Running, a skill naturally ingrained in our genes, is second nature to humans, as our ancestors were always moving and hunting for food and survival. In today’s world, however, running is a matter of choice. Some choose to do it recreationally or to stay healthy and fit and athletes to improve their performance. While athletes were the ones who used to delve into the nitty gritty of technique and equipment to enhance performance, these days all runners look at these aspects to keep the injuries at bay. Running with shoes or barefoot is a point to debate.
Maintaining the correct gait, stride length and stride frequency are key factors in running efficiency. There are some runners who prefer barefoot running and others who mix it up while training. Experts say both come with their pros and cons.
Running barefoot vs with the shoes on
Running kinetics change depending on whether you are running barefoot or while wearing shoes.
“When you’re wearing shoes and running, the profile of the shoe sole defines how you make contact with the ground and changes your gait and strides accordingly,” says Tarun Walecha, head coach and founder of Runxtreme, a group for runners in Delhi.
“The kinetics and biomechanics of human beings are designed to aid barefoot running,” says Rohan Sharma, running coach and founder of EnduroCO Endurance Coaching, Delhi. “While running barefoot, you follow a very natural gait where the feet strike the ground in the correct manner. Whereas, while running with shoes, the striking pattern differs because you do not feel the contact with the ground, and the cushioning sole leads to unnatural striking patterns.”
For elite or seasoned runners, the gait and foot strike corrections happen over years of training.
Benefits of running barefoot and with shoes
Running with the shoes on is the most preferred training method as it protects the feet.
“Shoes also enhance performance by improving your running dynamics, adding an extra bounce and propelling you forward,” says Walecha. The protection factor of shoes overshadows the benefits of running barefoot.
Running barefoot has its benefits too.“Being barefoot enables you to be in direct contact with the ground. All the nerve endings in the soles of the feet get activated in reaction to the pressure, and contact is made with the ground, making the feet more responsive,” says Walecha.
Sharma points out: “In barefoot running, muscles, tendons, and ligaments have to work extra hard to keep the gait correct and to enable efficient striking of the feet on the ground to avoid any pain, leading to better strengthening.”
Can running cause injuries?
The types of injuries differ depending on whether you are running barefoot or in shoes. Running barefoot can injure the plantar region, apart from the normal cuts and bruises.
“In people who are barefoot less often, the tendons in the plantar region are not well developed, unlike the stiff and strong feet seen in people who are barefoot more often. But for most people, it is very soft, and the tendons are not used to the kind of stress that might occur with barefoot running. Thus, plantar injuries are common during the initial stages of barefoot running,” says Sharma. Stress fractures could also occur while running barefoot.
“The short strides taken in barefoot running ensure higher running cadence because of which the force per foot strike reduces. This decreases the overall impact on the joint, reducing injuries,” adds Sharma.
Injuries such as knee pain, glute pain, IT band syndrome, and shin splints can result from running in shoes, especially if the running gait is bad.
Another key area that one must work on to avoid injuries while running irrespective of the footwear, is overall physical fitness. “Injuries may also happen if the runners have no adequate strength training or diet,” emphasizes Walecha.
Choose the right shoes
“Shoes can be a reason for injury if it does not fit well and does not suit your profile of running,” says Walecha.
While selecting your running shoes, apart from the fit and size, the kind of padding it comes with should also be observed. “To protect the plantar in the feet a certain degree of cushioning is recommended. Shoes with bare minimum cushioning or even excessive cushioning should be avoided,” says Sharma.
“To draw the benefits of barefoot running and still protect the feet from injuries or cuts, people wear minimalistic shoes. They are helpful,” says Walecha. The market today is overflowing with minimalistic shoes that claim to be a good substitute for running barefoot.
However, they have their drawbacks too. “Despite the protection from external harm, these shoes lack cushioning. Thus, they will not be able to prevent the pain that might arise with a wrong foot/heel strike,” says Sharma.
Takeaways
- In the running community, a highly debated topic revolves around whether running barefoot or running with shoes on yields more benefits.
- Experts say both have their pros and cons, for instance, while running with shoes provides protection and enhances performance, running barefoot enables you to run with a proper gait and while staying connected with the ground.
- Internal injuries such as shin splints, IT Band syndrome, etc. are higher while running with the shoes on than barefoot. But external injuries are higher in the latter.
