Years ago, a friend from karate showed me a magazine ad for a shoe designed to be worn for karate. "But we're all barefoot! Everyone runs, jumps, breaks boards and (outside of when we kick trees) no one's needed them in the history of the art before. Grandmaster's been stomping around for 50 some years barefoot, and he doesn't need any shoes. Why would someone need them now?" My answer is that it wasn't driven by anyone's need for shoes, but by someone's desire to sell shoes. Recent research bears me out. It has been suggested that for running, conventional "neutral" running shoes may cause some of the knee/leg/ankle/hip problems that some runners see. This article in the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation suggests that barefoot runners may have less torque, suggesting less damage, to critical areas in the ankle, knee and hip. The article recommended that future design be closer to barefoot than current conventional running shoe design. In my practice, my goal for patients who exercise is always to find a way for them to keep exercising the way they wish to. I'm grateful that advancing research keeps giving insight into how to make this possible.
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