There has been much attention given to the benefits of barefoot running over the past few weeks. Largely this attention has come from the latest research from Dr. Dan Liberman published in Nature this past week. You can also check out Dr. Liberman’s website https://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu for more information.
We at the Clinic must emphasize that there is no research to directly support or refute the injury-prevention potential of barefoot running. To date, the handful of biomechanical studies have simply provided evidence that running barefoot changes your mechanics compared to running shod. Thus, we are currently engaged in research to better understand this form of running. From a clinical and biomechanical perspective, what we do know is that sufficient ankle stabilizing muscle strength is critical to make the transition from shod to barefoot running. This program is meant to be a guide to help prevent injuries if you are thinking of taking up barefoot running.