The Do’s and Don’ts of Transitioning: Barefoot Running
The Idea of Barefoot Running in Malta
This blog post was prompted by my physio colleague and good friend. He has seen an influx of people switching to barefoot shoes in Malta, which is awesome; however, some just jump on the wagon without thinking about it twice, and unfortunately, that can be dangerous. Especially when it comes down to running.
While running barefoot feels exotic and sounds hippie, there are a lot of benefits to doing so; however, there is always a BUT.
If you are new to the whole barefoot footwear concept, I suggest that you continue reading. Switching, or better known as transitioning to barefoot running, is not an easy feat, although some people may find it easier (it boils down to foot anatomy, foot flexibility, hip, foot, & leg strength). But, if you’re new to it, I highly advise you to follow these pointers.
The following tips aren’t set in stone, however, if you try and keep them in mind, it will save you lots of time and money resulting from injuries.
Let’s start with your background:
If you are a runner who is used to running with high-stack, cushioned, high-drop shoes, then you have to start slow. The mechanics of your run have been molded around the fact that you are used to high stack height; this means that your body need not activate its natural shock absorption system, mainly because that stack of soft plush, cloud-like, midsole is taking all the blows, which deactivates the natural shock absorption system of the body… And as they say, if you don’t use it, you lose it. (I’m sure this is used for other body parts.) The body just deactivates things it does not use, so if you are jumping on the barefoot running wagon, I suggest starting to reduce the cushion of your next running shoes and trying to get closer to the ground. This will kickstart a system of reprogramming in your running technique and style. Another tip would also be to do running drills (which I am sure everyone does diligently - pun intended) barefoot, in a controlled environment. This means on a mat at home or on soft grass. If you find yourself stomping and banging on the floor with your neighbours checking up on you just in case your house is being demolished, you have technique problems, and getting checked by a running specialist would be the best way forward.
The DROP in your running shoes:
The drop of the shoes is the difference between the heel and the forefoot height, with the majority of traditional running shoes having a drop of between 8-12mm. The drop is intended to increase the angle at the ankle joint, which makes forward movement easier. By easier, I don’t mean better. The footwear industry tries to make your ride (walk, run, jump, etc.) as comfortable as possible, but in turn, you start missing out on flexibility and mobility at the ankle. In the case of a drop, the body part that will be affected is mainly the calf muscle. The POWERHOUSE of the lower leg. The calf muscle (which is mainly composed of two muscle groups: Gastrocnemius and Soleus) helps us propel our body forward. When you start moving on from a 10mm drop to a 0mm drop (i.e. the floor), your calf compartment starts working in an elongated way, with the majority of people feeling tightness, or soreness in the calf when they do so. This means that your calf has shortened due to the drop that you are used to. WORRY NOT! The calf is a muscle, and it can be stretched. I am sure all of you runners already do a lot of calf exercises, but let me list a few that will help keep this important muscle group nice and happy. Eccentric heel raises, kneeling ankle mobilisations, and good old-fashioned wall stretches are a good start. Add some trigger point therapy and voila',’ you are on the right track. (If you are not sure how to go about these exercises, follow us for more reels on how to do them.)
Your choice of footwear:
You know who you are – yes you! Just after reading ‘Born to Run', you have just seen the light, the industry has fooled you, you now want to be free, and you are now invested in running – f**k big shoe brands. A piece of rubber and a leather lace around the ankle are all you need, and you are ready to conquer all the full marathons on tarmacked-covered roads in the world. SORRY to burst your bubble, but it’s not how it works. While it is possible to run full marathons with barefoot sandals, barefoot shoes, etc., it takes months and, more realistically, years to be able to do so. The Tarahumara tribe, on which the book is based, start running barefoot at a very young age and don’t have desk jobs or 8-hour shifts of sitting all day in tight, stiff shoes. Be mindful of the impact of our urban lives, as it affects our bodies more than we realise. So, if you are invested in the idea of running barefoot, start with a barefoot shoe that provides zero drop and a flared toe box, but still has some midsole cushioning. And DO NOT throw away your running shoes, not yet, at least. So, if you’ve had complaints from your neighbour due to the lack of shock absorption and bad mechanics during your drills, add the new 0-drop shoes to your pre-run warm-up session or cooldowns. Go to the supermarket and spend time running around (i.e., walking around) and getting used to them first. Feeling soreness in the calf is normal and ok. Once you spend some weeks doing this, start by adding a short run to your week and using the 0-drop shoes for that one run only. After some more weeks, start adding more runs with the 0-drop shoes and less with the ‘old running shoes’ and so on. Transitioning takes time – I always suggest to my patients to give themselves at least 6 months. It might seem long, but your body needs to adapt, and by 6 months, I am being generous. Another good idea is to do your strength and conditioning training barefoot, or using a true barefoot shoe. This will help your body to start adjusting to the new feeling, and if you add some toe spacers to the session, you will hit the jackpot.
Listen to your body:
Lastly, (didn’t realise how long this blog post has turned out to be) don’t just do things because some guy posted this on the internet. If you need more time to transition, that's ok. Take all the time you need. If you feel that you are getting niggles or pain, speak to us ASAP. Don’t let problems get worse. We have been helping people transition for quite some time, so we know how it feels and are here to help. I also took time to transition, but once you do and you do it the right way, the benefits are worthwhile.
We’re here to help:
NB: There are more ways than one to transition, and the above list is just the tip of the iceberg. If you want more details, please do reach out and keep in mind that the above is a general post; each individual is different, and so should the transition – adapted to each person.
