There are different schools of thought on Barefoot running, just like everything else in this sport. Barefoot running became popular in the late 2000s with the release of the book, Born To Run by Christopher Mcdougall, which is about the Tarahumara people—an indigenous tribe in Mexico—who run extreme distances in sandals without injury. 

Benefits of Barefoot Running:

1. Minimizes Impact on The Knees

This is highly debated. In fact, some people say that it increases the impact on the knees because there is no cushion to absorb it. I bought Vibram FiveFinger Shoes—barefoot shoes—to help my knees heal after running 3 times a day for 6 years in the military. It worked, and my knee pain went away. I’ve been running in barefoot shoes since 2010, and I still love it. 

The reason impact is reduced on our knees is due to Proprioception. Proprioception is our body’s ability to sense the environment around us. Proprioceptors are sensors embedded in our muscles, tendons, and joints. When we run in traditional running shoes with the cushioning of the sole that we love so much, it actually increases the impact on our knees. 

The impact on our knees is increased because when the sole strikes the ground, our proprioceptors don’t recognize that the bottoms of our feet reached the ground so the impact of our foot is higher than it would be without the cushioning as our feet get surprised every time they strike the ground.  

2. Running Natural

This is self-explanatory, but I will explain. We are constantly told that we’re running the wrong way, “You’re a heel striker. You need to be striking with your midfoot or forefoot,” but why do we need to learn how to run? Aren’t we natural runners? Didn’t our survival as a species partly due to our ability to run and hunt? There are still tribes today—Kalahari bushmen of Botswana and the Raramuri people of Northern Mexico— that practice persistent hunting—running after prey until the prey exhausts itself. Did these tribes have to learn proper foot striking techniques? The answer is “NO!” 

The traditional running shoe has become a hindrance because we had to figure out how to suit the shoe rather than the shoe suiting us by changing our running form. Barefoot running automatically lets us naturally run just how our bodies were intended to. 

3. Strengthens The Feet

Barefooting, in the beginning, is challenging. Most people quit. New muscles and tendons get activated. In the beginning, the muscles will hurt. This is why we need to take it slow. The bottoms of the feet will hurt, especially when running over loose rocks.  

When I started running in my barefoot shoes, I could only run 2 miles, and I was in pain for days, but now I can run for many miles.

4. More Stability When Running

This seems counterintuitive but bear with me. When we run on uneven ground in running shoes, our foot sometimes lands at an angle, causing us to roll, sprain, or break the ankle. This occurs because we can’t maneuver or have the flexibility to get out of the roll. When barefooted, we have more flexibility and maneuverability that lets us quickly recover from an ankle roll.  

5. Minimalist Shoes Are Easy To Pack

Minimalist shoes are super easy to pack when traveling. Most minimalist shoes can be rolled up or bent however we want. This allows us to run anywhere in the world without coming up with creative ways to fit our sneakers into our luggage. 

I had run in my Vibram FiveFinger shoes on all my vacations because they’re just so easy to pack. Sometimes I even put them in my coat pockets. 

Disclaimer: The above benefits are based on my opinion. Some studies show positive effects, negative effects, and no effects from running barefoot. These results are inconclusive, especially because the sample size (how many subjects are in the study) is always very small. These experiments are mostly conducted on novice runners or individuals who never ran before, not seasoned barefoot runners. 

We’re all different and our bodies respond differently to external stimuli, but how will we know what works for us if we never try? One thing I love about running is that I get to experiment with what works for me. This works for me, it may not work for you. 

   

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