"A bit of my background: During basic training and my advanced training I suffered stress fractures in the right side of my pelvis, stress fractures in my shins, and 3 broken bones in my left foot (I believe the broken bones in my left foot were due to me overcompensating for the stress fractures of my pelvis). Before this, I was a relatively active and healthy kid. I didn't run cross country or anything, but I sure as heck was never injured! Military doctors told me that I was never going to run again and that were going to medically discharge me. I asked for a chance, and by not much more than the skin of my teeth (17:58 for a 2 mile), I passed. I've always had more upper body strength than lower, but I knew something wasn't right. I was a healthy 18 year old and I was getting injuries that people twice my age were barely getting..."
Barefoot-style running is so bad for you! Oh, wait, she was wearing regular sneakers. Whoops...
Running barefoot seems like a good idea, running in minimal shoes also seems like a good idea. Think of this however. 85% of the population will develop a foot problem requiring self or 3rd party treatment. The shoes we have been wearing for decades may be the cause of the problem. It may however have taken decades for the symptoms to show up ( a "straw that the camels back” scenario) it may be very naive to think that problems that were decades in the making can be resolved so quickly. Muscles control the biomechanics of the foot and gait, muscles stride, management and contribute energy to the system. The key muscles in gait require a proprioceptive stimuli for the environment and yet footwear insulates are shoes from the environment, particularly the sole of our foot. Minimal shoes are a good idea in that they do not possess the bracing structures that encourage our feet to be weaker and prone to injury – however even the minimal shoes insulate the sole of foot from the support surface (terrain), they are better than traditional shoes, but they still insulate. Before even attempting prolonged barefoot activities or simulated barefoot activities you need to work those muscles and specifically target those muscles before they get over stress in the transition to barefoot. So to reduce/or prevent those injuries occurring the transition phase focus on foot strengthening exercises and/or get some biofeedback based insoles (there are some available in the US market) to put into those minimal shoes. Something to think about
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