Barefoot Running

[Bike Chick]

FWIW (not that any of this really belongs in the barefoot thread ) - with my very short first MTs (both 2nd and 3rd are shorter than 1st) and very wide forefeet, I did go with the Nike Zoom Triax Structure 13, for a couple of reasons, #1 being that they just fit so much better than anything else. Surprised the heck out of me, since Nikes used to be so super narrow. They've got a VERY square toe box and the heels are plenty narrow for me, even in the Wide width.

Oak, I may give those a try. I'm needing a new pair of shoes and have been using the Asics Gel Kayanos. They work fine but I've had so many problems with my heels, feet and ankles that I'm beginning to wonder if it's the shoes.

[KnottedYet]

There is a really cool study being published (I left the info at work) which looked at shoe type and foot type and what injury rates were.

Here's the basic idea, and I'm just going by memory: they took a bunch of experienced runners, and carefully divided them into 3 groups based on their foot posture type: pronators, neutrals, and supinators. Then they randomly assigned 1/3 of EACH GROUP to wear motion control shoes, neutral shoes, or cushy shoes. They ran for something like 3 months in only their assigned shoes.

So you had essentially 9 studies going on, cuz there was a combination of each foot posture type and each shoe type (regardless of if the foot "matched" the shoe).

The results were very cool: didn't matter what the foot posture type, the folks wearing motion control shoes had the most injuries. Folks in the neutral shoes gave them the highest comfort ratings, regardless of the person's foot posture type. There were some other bits, but I don't remember.

And the grand conclusion: doesn't matter what in tarnation you wear on your feet, as long as it feels good to you. Your body is smart enough to tell what will work for it.

Run! Be happy!

[colby]

Thanks for keeping us up to date on all the news, Knot. It's fascinating.

My massage (not a traditional massage, more of the active release type) and chiro (sports rehab kind of guy) have both been pleased with the progress of my Vibram running. Heel pain is gone. Hips, SI, pelvis, low back, all staying much more stable. Ankles and calves have adapted. Pain in my shins (shin splints, I guess) is far more tolerable than it has been in the past at this volume of running - as in, you can actually touch my shins - and I can massage/stretch it out.

Having been through the adaptation to the minimalist running, though, I don't think it's for everyone. Just like saddles on a bike (and bike fits themselves, for that matter), there's no perfect shoe for everyone. There are definitely foot shapes that the Vibrams wouldn't work very well for (long toes, toes that vary in length from "average toes" too much, very narrow feet might have trouble, not sure about the flat-footed either). Not to mention, concrete... ouch. I am not sure I will be able to run the Seattle Marathon in them, it's so much concrete. On the other hand, I can't imagine running without them anymore.

I got a pair of Bikilas in the mail this week - had to get womens sized ones, they don't make them in mens under a 40 (I need a 39 ). They seem narrower in the forefoot and the heel, but not too narrow. The sole is stiffer than the KSOs and the inside is much softer. The toes have reflective material on them. I haven't ran in them yet, I'm traveling and didn't bring them with me, sticking with what I know for now. I don't know if I have the time to break them in over the next 3 weeks to run a marathon in them, but we'll see. I really hope I can run in them barefoot without getting the painful marks on my arches. They are also white, which should be better in the sun.