Heya,
Do you
remember back in 10,000BC when everyone was running about with their new Nike
trainers’ listening to their iStone’s on a Sunday morning? No I don’t either,
but I know that if I did I wouldn't remember cavemen wearing Nike trainers, or trainers
of any sort to be honest with you. Its from this thought that made me first start barefoot running when I was
13 in the comfort of my bedroom (on the spot, I wasn't running around my room
otherwise I would have been very dizzy as my room is very small) and now two
years later after documenting each day in my journal I have found a couple of things;
 |
| Medial longitudinal arch above |
- · My feet are smaller.
- · I always run on the balls of my feet
- · My feet do not feel as sore when running for hours compared to when I wear trainers
- · I feel a more springy step in my running when barefoot compared to when I wear trainers
Why are my feet smaller?
I have grown from 5 ft 1 inches to 5ft 3 inches (my height vertically,
not my feet) in the past two years and my original shoe size was a UK size 4
but is now a UK size 3. My first thoughts when I first realized that my feet
had shrunk was now I need to go and get some new shoe’s, but not for a minute did
I think that it may be due to barefoot running that my feet were suddenly
smaller. Well, after researching, I found that barefoot running could be the cause
of my sudden smaller feet. My medial longitudinal arch (as depicted above)has
decreased in length, only by a matter of mm, but still. The reason of this I
believe is because I am actually using muscles in my foot that I would
otherwise not be using if I wore trainers or any other type of shoewear whilst
running. Now,( if you are not in public) I want you to do the same as this young lady is doing with her arms and then compare the length of your arms for me…
The science behind how this young lady was able to achieve one arm to become shorter than the other was by exercising one arm, as you saw, and not the other. The muscular contraction of the exercised arm was what made it shorter. I predict that this thing this girl is doing with her arm to make one shorter than the other is similar (although not exactly the same as we are talking about comparing an arm to feet) to how my medial longitudinal arch decreased in length. From running barefoot it caused the activation of foot musculature that is usually inactive when shod. This explains the physiological changes that my feet have underwent despite me actually growing taller by two inches in the past two years.
Why do I run on the balls of my feet now?
I also said one of the changes I found was that I run on the balls of my feet when barefoot which is not something that I do when I am in trainers or any type of shoe wear. And this technique of running also ties in with why I feel I have a more springy step in my run and the decrease in length of my medial longitudinal arch as when feet are shod it does not allow you to run in a more natural way (although it is debatable whether it is more natural to use the heel-toe technique of running, but this is just an explanation of my experience's, so please take information with a pinch of salt) and thus is extremely difficult to run on the balls of your feet. It is from this technique that is used by many barefoot runners that allows you to have more of a springy step in your run as the structure of the human foot and lower leg is very efficient at absorbing the shock of landing (when you stomp your foot sown when running) into forward motion through the springy action of the foot natural arch. This is why to most barefoot runners it feels more comfortable running on the balls of there feet instead of slamming there heel down onto the ground when running.
Why do my feet not feel as sore when running for hours now?
As mentioned before the lower leg and and foot structure of humans is very effective in absorbing the shock of landing and turning the energy into a forward motion when running on the balls of the feet (although I'm sure just as many people feel more comfortable running heel-toe). It has been suggested that running barefoot avoids the heavy and painful impact that you would otherwise not be able to avoid whilst wearing foot wear, and this is my hypothesis as to why my feet do not ache as much now then compared to when they did on the days I was wearing footwear whilst running because my feet's natural arch is enabling me to avoid the shock and heavy impact of my body (and its a big body at that).
Well,
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