Archangel M
Senior Master
Any barefoot or minimalist shoe runners around about? I've been building up the miles in my Vibram Fivefinger shoes. Still kissing my heel a bit on my stride but the post run difference in knee/back stiffness is noticeable.
barefoot running
- Thread starter Archangel M
- Start date
Big Don
Sr. Grandmaster
What comments do you get on the shoes?
Had just the opposite experience with hiking. Minimalist shoes made my back issues 10 times worse, to the point where I need to take serious time off and will be lucky if I can get in another mountain before the fall. I wish I never tried the idea out, the time lost is so not worth it. I know some folks that swear by them, though.
David43515
Master Black Belt
I`m not really a runner, but I`ve worn as little on my feet as I can for years. I`ve been looking into the five-fingers or some moccasins, but for the last few years I`ve just worn wrestling shoes everywhere. Wearing very little shoe makes me feel like I move lighter on my feet. And I know what you mean about just kissing your heel down. The lighter footwear let`s me change to a more midfoot strike of the sole, or sometimes closer to the ball of my feet. But it takes time to get used to. If you try wearing those light shoes and still keep clomping down on your heels first you`re going to get alot more impact. When I occasionally do wear "real" running shoes I feel like I`m walking on pillows. Feels great, but when I switch back I have to learn to walk all over again.
My wife swears by Vibrams. I still use normal shoes, but I've been thinking about picking some up to practice karate on rough surfaces. As far as barefoot running is concerned, I run all of the time down at the beach. There doesn't seem to be that much difference. Maybe it's the sand.
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Have you tried custom made orthotics? Had to wear some almost 24/7 for about 5 years. Diminished the issue considerably. Running arefoot dosn't so much helps, it just doesn't hurt the knees quite as much.
Getting old sucks.
OP
OP
Archangel M
Senior Master
Heavily cushioned, stability controlled, gel lined running shoes are a modern contrivance. I think that our feet were designed to run pretty efficiently w/o shoes. Even most of our history in shoes has been for protection from the environment vs "improving" on the foots original design.Most problems with people starting out with minimalist shoes is overdoing it. Since most of us have been wearing shoes since birth, going back to "barefoot running" takes some time...and a change in stride training.
I wear the flattest, thinnest soled shoes I can get in my size whenever I can, and for whatever I can. I make my own moccasins, wear the Walmart version of "kung fu shoes," wrestling shoes, and Merrell Barefoot Gloves for running the trails and hiking...the Vibram's don't come in real men's sizes, and the Merrell,s look enough like normal shoes that my dignity is preserved.
In any case, I've found it to be better for my balance, my knees, and my overall times for distances-I actually took more than an hour off of my 50 mile time, and I credit the whole thing to that small change in shoes (that and training up to it in them, of course.) It's especially easy on my knees. The funny part is that I've always been required to wear a variety of shoes, professionally, and the best part of my day is often getting to the car and taking off those steel toed boots and putting on nice, flat comfortable shoes......ahhhh!
In any case, I've found it to be better for my balance, my knees, and my overall times for distances-I actually took more than an hour off of my 50 mile time, and I credit the whole thing to that small change in shoes (that and training up to it in them, of course.) It's especially easy on my knees. The funny part is that I've always been required to wear a variety of shoes, professionally, and the best part of my day is often getting to the car and taking off those steel toed boots and putting on nice, flat comfortable shoes......ahhhh!
Big Don
Sr. Grandmaster
The whole living in paradise thing probably negates any pain...
