BackWords

Barefoot Running…

A patient sent me  an article about barefoot running. She had been suffering with back pain for many years, and apparently several of her friends had suggested this variation on running as a cure.

There are several articles floating around the internet and in running magazines about this phenomenon, and my patient asked me if I thought it was for her. After all, in theory your feet should have all of the benefits of thousands of years of evolution to get them perfected. Sneakers have only been around for a hundred years or so. Would running barefoot normalize her mechanics and finally rid her of her back pain?

My answer is: I’m not sure.

Everyone’s foot mechanics are slightly different, as well as their running mechanics, and only under certain circumstances will these mechanics have any meaningful effect on your back pain. Your feet are designed to be able to absorb all of the impacts of running- and that impact may effect your pain, but there are other factors to consider:

-Everyone (most of us anyway) has been trying to wear supportive footwear, in an effort to protect their feet from harm. By and large, I think this is a wise idea. The downside is that the small muscles which support your arches are used to the ‘help’ that comes from quality arch supports. Your feet may not tolerate this transition well.

-Heavier individuals may not tolerate the impact particularly well.

-Shoe manufacturers have gone to great lengths to  create impact absorbing compounds for the soles of their running shoes. Passing the stress of the foot striking the ground up into the musculoskeletal system may put runners at risk.

These are just a few of the things that popped into my mind while having the discussion with the patient. If you are thinking about trying out ‘Barefooting’ try these suggestions:

-Start off with distances which are a fraction of your regular running distances. You will be asking things of your body it is not used to- so ease into it.

-Find locations to run with softer surfaces which will transmit less impact into your spine- and try to find place where you are less likely to step on objects which may cut up your feet. Many cities have grassy parks which are regularly combed for trash- which may be a perfect place to start.

-Don’t start off on the beach, as this will tax the lateral structures of your legs and ankles, putting you at greater risk for injury.

-There are a couple of manufacturers who have produced shoes with minimal soles and cutouts for your individual toes. This may provide some of the experience of barefoot running while still providing some level of protection from debris.

- And lastly, if you do try barefoot running, make sure your tetanus shot is up do date.

As always, If you have any experience with barefoot running, please share it here.

iPad / iPhone friendly Back Together portal…

If you have tried to access the Back Together website on an iPad or iPhone, you probably noticed that what you saw was a blank screen. I am pleased to announce that as of this afternoon, the Back Together main site will detect if you are using an iPhone or iPad to view the site, and route you through our new portal designed specifically for these devices. From the main page you can access the blog, visit backtogethertv (my YouTube channel), become a friend on Facebook, as well as purchase Back Together products. Sorry it took so long to get this up & running!!!

Thanks for visiting! Look for a fitness challenge update later this week.

Andy