New e-book from VIVOBAREFOOT explains the hows and whys of barefoot running

By Darren Richardson, C.M.T.

Golden State Touch

Berkeley, Calif.

“Barefoot running” is one of those terms that isn’t as literal as it used to be.

Part of that is due to marketing. Forward-thinking shoe-makers understand the shoe that most closely mimics the shoeless state while walking and running is generally the best footwear choice for building strong, healthy feet, so it only follows that the word “barefoot” appear prominently in the ad copy.

But part of the relatively new ambiguity of the term is due to another literal truth – “barefoot shoes” can help even shod runners develop and maintain the same healthy running posture that barefoot runners have. This barefoot-style running posture is better for the feet and the entire body than the heavy, heel-thudding running style encouraged by heavily cushioned running shoes that have been so popular over the last couple decades.

Whether one is literally barefoot for running and other exercises or wearing, for example, a shoe from the VIVOBAREFOOT product line, there is a growing awareness that overprotection through shoes that shut down rather than make use of the foot’s innate sensory feedback capacities is not quite the panacea for foot woes that some runners once believed.

Biomechanics expert Lee Saxby, in conjunction with the VIVOBAREFOOT training clinic, has written a free e-book explaining how using the sensory feedback mechanisms in the soles of our feet help people run injury-free, whether they are barefoot or in minimalist shoes. “PROPRIOCEPTION: Making Sense of Barefoot Running” can be downloaded for free at the VIVOBAREFOOT training clinic website.

An excerpt:

“Because we overprotect our feet so much, our brains have learned to interpret a lot of their feedback as a warning to ‘tread carefully’. In order to start using your feet effectively, your brain therefore has to ‘rewire’ itself and learn to read these sensations as useful feedback rather than as a potential threat.

The objective of this first stage of training is for you to feel relaxed and confident walking barefoot across a variety of surfaces, both natural (grass, mud and sand) and man-made (concrete and tarmac).

As your feet and your brain begin to communicate properly about the new sensory information available, your movement across these terrains will become safer, confident and more efficient.”

That is outstanding advice for the beginning barefoot runner – or for anyone with feet capable of walking, for that matter – and the e-book is packed with more spot-on tips and solid scientific information. It includes informative graphics from acclaimed New York illustrator Bryan Christie to help convey the principles Saxby is explaining.

Harvard professor Daniel Lieberman, whose study on barefoot running made the cover of Nature and national headlines early last year, and best-selling “Born to Run” author Christopher McDougall contribute dual introductions to Saxby’s brief but highly informative e-book.

There are lots of websites and books on the market about barefoot running, and a lot of them have outstanding information. The beauty of “PROPRIOCEPTION: Making Sense of Barefoot Running” is that whether you are just thinking about shedding those thick-soled running shoes for the first time or have been running in bare feet for years, you will come away with helpful information.

Amid all the hype and hullaballoo about barefoot running and “barefoot shoes,” Saxby’s e-book is a must-read for anyone who runs on a regular basis, regardless of what kind of shoe they wear or don’t wear while exercising.

Whether you prefer walking barefoot or in shoes, foot reflexology and massage therapy can help you feel better all over. To learn more or schedule a session in Berkeley, Calif., please visit the Golden State Touch Web site at www.gstouch.com – and may your footsteps always be happy ones!

Additional Sources:

Dr. Daniel Lieberman’s Harvard site on barefoot running

The Barefoot Professor (Lieberman video)

2010 Science Daily Article on Lieberman’s research

Christopher McDougall’s blog

The Barefoot Book by Daniel Howell

Barefoot Runners Society

Barefoot Ken Bob

Barefoot Hiking article