I've always run with toe first, even though I don't go barefoot. It wasn't until I finished the book "Born to Run" that I realized so many people run with heel first. It just looks non-intuitive and inefficient. The most straightforward transition from a walk to a sprint is to explode on your toes. I really don't understand the heel first running style.<p>For most field sports athletes, I think it's a pretty natural form as well. For any sport requiring pivoting, cutting, and rotating (soccer, basketball, football, etc) explosiveness is key. I can't think of any activity where heel first running would work, except for really light jogging or power walking.<p>The high incidence of knee (or other) injuries in some sports isn't really related to running form either. Most of them are a result of trauma, such as landing awkwardly or physical contact. Toe first versus heel first doesn't really matter there, except for the stronger muscles that the former form may build. Running toe first will reduce the chance of injury from persistent strain put on the lower body as a result of long-form running, since it happens repeatedly over a long period of time.