The Barefoot Movement

The barefoot running and minimalist shoe wear has become a hot topic over the past 5 years as runners have searched for answers to their ongoing foot and shoe issues.

Ever since Born To Run by Christopher McDougal was published in 2009, podiatrists have been asked for their opinion on the barefoot movement. The doctors of Gotham Footcare have always been careful to research and understand the risks and benefits of any new sports medicine idea before giving our opinion.

The issue here is that there is a lack of research properly run prospective, double-blind studies. Most of the research has come out of shoe company sponsored studies and physiology research labs. Even the subject of the benefits of forefoot/midfoot strike versus heel strike during running has not been adequately answered.

The Right Questions

There is no simple answer to whether or not we recommend barefoot running or minimalist shoes.

The variables involved for each particular patient’s situation makes it difficult to give any blanket statement on the matter. We like to ask our patients very specific questions if they are interested in trying barefoot or minimalist running:

Why do you want to make the switch to barefoot or minimalist running?
What types of foot and ankle problems have you had in the past? Have you had any orthopedic surgery in any part of your body?
What is your current foot and ankle problem you are trying to address?
What shoes do you run in right now, and what is their condition?
What type of surface do you run on?
What is your weekly mileage?
What is your running pace?
How long have you been running?
Are you currently training for an upcoming race?

What We Do

While Gotham Footcare does not advocate completely abandoning your tried-and-true running shoes for barefoot or minimalist shoes, we do recognize that minimalist shoe running can have the benefit of strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the feet and decreasing pressure on the knees while running.

Gotham Footcare believes that it can be used as an additional training tool for very fit athletes who are experienced runners. We do not recommend barefoot running or minimalist shoes for the novice runner looking to lose weight with a new running and/or exercise program.

We have a protocol for starting minimalist shoe running:

Make sure that you are evaluated and fit for them at a specialty running shoe store.
Walk barefoot or in minimalist shoes during the day and for warm up drills until it feels normal. You should have no discomfort during the day.

Make sure to stretch the plantar fascia, Achilles, and calf muscles daily.
Eccentric training should be added to the stretching exercises after the first week of stretching.
Calf raises: With your heels hanging over the edge of a step, quickly raise up onto the ball of your foot. Then come down slowly with a single leg (eccentric exercise). You should perform the movement with the knees both slightly bent and then straight.
Backward walking: Walking backward on a treadmill can stretch the calf muscles. Perform this pain-free and fatigue free while barefoot for 10 to 20 percent of your regular running distance.

Body Exam

After understanding a patient’s motivation and running history, we assess some critical physical exam factors:

Body type and weight
Foot and ankle biomechanics (are they an overpronator or supinator?)

We also inform out patients that there are some very real risks involved in barefoot and minimalist shoe running:

Stress fractures: due to the markedly increased pressure on the foot in comparison to regular running shoe gear, the repetitive stress from running can results in a small crack in the foot, usually in the metatarsals or the heel bone.
Skin puncture or laceration: minimal protection of the foot exposes the runner to sharp objects

Achilles tendonitis and strains: lack of the nature heel lift found in most shoes increases the pressure on the Achilles.

With this in mind, we do not recommend barefoot or minimalist running to runners suffering with:

Achilles Tendonitis
Plantar Fasciitis
Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy
Calf Strains
Overpronation or oversupination

Your First Step to Getting Better

At Gotham Footcare in NYC, we strive at recognizing your individual needs and desired outcomes while formulating an effective and personalized treatment plan with the highest quality care available.

What sets Gotham Footcare apart from other podiatry offices is our dedication to providing you with the education you need to make well-informed decisions regarding your care. Regardless of what your foot and ankle trouble may be, at Gotham Footcare our team will work tirelessly to help you feel better. At Gotham Footcare, we help you put your best foot forward.

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(212) 921-7900

Runners Guide to Barefoot Running Gotham Footcare

The Barefoot Movement

The Right Questions

What We Do

Body Exam

Don't Run Barefoot If...

Your First Step to Getting Better

Runners Guide to Barefoot Running Gotham Footcare

The Barefoot Movement

The Right Questions

What We Do

What We Recommend

Body Exam

Don't Run Barefoot If...

Your First Step to Getting Better