Barefoot Running Can Be Great, but Tread Carefully New Studies
Show Runners Are Faster and More Efficient but May be Injured
Without Shoes June 1, 2012 (San Francisco) -- You may be able to
run faster if you take off your shoes. But you also risk injury,
new studies show. Your legs and feet move differently when you
run barefoot. This can make you more efficient. But the
unfamiliar movements can strain your muscles and tendons. "If
you do make this change, do so slowly and carefully," warns Paul
DeVita, PhD, who studies biomechanics at East Carolina
University. Barefoot Running Picking Up Speed Barefoot running
is becoming increasingly popular. Advocates say it is more
natural. And many shoe companies are making "minimalist"
footwear that is lighter and less restrictive. Researchers are
investigating these claims. They presented a dozen studies at
the Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine
now being held here. In one study, 12 people ran on a treadmill
for six minutes barefoot and for six m