In the article Barefoot running strikes again, the author Jungers explores the evolution of human feet on the basis of prior research. The central claim of this work is that shoes cause significant injuries, despite the novel designs and new manufacturing capabilities that are available to modern brands. The audience that Jungers (2010) wrote this work for is either people engaged in sports or researchers interested in bipedalism. The critical information that is emphasized in this article is that the ability to move using two limbs is part of human evolution; however, it occurred because humans were able to walk barefoot. Therefore, in the contemporary approach, medical experts should pay more attention to this aspect when working with athletes. The conclusion that the author gives is that more research on the topic of barefoot walking is required to gather sufficient data that will provide an understanding of the issue.
The reasoning behind the assumptions in this article is the theory of evolution, anatomy of feet, and biomechanics, which is explicitly explained. However, due to the small size of the piece, it can be argued that the problem of barefoot running is solved only superficially, although good insights such as a need to explore the topic for enhancement of shoe manufacturing practices are presented. Jungers (2010) cites other studies and explains the basics of biomechanics using the example of runners landing on certain parts of their feet while contrasting different views. Thus, the author did not omit any essential aspects of the problem. The source is published in a scholarly journal and cites articles by other authors on a similar topic. In addition, because further research on the subject is suggested, it can be argued that the report is not biased.
Reference
Jungers, W. L. (2010). Barefoot running strikes back. Nature, 463, 433–434.