Comparison Between Minimalist and Barefoot Running - Paper Example

Introduction

Barefoot running means participating in athletic races without protective footwear whereas minimalist running means participating in athletic competitions with very little protection of the feet. Running barefoot has been a practice from the ancient times, but the modern sports practices do not encourage it anymore-though some cultures have resuscitated it. The minimal protection of the feet with lightweight footgear is a replacement of the relatively heavy standard sports shoes and is prevalent among the racing communities where barefoot racing is frequent mainly in Australia and Singapore. There are several similarities and differences concerning the effects both barefoot and minimalist running in efficiency and implication to an athlete's performance.

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Running barefoot and running with the minimal protection of the feet using non-supportive shoes gained prominence from 2011. The excitement to try out this method that goes against the conventional athletic norms had been breeding for a while but lacked justification (Danny et al, 2018). In 2010, author Chris McDougal stepped up to give impetus to this quest through his best-selling book "Born to Run" (Payne, 2016). From 2010, the media and the internet have actively encouraged both barefoot and minimalist running making it experienced exponential growth among the running communities.

Research studies that revolve around the differences and the similarities between minimalist running and barefoot running do not seem to converge at any particular focal point to make a final summary. These empirical researches give both different and contradicting results. Australian researcher Craig Payne compiled a list of the literature review of studies that focus on the performance implication of the two variables (Payne, 2016). The limitations of these studies, as Payne later came to understand, is that objectivity was lacking and these researches had conflicting interests. The idea was to promote the point of view of the researchers who were mostly supporting one of the variables (Payne, 2016). However, all these researches seem to agree on one thing; both barefoot minimalist running helps the athlete to offload weight on torn tissues on the legs.

On performance on the track, both barefoot runners and minimalist runners have the same performance advantage. According to a study sponsored and conducted in Dublin City University, it was found that both barefoot runners and minimalist wearing light protection on their feet use a higher amount of oxygen in the track than athletes who use standard sports shoes (Bohne, 2016). This study was experimental, involving 15 student athletic participants. These athletes were initially using standard sports shoes, but they had to shift to using minimalist shoe wear for races. After two weeks, the blood lactate samples, heart rates, stride frequency and oxygen consumption were then measured (Bohne, 2016). The test results showed a 6.9 percent overall improvement in the running efficiency of all these athletes.

Minimalist running gives limited protection against bruises on the feet unlike barefoot running. The protection that minimal shoes and lightweight feet gloves give to the feet makes it easier for runners to navigate very rough surfaces like on tarmac, asphalt, on gravels and the floors (Jason et al, 2013). The friction that is there is between the lightweight foot shoes or gloves and the surface increases (Jason et al, 2013). Barefoot running limits the places and surfaces on which an athlete can run. Either the surfaces are so rough for the feet causing bruises or too smooth making it extremely slippery for the athletes thus impeding motion.

Running barefoot and running in lightweight foot gloves are neither the same thing nor do they have the same effect on the body. In 2013, Jason Bonacci and fellow researchers conducted a study to examine the alterations in running mechanics between experienced athletes who use foot gloves and others who run barefoot for the same distance within the same time. In this study, the sample population was 22 experienced athletes (Jason et al, 2013). These athletes were divided into three groups, each with seven athletes. The groups contained athletes with regular sports shoes, group B with lightweight foot gloves and group C with entirely bare feet. To compute the three-dimensional net powers, the Newton-Euler inverse dynamics were applied (Jason et al, 2013). The results showed significant differences between barefoot and minimalist at the knee and ankle kinematic and kinetic variables (Jason et al, 2013). There is a lower knee flexion of 11 percent in mid-distance races for the barefoot runners compared to the minimalist runners. This study concludes that barefoot running alters the amount of work done at the knee thereby increasing therapeutic implications.

An experimental protocol to assess the changes that come with barefoot running and the use of minimalist shoes (Nike Free 3.0) lightweight, minimalist racing flat (Nike LunaRacer2) for school students' athletics further explains the variations in motion control among athletes (Hollander et al, 2015). The minimalist runners have two types of shoe types; the lightweight gloves and the customized minimalist shoes. Running barefoot demonstrate less dorsiflexed ankle at the first contact and the acceleration pace of the athletes is enhanced because of the increase in the midfoot and forefoot strike is increased. The sense of space and balance is ensured therefore facilitating the stimulation of the nerve ending on the feet. The stimulation of the sole is what results in the strong intrinsic muscles on the feet of the athletes.

The economic implications that come with barefoot running and minimalist running differs. From a pedestrian perspective, barefoot running should be very economically sustainable because athletes do not incur the expense of sports shoes (Hollander et al, 2015). The minimalist running is considered relatively costly because the lightweight shoes and foot gloves have to be bought. This is not the actual picture; however, barefoot running can become very expensive if the limits that guard it are broken (Hollander et al, 2015). For instance, a barefoot runner must stick to a slow and steady transition from running with recommended sports shoes to running barefoot. The transition period helps to acclimatize the body to the new environment for it to avoid tissue injuries (Danny et al, 2018). The purchase of substandard minimalists that do not replicate the physics of running barefoot may also make an athlete susceptible to more tissue injuries.

It is very evident that both minimalist and barefoot athletes share similarities with few differences. The contradiction revolving around the potency of minimizing injuries sustained on the track is not scientific. Minimalist running is recommendable for athletes who are focused on improving their field performance. The aim to increase field success is the only viable economic argument researchers can make. There is no substantial research to back the viability of barefoot running over minimalist running. Barefoot running can then be said to be motivated by cultural orientation and media sensationalism. With more exposure, the popularity of barefoot running will wane. The practice will be confined to short-range training whereas minimalist protection will thrive because it carries with it the benefits of barefoot running too.

References

Bohne, M. (2016). Electromyographical Analysis Of One-mile Run In Barefoot, Minimalist, Zero-drop And Standard Running Shoes. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000488250.12174.bc

Danny Moody, I. H. (2018). Comparison of Varying Heel to Toe Differences and Cushion to Barefoot Running in Novice Minimalist Runners. International Journal of Exercise Science,. International Journal of Excercise Science, 13-19. Retrieved July 15, 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5955330/

Hollander, K. A.-W. (2015). Comparison of Minimalist Footwear Strategies for Simulating Barefoot Running: A Randomized Crossover Study. PLOS ONE, 10(5). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125880

Jason Bonacci, P. U. (2013). Running in a minimalist and lightweight shoe is not the same as running barefoot: a biomechanical study. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(6), 387-392. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2012-091837

Payne, C. (2016). Barefoot and minimalist running: The current understanding of the evidence. Revista Espanola de Podologia, 27(1), 1-3. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.repod.2016.05.008