Barefoot running is gaining popularity but what are the advantages of leaving our shoes off?
Shoes give artificial support, which creates "laziness" in the foot and ankle muscles. Add the greater contact time with the ground and there's more potential for excessive motion of the foot - a leading cause of running injuries.
Brisbane physiotherapist Michael Warburton published a paper that assessed much of the research on barefoot running after noticing "a reasonably high proportion of runners" competing barefoot in Queensland cross-country races. He concluded that running in shoes is about four per cent less efficient than running barefoot due to weight and the damping effect of "support".
The support structures of a normal running shoe restrict natural motion, forcing the foot into a specific push-off motion that may lead to injuries and a need for orthotics.
Warburton says that running in shoes appears to increase the risk of ankle sprains, either by decreasing awareness of foot position or by increasing the twisting torque on the ankle when you stumble.