ChiRunning’s perspective on Harvard barefoot study
Since Chris McDougall’s book, Born to Run came out, there has been an increasing amount of press coverage around the question of running technique in general and especially with respect to barefoot running. Well, this week the discussion jumped to a new level when Dr. Daniel Lieberman, Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, published his recent comparative study of the gait patterns and subsequent impact for runners wearing shoes and running barefoot. You can see Lieberman actually running barefoot in a YouTube video interview. There was also an article in this week’s Time magazine about his study as well as a segment on NPR.
One of the findings in Dr. Lieberman’s study was that runners who run with shoes tend to hit harder than barefoot runners. This flies in the face of the marketing of the shoe companies saying that their high-heeled shoe designs reduce impact and therefore help to prevent impact injuries. Don’t be fooled, they don’t. The best way to reduce your impact with the ground is to run more softly along the ground, which has been our main message here at ChiRunning for the past ten years.
Dr. Lieberman also found that runners who were used to running in shoes tended, almost exclusively to have a rearfoot strike and that most barefoot runners had either a forefoot or midfoot strike. (NOTE: I’d like to make a distinction here. Many people believe that midfoot and forefoot can be just combined to mean the same thing. I disagree. If your forefoot strikes the ground first [on the balls of your feet], you’re a forefoot striker regardless of whether or not you’re wearing shoes. If, on the other hand, you feel your entire foot touch the ground as you come down, you’re a midfoot striker. It has been suggested we change this term to “fullfoot strike” and I couldn’t agree more.)
The information from Lieberman’s study isn’t new information (see NPR story from 2006), but it is fabulous to finally have some scientific backup for our claims that a midfoot strike and minimal shoes can help you reduce or avoid many common running injuries. That’s why we’ve been doing all we can to teach runners how to transition to a midfoot (fullfoot) strike and it’s why we’re suggesting that runners try running in more minimal shoes. It’s all leading to the next phase in the evolution of modern day running, which is being aptly called “natural running” for a good reason. It’s how we all ran as kids and it’s how we all need to learn how to run as adults.
BUT, there’s a huge caveat here that I feel needs to be mentioned in the midst of all this hubbub around footstrike. The path to injury-free, efficient running is so much more than just being about the footstrike. It’s about body alignment, symmetry, looseness, biomechanics, and balance of the entire body.
ChiRunning teaches you how to land with a midfoot (fullfoot) strike without necessarily having to go directly to running barefoot. We suggest running either barefoot (on a firm surface, not on grass) or in minimal shoes. Whichever way you decide to go, it is crucial that you increase your distance over a long period of time so that your body can make the adjustments in a healthy and natural way. The good news is that many new shoes aimed at fulfilling the needs of those wishing to move away from over-built shoes are beginning to show up in running stores everywhere.
Danny
Danny,
I was curious what you thought about some comments in recent barefoot running articles that your calves have to get used to a midfoot stride? Any idea what they are doing differently?
Mary Ann
Comment by Mary Ann Anderson — January 29, 2010 @ 1:30 amDanny
Comment by Grahame Price — January 29, 2010 @ 1:56 pmIt’s great to see something so worthwhile and beneficial starting to hit a tipping point. ChiRunning and midfoot strike just makes sense. I heard about it through a cycling club from a triathlete. The word is spreading like wildfire.
Information like this is really what ‘Healthcare Reform’ is all about.
What a great way to get moving !
Keep up the great work.
Great post, Danny! It’s crazy, but I just read that study about an hour ago and then noticed you had a post on the am thing. It is a very intereting study and it truly validates what you have been teaching for a while now. I am currently reading “Born To Run” and for you Chi Runners, or anyone for that matter, you MUST pick this up and devour it. It is a fantastic read and I cant help but notice alot of the principles you teach (core, posture,foot strike) are talked about in the book. Im currently on my 4th week of Chi Running, focusing on Gradual Progress and once I have a very good grasp of the technique it will be time for some minimal shoes. Ive seen and read about the Vivobarefoot “Evo” which is coming out in March and am leaning toward getting those.
Comment by ARNOL GARZA — January 29, 2010 @ 5:53 pmThrilled to see your comments on the barefoot “phenomenon”. I’m in the middle of reading ChiRunning right now, and am starting to do “barefoot” in minimalist footwear (specifically Vibram FiveFingers). Between the form changes and the switch to the new footwear, I’ve noticed a huge difference in my running, and I certainly credit both. I’m still a little ways away from being up to the distance that I want, but I don’t doubt for a second that I’ll be able to do it this time.
Thanks for making this post!
Comment by sukotto — January 29, 2010 @ 7:26 pmThanks for addressing this Danny. This is a hot issue for a lot of runners I know, and I will be referring them to this blog. I did read Born to Run, and really liked it, but I”m not ready to jump in with both feet :). Since theChi Running lessons at the Death Valley camp, I’ve gradually moved to training flats. Although it has taken some time and a bit of tendinitis, the effect on my ability to run has been nice. But not as important as the techniques you taught me.
Comment by Kerry Lynch — January 29, 2010 @ 11:42 pmKerry
Maybe we should all buy Dunlop green flash trainers!
Comment by Charlie chork — January 30, 2010 @ 9:06 amhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7083934/Modern-running-shoes-could-be-bad-for-you.html
Hi Danny,
I think people are missing the point in this research - yes the media is pointing to the footstrike, and that’s obviously what most people think of when they think of running, especially when they think of running barefoot. But, as you say it’s so much more, it’s how you get to that footstrike, or as us barefoot runners say, foot touch, or landing (never “STRIKE” the earth - it always strikes back, just as hard).
But, for me, and I think what should be noted for others too, is that the way most people learned to run gently, was barefooted. That is, in the study, Lieberman talks about 75% of those who learned to run in shoes land with more impact. But, that’s just of those who still consider themselves runners. You and I both know, since we’ve both seen many, many, so-called “non-runners” discover that they could run well, just not so well until they learned to run.
And one of the keys is that we all have our own personal research lab built into our body, with a much more precise sensory system in the bare soles of our feet, than in all of Dr. Lieberman’s equipment put together. Of the people who learned how to walk and run barefoot, virtually all of them learned to run with a much gentler technique. And we all have the equipment to re-learn this technique, built into our soles…
And that’s the reason Dr. Lieberman had to try running barefoot in order to understand the full implications of his work!
Comment by Barefoot Ken Bob — January 30, 2010 @ 7:05 pmDanny - Key secret in all this new knowledge is it will take TIME to transission to barefoot running but is worth the time!!! - Bob Newsletter guy, Mansfield Area Y Running Club, Mansfield, OH PS What do you think of Feelmax Panka’s as a minimal shoe?
Comment by Bob Schroer "IEBOB" — February 2, 2010 @ 12:42 pmDanny, I had a question about barefoot running and nay injuries you might have heard of. I have been running in Vibrams exclusively for about 10 months and truly enjoyed every minute of it. I have been practicing Chi running techniques for about 6 years and find these two elements are truly in harmony and in line with each other. My problem is that I have been increasing my mileage in the past months in preparation for an ultra this spring and recently have encountered significant pain in in the top right front of my foot. I am not sure if I have caused a stress fracture or some other damage. Have you heard or read of any injuries of this type for Mid and Fore foot strikers?
Hi Andrew,
Yes, i have heard of this sort of injury in forefoot runners. When increasing your mileage on your VFF’s be sure you’re not doing any forefoot landing because the relatively small bones of the foot are not designed to catch the weight of the entire body. Running downhill on VFF’s is where the most damage potential exists because you can’t land on your heels and you can’t land on your forefoot either. On downhills be sure to shorten your stride and pick up your feet quickly to reduce the amount of impact to your feet as you descend. Also, make sure when you run uphill that you don’t overuse your forefoot to propel you up the hill or the same danger could exist. Run and land on your fullfoot as much as possible and you’ll keep yourself away from overusing those forefoot bones.
Cheers,
Comment by Andrew — February 3, 2010 @ 9:31 amDanny
Danny,
Comment by richi — February 4, 2010 @ 1:11 pmIf I remember correctly, you ran over a force plate at the University of Virginia some time ago. Would you please post the force X time tracings so we can see how Chi running compares with the groups studied at Harvard?