More Fitzgerald On Barefoot Running

Not very compelling:

"As the number of barefoot experimenters who tear Achilles tendons, strain calves, fracture calcaneal bones,* and mutilate plantar fascia accumulates, fear of injury may prevent more and more runners from trying the same experiment, despite their evident curiosity."

I participate in an active barefoot running forum (See "Links" to the right).  I've not heard of any torn achilles tendons, fractured calcaneal bones, or mutilated plantar fascia from people in that forum.  Strained calves, yes, but so what?  I have heard of a lot of people who've cured plantar fasciitis with barefoot-style running, and loads of people, myself included, who've seen shin splints vanish for good. 

Fitzgerald doesn't have *any* evidence that there is a "barefoot running injury epidemic", just a few unlikely anecdotes.

I don't believe that these doctors are seeing that many barefoot running injuries because there simply aren't that many people running in their bare feet in the United States.

* I did break both my heel bones in high school, btw.  Oddly enough the heels on my shoes did not protect my heel bones when I jumped off a stair case and landed on the heels.