I’ve been pretty active since the age of 13, so I’ve owned my fair share of athletic shoes.  It has always amazed me how manufacturers continue to outdo each other in the never-ending “foot” race for a more lightweight, responsive, comfortable, cushion-y shoe.  Much of the technology centered around the most efficient way to implement shock absorption in the shoe to protect lower extremities from acute and chronic injury when running on hard surfaces like concrete and asphalt.  In that respect, manufacturers succeeded.  Ironically, buying these types of sneakers may turn out to be one of the worst decisions you can make for your legs and feet.

As I showed my 20s the door, I continued to maintain a very high level of activity.  Aside from shin splints and occasional acute injuries like a rolled ankle, I hadn’t had any major problems with my legs or feet.  This all changed not too long after 30 came knocking, however.  It was surreal, almost like my mind subconsciously believed all the overblown social hype about 30 being some magic age when your body begins to break down.  My list of chronic injuries would’ve kept the athletic trainer of any professional sports team very busy.  It read like some bizarre physical therapy research project – plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinitis, medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints), patellar tracking disorder, chondromalacia, plica, lower back pain.  As soon as I figured out how to fix one problem another one sprung up in it’s place. 

It got so bad that I reluctantly decided to undergo microfracture surgery on my knee at the behest of an orthopedic surgeon who’d worked on some players from the Washington Redskins.  Big mistake.  It was my fault though, my approach to dealing with my issues used the very same logic that I detested from allopathic doctors – I was playing the cat and mouse game of treating the symptoms, not the root cause.  After spending an untold amount of money on OTC inserts, custom orthotics and supplements, I decided I needed to drastically change my whole plan of attack.  That’s when I discovered barefoot running and had my “eureka” moment.

Good Foot, Bad Foot

I researched exhaustively about the biomechanics of barefoot running and studies that seemingly supported its efficacy.  It all made so much sense after I processed all that information.  In a well-cited 1905 study published in the American Journal of Orthopedic Surgery, doctors sought out to examine the functional difference between a naturally bare foot and a foot that dons shoes (called shod by some folks).  They studied native people in Africa and the Philippines, and came to some interesting conclusions.

(Doctors noted how the toes of the native people are spread out which provides a more stable base for standing, walking and running. Additionally, they noticed that an imaginary line could be drawn from the heel, through the ball of the foot, to the big toe).

(Doctors noticed the obvious anatomical difference between the barefoot and shod groups of people. They observed that the foot took the shape of the person's shoe. No imaginary line can be drawn from the heel to the big toe. The foot is narrow and the toes are crowded - not an optimal base for movement).

In the 1960 Olympics, Ethiopian Abebe Bikila ran a world-record 2:15:17 marathon.  Barefoot.

Clearly, our feet are not meant to be restricted inside a shoe.  Because it is quite literally our physical foundation, a narrow and anatomically incorrect foot is a one way ticket to chronic leg, foot and lower back issues.  You’ll be on a first name basis with your orthopedic doctor.  Fortunately, my feet were nowhere near this bad.  But, I knew I was on to something.

 Conventional athletic shoes make a heel-toe gait feel natural with all the high-tech cushion that manufacturers use.  Without shoes, a heel-toe strike can result in a collision force 1.5 to 3 times body weight.  A heel-toe gait is really only optimal for walking.  Comparatively, barefoot native populations use a much more natural midfoot or forefoot gait when running, which results in much less force…and potentially less injuries.  The Newton running shoe site has a good animated depiction of this.

Barefoot Alternatives

 Armed with all this new information, I felt empowered enough to seek out a shoe that fit the bill.  The concrete jungle, full of miscellaneous debris doesn’t afford many of us the luxury of actual barefoot movement.  I found a decent compromise.  I initially chose Nike Free, which I think is a good transition shoe since working out barefoot will definitely require an adjustment period.  After I felt like my feet were strong enough, I bought two pairs of Vibram Five Fingers (KSO and Sprint models).  I’m proud to say that, I haven’t had any of the aforementioned chronic problems since going barefoot. 

If you do decide to try barefoot alternative shoes, I would personally recommend adding some variety to the surfaces on which you run, however.  Hard, man-made surfaces like concrete and asphalt can be a problem for some folks with preexisiting joint issues.  If you can find more “compliant” surfaces like a trail, sand, grass or a park with recreational artificial turf fields, your joints will be grateful and the change in locale will make your workouts more interesting.

Recent Studies Make the Argument Stronger

In December 2009, the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation reported “increased joint torques at the hip, knee, and ankle were observed with running shoes compared with running barefoot”.

Another very recent study published in the journal Nature adds even more scientific, empirical data to the argument that supports barefoot running.  Daniel Lieberman, a human evolutionary biology professor at Harvard University, conducted the study and  published the findings.  He posits “…actually you can run barefoot on the world’s hardest surfaces without the slightest discomfort and pain…It might be less injurious than the way some people run in shoes” (To be clear, Mr. Lieberman is referring to actual barefoot running…sans shoes of any kind).  This may be true, but somewhat impractical for those that live in urban environments because of the loose debris that litter so many streets and sidewalks.  This is where barefoot alternative shoes are worth the investment.

Apparently, more research is needed before any definitive conclusions are drawn regarding running barefoot.  But, while scientists conduct more studies to prove once again that Mother Nature had it right all along, I’ll keep my feet naked (or use lightly shod alternatives). 

It worked for me and that’s all the evidence I need.

Source(s):

Scientific American

No related posts.

Not surprisingly, being well is an afterthought when compared to superficial appearance.  And because we have been conditioned to expect everything to be so convenient for us, many of those same people are not willing to change their eating habits or exercise to achieve their desired look.  One needs to search no further than the profit margins cosmetic surgeons are earning to further prove this point.

Well, what if your doctor told you that you could achieve your ideal physique by taking a pill?  Would you go that route in order to skip workouts and sensible eating altogether?  Muscles in a convenient pill is too tempting for many folks to ignore.  As a matter of fact, several surveys suggest that women place being thin on a short list of things that would make them happy.  One survey in particular, asked 1,000 women if they’d rather be thin or rich?  43% of the respondents said they’d rather be thin, which is an indication how important it is to many women.  However, these same women admit that they’re not willing to put in the time or effort to reach their goal.

Contrary to having big muscles, what if that same pill were able to sculpt a svelte physique minus the sweaty workouts or boring salads?  Enter myostatin.

What Is Myostatin?

Myostatin is a protein gene that was discovered in 1997 by three geneticists at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.  This gene is found in humans and as well as other mammals and it’s primary function is limiting muscle growth.  So people who have higher levels of this protein, along with the associated gene, have less muscle development than the average individual.  Conversely, mammals that have a mutation in that gene tend to have about twice the muscle size.  I’m sure some of you have seen the pictures of the freakishly muscular, seemingly “Photoshop’d” cow and dog.  These animals had a mutation in their myostatin gene that enabled abnormal muscle growth.  There are even documented cases of young children that have a similar mutation that resulted in about twice the muscle mass of a child that same age.

One of the geneticists that discovered the gene, Se-Jin Lee, has been doing extensive research with tweaking the myostatin gene in mice.  He effectively blocked the gene of one mouse in particular, which enabled significant muscular hypertrophy in the mouse.  One of the long term goals is to develop some type of drug that could essentially control the levels of myostatin in an individual, and perhaps creating an ideal physique with desired muscle tone.  Ironically, there have been no signs of improved strength or performance by blocking the myostatin gene.  So, the extra muscles would basically be a non-functioning mass of tissue.  You would look good though.  And that’s primary goal anyway, right?

Practical Applications

Superficial aspirations aside, there are real potential clinical applications for developing such a drug.  Currently, studies are being conducted to determine the efficacy of using myostatin drugs to treat people with muscle-wasting diseases.  Muscular dystrophy (MD) is one such disease.  MD a genetic muscle disorder that leads to degenerative muscle weakness and subsequent wasting.  A 2008 study published by the American Neurological Association, showed that myostatin inhibitors did increase the muscle mass of MD patients, but it did not increase muscle strength or function.  Researchers concur that more comprehensive studies are needed.

Related posts:

1. Why Resistance Training Is Critical For Long Term Fat Loss

However, in the quest for long-term fat loss and muscle toning, there is still a general misconception about the role of cardio as it relates to fat loss and muscle definition.  Contrary to popular belief, cardio actually takes a backseat to resistance training.

Cardio vs Resistance

Generally speaking, cardio and resistance training complement one another in one’s journey toward optimal wellness.  However, the real truth is that a resistance workout supersedes cardio when the main goal is long-term fat loss.  The reason is because muscle is metabolically more active than fat.  You’re probably asking yourself, ‘what the heck does that mean?’  That statement is just a fancy way of saying that lean muscle burns more calories than fat.  In simple terms, the more muscle you have, the more fat you’ll burn.  Despite this, many folks still attempt to sweat the fat away on cardio machines.

Pound for pound, you will burn more total calories during a cardio workout versus a comparable resistance workout.  However, studies show that your average daily metabolic rate drastically increases with resistance exercise⁽¹⁾.  With more lean muscle you will burn more calories during the course of your day than if you maintain a high fat body composition.

Women always seem to be concerned about getting too muscular or bulky.  I always give the same response to my clients as well as other ladies who pose this same question.  Unless synthetic steroids are used, women are biologically incapable of building large muscles.  They don’t have enough testosterone to make this happen.

Resistance Is the Winner

With long-term fat loss being the main fitness goal, resistance training is the undisputed king.  Although weight training is the traditional choice, there are other ways to incorporate resistance into your workout.  Here are a few options:

• Add an incline while on your cardio machine
• Take the steps instead of the elevator
• Incorporate body-weight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, etc.
• For an individual with an advanced fitness level, perform high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts

Other Resistance Training Benefits

In addition to fat loss, there are a myriad of other benefits to performing resistance exercises:

• Changes your body composition for the long-term, thus ending the yo-yo dieting syndrome
• You’ll burn more calories during a 24-hour period
• Helps to control blood sugar and hypertension
• Strengthens connective tissues (ligaments, tendons) which decrease risk of injury
• Strengthens bone density, which decreases the risk of osteoporosis as we age
• Improves overall look, the way clothes fit, and self-esteem

So, don’t be afraid to raise the bar!

References:

⁽¹⁾ http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/82/1/298

Related posts:

1. FDA: Avoid This Dangerous Weight Loss Supplement
2. 3 Critical Reasons To Get Out Your Seat And Move Something