury, as the shoes encourage the foot to use a heel-strike
pattern, which causes more pounding and stress. Conversely,
barefoot runners tend to run more lightly,