Minimalist running takes the high-tech, super cushioned, motion stabilizing foot casts that we call running shoes and throws them out the window. As the title of Lesley Alderman's article in the New York Times states, "For Running Shoes, It's Fit First and Price Last." That's right. People have decided to go with what feels good on their feet rather than what the price and salesmen tell them will be best. Through the blogs and articles I've read, people have turned to everything from the thin "water shoes" worn when swimming in lakes and rivers to the Vibrams Five Fingers and Nike's Free Run. All of which have the same goal in mind. Let the foot work the way it's meant and reduce the strain and injuries on the runner's body.
Our feet are a complex web of muscles, ligaments tendons and bones designed masterfully to be shock absorbing springs for walking and running without shoes. However, years of wearing "corrective" and "supportive" shoes and orthotics have allowed our feet to become sloppy and lazy. The good news is that correcting the feet is easy and fun. The best rehabilitation for the feet is the most simple...go barefoot!
Dr. Maffetone suggests first walking around the house barefoot all the time for two to three weeks. It is best to do completely barefoot, but thin socks are alright if your feet get cold. Now head outside and walk around on some flat surfaces. Do this for 10-20 minutes each day building up the time you spend outside slowly. After a week, head off-road and walk in the grass, sand and dirt. Again start with a few minutes and build up over the next three weeks. Now go for a walk. Make it a 10-15 minute walk barefoot on whatever surface you like. This process has not only helped your feet come back to life and regain their spring, but it will change the mechanics of your ankles, knees, hips, spine, and stimulate your brain, eventually affecting your entire health.
While everyone can go through the above rehabilitation of their feet, some feet are just not meant to run bare. If you decide to join the minimalist running crew, find what works best for you. We recommend, as do coaches of barefoot runners, to have a slow smooth transition into the barefoot world. Just like any new workout, if you jump in to quickly you are more like to get hurt than you are to reap the benefits. Go through the rehab above and then work your way through the shoes from the flat, thin soled shoe that fits comfortably down to the barefoot. Again, do not go by price but by fit. Try on many sizes to find the one that feels the best.
It's time to enjoy the workouts that keep us healthy and let our body do the job is was made to do. Stop holding your body back by wearing casts on your feet. Open them up and enjoy the run!
