As you have probably guessed by the name of our clinic, Primal Movement Clinic, and the name of our blog, We Are Primal, we are interested in all things natural, holistic, and the parts of the world that bring us closer to how we are truly meant to be mentally, emotionally and physically. We see running as no different.
Our friends at PrimalLifestyle.com, have been extolling the virtues of barefoot running and singing their philosophy from the rooftops for quite some time now, and they sell and provide the rest of the UK with the brilliant Vibram 5 Fingers. They have also kindly provided us with some facts and figures that are discussed below. The Vibram 5 Fingers offer a tangible solution to the obvious issues associated with barefoot running. They offer protection, comfort whilst still not reducing the foots mobility, and provide the next best thing to running barefoot for those not quite brave enough to go the whole way.
Patients and friends of ours often say, 'they look weird...!', or 'don't they hurt your feet...?'. well in answer to all of those kinds of questions - no and no again. Change or something that is different can often be difficult for people to accept at first glance or thought...!
We can all appreciate, although we often forget, how good it feels to take our shoes and socks off and feel the ground beneath our feet. If you haven't done it in a while (and if it's suitable!), take the next opportunity to go and walk on the grass barefoot. I am sure you will feel a sense of wholeness with the earth and feel a positive lift in your energy and your aura that being in contact with the ground provides.
According to our knowledgeable friends at PrimalLifestyle.com, a study carried out by Wharburton in 2001 shows of gathering evidence that walking barefoot results in enhanced performance and decreased injury risk.
Evolutionary evidence tells us that the human foot has been evolving and modifying for over 270,000,000 years. This spans from our earliest ancestors, the Ardipithecus group, all the way to what we see before us today. The human foot is an incredibly malleable and capable structure that is the first point of contact with the ground on which we land. It is designed to absorb the forces safely, therefore reducing the shock that passes through the ankle, knee, hip and lower back. The human foot also stores and releases energy for each step we take.
Liebermann et al (2010) produced a piece of research to find out how and why humans can, and do, run comfortably without 'modern' running shoes. They confirmed that experienced barefoot runners tend to avoid landing on the heel and instead land with a forefoot or midfoot strike. They showed that forefoot and midfoot strikes (with or without shoes) do not generate the sudden, large impact forces that occur when runner's heel strike (with or without shoes). This tells us that runners with correct technique do not need those trainers with big thick cushioned heels, and therefore the modern trainer is precipitating this faulty running pattern.
The feet are hugely important in providing essential natural biofeedback (gathering of information from body receptors in order to monitor and fine-tune body function). There are an estimated 200,000 receptors in the sole of each foot, making it one of the most nerve rich areas of the body - doesn't this striking fact tell us how important the proper movement of our feet is!?
If you take a traditional shoe, it has a rubber sole, a soft cushioned insole and generally there is a sock around the foot. These materials provide an inch or so of distance from the ground and silence the receptors in your feet. You could call this 'Shoe Induced Neuropathy' as there is such a lack of biofeedback coming from the foot.
10 Reasons to go Barefoot
1. Enhanced running efficiency
Research shows that barefoot running results in a 4% increase in efficiency.
2. Improve circulation in your legs
Blood is pumped more efficiently back to the heart through enhanced muscular use in the lower leg.
3. Decreased ankle sprains
Increased foot awareness of foot position by the brain due to the increased biofeedback, therefore less likely to stumble.
4. Lowered risk of shin splints
Through not heel striking when running, there is less demand on the muscles in the front of the shin
5. Minimise back pain
Any change in the position of our body and our feet when we walk, away from walking barefoot, is to detract from our original, most efficient design.
Wearing shoes changes the arches in our feet and therefore negatively affects the mechanics of the lower back, leading to decreased function and eventually pain.
6. Enhance proprioception
70% of the body's nerve endings are in the feet and hands. If you use your feet, more information is given back to the brain and the body's ability to balance and move is improved.
7. Strengthen intrinsic foot muscles
Using the feet as nature intended rather than wrapped up in a shoe, allows the muscles to act as nature had intended, therefore the muscles will strengthen.
8. Maximise biomechanical performance
Our arches do more than just 'shock absorb', they actually store energy and then return that energy to the gait cycle in the next step. Barefoot improves the function of the arches, which improves teh body's mechanical function as a result.
9. Lower risk of bunions
Shoes inevitably push the toes into a point. That combined with a heel puts even more force into the big toe joint. Both of these combined with a generally weakened foot can cause a pronation dysfunction which can further exacerbate the problem.
10. Optimise balance and prevent falls
Improvements in balance through increased biofeedback from the feet will inevitably prevent falls.
We hope you will join us or at least try to include more barefoot stuff in your life... We are more than confident you will love it!
Thanks for reading,
We Are Primal
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