Essay On Barefoot Running

When I began as a high school freshman, it quickly became a normal as well as an essential part of life. I ate, I slept, I sometimes did homework, and I ran but, not necessarily in that order.

Plantar Fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. Plantar fascia is a flat band of tissues that connects your heel bone to your toes. It also supports the arch of your foot. If you happened to strain your plantar fascia, it will get weak, swollen, and inflamed that will make your heel or the bottom of your foot to hurt when you walk or stand. It is common to older people and those who uses their feet a lot like soldiers and athletes.

This means that with each step, the entire weight of the body lands on the heel instead of the ball or middle of the feet. Sounds innocent enough, but over time, this can lead to some serious foot and leg injuries. Barefoot running, on the other hand, is the ideal way to go. But running sans shoes, and on the right surfaces, increases the chances of landing on the ball of the feet or with a flat foot. Benefits include decreased injury like ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis and other chronic foot injuries. Plus, running barefoot reduces oxygen consumption so you don’t tire as

The first 23 years of my life I resided in sunny California. Yes, sunny California, where the weather is beautiful all year round, and sandals, lightweight jackets are the norm. In contrast, I now live in the Midwest, and in this part of the country, we wear thick lined coats and boot type shoes in the winter.

If you have heel pain and it is especially intense when you first get out of bed each morning you might have plantar fasciitis. This is a condition that can give you quite a bit of grief and high levels of discomfort. When the tissues that run along the bottom of your feet in the form of a thick band get swollen or irritated the result is usually plantar fasciitis. The good news is that it can be treated and the pain you may be dealing with can be relieved, but what may be even better news is that it can be prevented.

This can be supported by, “A study published in a 2012 issue of the “Journal of the American College of Sports” notes that people who run in barefoot or with minimalist shoes--such as racing flats-- instinctively land toward the ball of the foot. This reduces the risk of injury, which is more prevalent for those who land on the heel” (Yemi 1). This is a clear fact that has been supported by numerous studies. The nature of a racing flat allows your foot to go through a more natural motion while running. This reduces injury. Another factor that makes a racing flat good at reducing injury is that it still has sufficient cushioning. Also in the study conducted by the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine they say that “ In this study, the amplified loading rate, stiffness, and peak vertical impact force demonstrate that running spikes and flats produced a greater external force on the body. The initial impact force between the foot and the ground is directly transmitted to the leg and can potentially be an influential factor in injury risk” (logan, Hunter, and Hopkins 6). The cushioning as mentioned previously is light enough to give an athlete better performance while still substantial enough to protect the runner from some of this initial shock of running on a hard surface such as a track. A spike on the other hand has little to none resulting in more force being exhibited on the joints and

Recently there has been an increase in the number of people running barefoot because the notion that it helps reduce injuries and improves performance. Running without shoes prevents the heel from striking first, which is better running form, this is one of the primary reasons many people run barefoot. This study aims to research the oxygen cost of running barefoot verse running with shoes. The study researched running on both a treadmill and on the ground.

The results (Table 1) demonstrates a similarity between velocity, cadence, step time and stride time. It was found that there was a huge difference between the toe in/out measure which was 12.7±1.7 for the participant while the average was 6.2±0.9. This could be supported by multiple ankle injuries sustained by the participant in the last two

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that involves irritation and inflammation of a band of fibers running from the heel, along the bottom of the foot, to the base of the toes. Pain often originates in the heel and radiates sharply along the bottom inside edge of the foot. Some people report a sensation that feels like a rubber band attached to the heel that tightens when they try to walk or put their full weight on the foot. While the name implies the primary problem is the plantar fascia ligament, usually other muscles and tissues in the bottom of the foot are to blame for the pain and negative impact on mobility.

Some forces that act on the runner would be the friction between the runner’s shoes and the ground. The more surface

Arthritis or a bone growth on the back of the heel bone. This can rub against the tendon and hurt the tendon.

Plantar fasciitis (plan-ter fash-ee-eye-tus) is a painful condition of the foot causing pain under the heel. The plantar fascia the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot, so you strain your plantar fascia, it will swell, weaken and become inflamed. This inflammation is what causes the heel or the bottom of your foot hurts when you stand or walk.

What goes up must come down. That's why running is a high-impact activity. Each time they land, runners subject their bodies to a stress equal to about three times their body weight. In just one mile, a typical runner's legs will have to absorb more than 100 tons of impact force. It's a testament to the human body that running can be safe and enjoyable.

Foot injuries are very common in athletics as well as in everyday life. It’s very debilitating to have a foot injury since we use our feet in all of our daily activities. Research published in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise” indicates that the average adult takes between 5,000 to 7,000 steps a day. Some sports require the most dedicated athletes spend multiple hours a day pounding their feet on the turf or pavement. Most injuries that occur in the foot require a person to try and stay off of it or completely immobilize it. Since this is very difficult for a person to do, a large percentage of foot injuries often have a very high chance of reoccurring. The severity of some injuries that can be deceiving as well. Often times a nagging pain is ignored and eventually becomes a much bigger problem.

Running is very good for humans in many different ways. It is a great way to get exercise, and a great way to meet new people. There are many positives, and some negatives, it is easy, enjoyable and makes humans more social, you can do it at anytime, and it relieves stress rather than give stress.