Forty percent of men and 20 percent of women continue running heel-first when running barefoot or in minimalist shoes, according to a study released March 24 at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
The study found that a significant number
of experienced runners age 30 and older maintained the same heel-first running pattern that occurs when wearing a shoe with an elevated heel, when
running without shoes.
The finding is significant because research has shown that maintaining a heel-toe pattern while running barefoot or in a minimalist shoe may lead to more frequent injuries.
The study follows a surge in barefoot running as well as the increased use of “minimalist” running shoes that more closely resemble barefoot running by encouraging the balls of the feet, between the arch and toes, to hit the pavement first.
A team of researchers from the University of Kansas Department of
Orthopedics and Sports Medicine measured the heel-to-toe drop of 26
runners, all age 30 or older with at least 10 years of running
experience, when each ran in a traditional running shoe, and again when
barefoot. The heel and forefoot thickness was measured at running speeds
of 6, 7 and 8 miles per hour (mph) for women, and 7, 8 and 9 mph for
men. A motion capture system was utilized to analyze foot strikes by a
single blinded examiner skilled in the use of the camera system and
running mechanics.
“Previous studies have demonstrated that an adolescent runner's foot strike is heavily influenced by their running shoe,” said orthopaedic surgeon Scott Mullen, MD, the lead author of the study. “Young runners quickly adapt to a forefoot strike pattern when running barefoot, whereas a heel strike is normally associated with wearing large-heeled training shoes.”
Heel-to-toe thickness of the running shoe did not significantly correlate with a change in heel strike, nor did alterations in speed. Running barefoot resulted in a significant drop in percent heel strike at all speeds; however, 40 percent of the men and 20 percent of the women persisted with consistent strike patterns across all speeds with and without shoes.
“Our study indicates that older runners (age 30 and older) are not able to adapt as quickly to running barefoot,” said Dr. Mullen. “The inability to adapt the foot strike to the change in shoe type may put these runners at increased risk of injury. Older runners should be cautious when transitioning to a more minimalist type of shoe.”
The study abstract is here.
