For such a natural activity, that has sustained man’s hunting and migration for millions of years, modern running seems to generate a lot of injuries. There is a growing movement of ‘barefoot runners’ who believe that the problem lies with shoes. A recent study demonstrated that greater forces are put through ankles, knees and hips when shoes are worn. This is counter intuitive given the barrage of marketing claims of the ‘cushioning’ of modern running shoes, but the explanation would appear to lie in the heel striking before the forefoot.
Barefoot running isn’t always an option for soft feet on rough terrain and this has led to thin soled flexible light weight shoes- now where have I heard that before? Methinks a man from Bolton has beaten them to it!