In her article for NBC News Born to Run Barefoot? Some End Up Getting Injured, Chang (2012) discusses the latest trend among athletes, specifically, runners – barefoot jogging. She opens her write-up with the account of ultramarathoner Ryan Carter’s experience with the new practice. The sportsman decided to substitute his favorite pair of sneakers with footwear that mimics walking without shoes on while protecting the sole. On his first try, he ended up with severe pain in his right foot, which after professional examination, turned out to be a stress injury.
Chang (2012) points out that doctors across the United States are growing concerned about the new trend. Within the running community, sports injuries are nothing uncommon. Healthcare practitioners encounter many types of traumas varying from pulled muscles to Achilles tendinitis. In the most serious cases, runners might suffer from metatarsal stress fractures, which means taking a hiatus from sports for up to two months. Evidently, refusing to wear appropriate shoes only aggravates the situation, especially, if a person takes up the latest fashion a tad too enthusiastically and ramps up his or her performance.
Some people argue that our prehistoric ancestors used to walk with no shoes on and so do some nations in this day and age. In an attempt to reconnect with their roots, naturalistic runners turn to demonize sneakers all together. Ever since the 1970s, sports shoes have been designed and manufactured in a way that would protect muscles, bones, and tendons. Apparently, the industry has a long way to go since, despite the proclaimed healthiness of the existing models, runners still experience issues. Chang concludes her article by stating that neither relying on modern sports shoes nor barefoot running is a panacea against injuries.
References
Chang, A. (2012). Born to run barefoot? Some end up getting injured. NBC News. Web.