Barefoot Running Part 2

Barefoot training also increases sensory awareness of the feet. Meaning your body can more easily percieve the impact of your feet when they make contact with the ground. Ultimately this leads to better stability and balance. Various sports that are performed without shoes (i.e. beach volleyball, martial arts, diving, surfing type sports, etc.) are shown to have a much lower risk of lower leg injuries due to the strength gained in training by these athletes in training.

Robbins, Waked, and McClaron (1995) observed in a study that sensitivity of the underside of the foot and foot position awareness play a huge roll in falls that involve the elderly. Shoes with a more than sufficient amount of padding reduce the overall sensitivity of the feet, thus causing imbalance and falls. It is recommended that elderly people wear thin hard-soled shoes while participating in physical activity.

As in all training programs, begin at a light to moderate intensity and work your way up to more vigorous exercise. It is recommended that the majority of barefoot training be done on soft surfaces such as grass or a treadmill to prevent the bottoms of your feet from developing superficial injuries. Beginning long distance or very rapid barefoot training without building up enough strength in your lower legs and feet can result in blisters or skeletal and joint injury and be detrimental to training. Instead start off doing common activities like housework, walking barefoot to the mailbox or just being outside at a park with your shoes off.