About.com's Walking Guide Wendy Bumgardner at the International Marching League Walking Event in Israel.

Walking—as a form of exercise—might seem dull to some in this age of high-tech exercise gadgets, gizmos, New Age hip personal “celebrity” trainers and infomercial “get in shape” fads. Not so for the Internet’s walking guru/cheerleader/nurse/champion Wendy Bumgardner, a certified marathon coach and expert on walking for health and sport.

Research indicates a daily brisk walk helps shed excess weight, control blood pressure, strengthens the heart muscle and helps lower the risk of a stroke, breast and colon cancer and developing diabetes. It boosts good cholesterol while lowering the bad, strengthens bones, relieves arthritis, improves vitality and elevates mood by alleviating depression and anxiety. It is free, easy to do, incredibly safe and does not require special equipment.

Clearly, walking is the king of all exercise.

Queen of Walking

Every king needs a queen, and the queen of walking is definitely Bumgardner. Since 1996, she has been About.com’s Walking Guide.

Her site is a wealth of information about walking for fitness and sport. It covers everything from basic stretching exercises to the latest accessories and various esoteric and walking-related issues including nipple chafing, incontinence and how to react to a flasher on the trail. Her site helps people realize they are not the only ones having these problems.

Passionate About Walking

For Bumgardner, knee surgery was the spark that ignited her life-long passion for walking. The surgery left her with debilitating foot drop syndrome. This can occur when the nerve that causes the muscles to lift up our foot (to flex the foot) is injured or damaged. This is a known complication of knee surgery and it can be temporary or last for life. Bumgardner’s husband, an avid walker, urged her to go on a Volkssport walk, a six-mile non-competitive walk in Oregon.

Bumgardner says she didn’t think she could walk one mile, let alone six. She not only finished the walk, but was awarded a medal. From then on, she was hooked on walking.

Bumgardner says writing about walking for the About.com site has allowed her to help millions of people a year and thousands each week.

“I get a steady stream of e-mails thanking me for my half marathon and marathon training programs and advice. My readers let me know I have changed their lives for the better,” she says.

In addition, discussing walking for About.com has given her a great outlet for her passion for writing and has allowed her to make a few bucks, too!

“Walking is a great exercise for those who really don’t necessarily like exercise,” Bumgardner says. More than exercise, she loves walking because of its unique ability to connect you with the world around you. Clearly, walking on a trail or just about anywhere outdoors creates a spiritual connection, unlike pumping the leg press in the local gym.

Wendy "Walkaholic" Bumgardner at the NYC Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

Bumgardner’s passion for walking comes through in her writing, giving her articles and posts a unique voice.

“I’m not a reporter. I’m a walker,” she says and, adds she is “embedded.” She lives the topic. It is not just a job. It is her main form of exercise, and she intertwines walking with her social activities, recreation, and vacations.

“If I want to review a half marathon, I pay the entry fee and walk the event myself, rather than report from the sidelines.”

Final Thoughts

Bumgardner has truly made a difference in the mental, spiritual and physical health of people around the world and I applaud her for her passion and hard work. Her site is one of my favorites and every time I visit, I learn something new and interesting. I often find myself spending a lot of time there!

I highly recommend you visit Bumgardner’s site and begin learning about the fascinating benefits of the oldest—and still the best—form of physical activity, walking.

Links:

Bumgardner’s Walking Site

Wikipedia on Walking

The Walking Site

The Walking Connection

Active Walking

Walking Info

American Volkssport Association

WalkaBlock Club of America

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Here I am at work, feeling great in my Vivo Barefoot Shoes.

Al Gauthier of  ‘Living Barefoot’ just posted a frank, detailed audio interview with me about barefoot activity and barefoot running. Al and his partner, Tina Dubois, were a pleasure to speak with and they asked many insightful questions. In particular, they asked what I thought it would take for barefoot running to be accepted by the medical community—my answer may surprise you.

To hear this loose and open discussion about barefoot activity from the perspective of a podiatrist who has spent 20 years treating foot problems and has become a strong proponent of the benefits of barefoot activity, listen to the interview HERE.

I look forward to speaking with Al and Tina again in the future on more narrow aspects of barefoot activity.

Links: Living Barefoot
Living Barefoot Show Featuring Dr. Nirenberg

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Is Your Pelvis the Cause of Your Pain?

What happens with a man spends more time thinking about a triangle-shaped bone at the bottom of our back than a teenage boy spends thinking about sex?

The answer is, he discovers a remarkably simple solution to alleviate low back pain and quite possibly, a way to help lessen or completely eliminate other painful bone, muscle and ligament ailments.

Richard DonTigny has spent 40 plus years puzzling out the intricacies of our pelvic ring: the bones, ligaments and muscles that comprise our waist, buttocks and hips.

“Pelvis” is Latin for “basin,” which is what our pelvic ring resembles. In medical-speak the pelvic ring is made up of the hipbones and the sacrum (the triangle-shaped bone at the bottom of your back). The joint between the hipbone and the sacrum is the sacroiliac joint, and that is the linchpin of DonTigny’s work: it is where the secret to pain-relief lies.

DonTigny is a physical therapist who has published over 25 journal articles, written chapters for medical textbooks, lectured extensively, and treated over 8000 patients with sacroiliac joint problems. He is also the author of the Powerpoint CD, “Pelvic Dynamics for the Professional.”

In “Pelvic Dynamics for the Professional,” DonTigny explains how the sacroiliac joint (and the pelvic ring) is prone to becoming out of alignment, setting up a chain reaction of tension and strain on the surrounding muscles, ligaments and other soft-tissue structures. Dysfunction of the sacroiliac joint, DonTigny says, is responsible for at least 85% of low back complaints. Beside the back, he says that a malfunctioning or misaligned sacroiliac joint may also be the culprit in sciatica, piriformis syndrome, and knee, hip, pelvic, or stomach pain, and indirectly cause neck, shoulder or foot problems.

Just one detailed illustration from "Pelvic Dynamics"

DonTigny states: “In 1992 at the First World Congress on the Sacroiliac Joint Dr. Joseph Shaw of the Topeka Bank and Neck Pain Clinic reported that in a series of 1000 consecutive patients he examined for low back pain (LBP) and sacroiliac joint he found that 98% had an SIJ problem. When he addressed that problem, his surgical incidence for herniated disks dropped to 0.2%.”

Once one delves into DonTigny’s CD—a whooping 600 plus slides—you begin to understand how the pelvic ring is the linchpin of our skeleton. It supports our spine, allows us to walk and do other activities by serving as a powerful fulcrum for our body.

DonTigny shows that even small sacroiliac problems can have far-reaching effects on the body, even altering normal function of the feet.

For example, a misalignment of the pelvis can increase the inward curve of the low back (increase lordosis) while increasing the outward curve of our back at the level of our chest (kyphosis). These actions can cause our hips to rotate outward and our shoulders to hunch inward and lead to our head jutting forward (causing neck pain). Sacroilliac joint dysfunction can also cause a curve of our spine in the frontal plane (scoliosis) and ultimately create what appears to be a leg-length discrepancy (one leg longer than the other). Clearly, the sacroiliac joint is the keystone for good, healthy walking, standing and even sitting.

On his CD, DonTigny brilliantly dissects the complex inner details of sacroiliac joint and through his hundreds of beautifully illustrated slides, he makes understanding this complex joint easy.

The crowning jewel of DonTigny’s CD is a series of adjustments – The DonTigny Method – that a physical therapist (or a patient can do themselves) to properly realign the sacroiliac joint.

One has to wonder why DonTigny’s method is not known more widely and more accepted. Clearly, having a patient do some adjustments prior to seeing an orthopedic man for a back fusion is preferable. Part of the answer may lie in the fact that adjustments to solve back pain (and other bone and muscle problems), are so simple that individuals with a financial stake in back pain may feel their livelihood threatened.

Or perhaps, and much more likely, it may be difficult for those health practitioners who have spent their life doing sophisticated back surgeries, injections and/or a myriad of therapy modalities, to open their minds to such an easy solution.

Beyond the health practitioners, patients themselves still, for the most part, believe the medical system has all the answers. Until people begin thinking for themselves, begin asking questions–both to themselves and to their doctors, the system will feed them what it always has.

I am reminded of a great quote from the film The Matrix:

“The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you’re inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it.”

On a personal note, I VIGOROUSLY applaud DonTigny for not only puzzling-out the mysteries of one our body’s most complex muscle-skeletal structures, but for having the COURAGE to put his theories into the public domain. Often, when someone proposes a new, revolutionary theory or solution—especially one that patients can do themselves—they will quickly experience the sharp pang of the medical community’s arrows in their back.

Final thoughts on DonTigny’s Pelvic Dynamics CD

If you are ready to open your mind to what is often the real cause of our muscle-skeletal problems, this CD is worth a look. Be aware: The sacroiliac joint is complicated and I found myself needing to re-read several of the slides, but the effort is worth it and again, the illustrations make understanding the sacroiliac joint much easier. I highly recommend Pelvic Dynamics for the Professional.

For more information on DonTigny’s work (or to purchase his CD), you should visit his site, The Sacroiliac Joint.

Links:

Interview with Richard DonTigny

The Sacroiliac Joint

Sacroiliac Joint on Wikipedia

Sacroiliac Joint Resources

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Essentially, Sandler’s book is a great follow up to  Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Sandler takes McDougall’s observations of the Tarahumara Indians amazing ability to run many miles regularly in flimsy sandals (Huraches) and adds the science of barefoot activity and a reasonable training regimen, and much more!

Sandler’s personal journey to barefoot running began with his realization that fewer injuries occur in less expensive running shoes than expensive ones, that there is a higher impact on the body in shoes than out of shoes, and balance is better in thinner, less cushioned shoes, and lastly, children who did not wear shoes were less likely to have fallen arches or other foot deformities. Starting slowly, Sandler describes his successful transition to barefoot running.

Barefoot Running is a comprehensive book, covering everything you could possibly want to know about barefoot running. Among the topics Sandler addresses: Barefoot running verses running in shoes, the philosophy and science of barefoot running, how to run barefoot, stretching exercises, foot care tips for barefoot runners, dealing with weather extremes, nutrition, minimalist shoes and much more. Other topics covered include:

• A brief history of barefoot running
• The latest science behind the benefits of barefoot running, including findings of Dr. Daniel Lieberman’s 2010 British Science Journal Nature study (very important!)
• How to heal and stay injury free
• Building balance, strength, endurance
• Building strong feet, legs, hips, muscles, tendons & joints
• Developing strong pads on the bottoms of your feet
• Training routines including cross training
• How to use shoes as a helpful tool
• Adjusting to different surfaces & terrain
• Children and Barefoot Activity (also very important!)
• Meditation, quieting the mind and connecting with nature

The book itself is well organized, beautifully designed and printed with an easy to read text, high quality paper, and great photographs (though I wish there was an index!).  

Critics of Sandler’s book will say that the scientific fact for barefoot running is thin, and it is, but scientific evidence that expensive, thickly cushioned running shoes are better for you is even thinner. 

Final Thoughts on Barefoot Running

Barefoot Running is not for everyone, nor is it safe for everyone, but if you are interested in learning about the incredible benefits of running bare or how to barefoot run safely, Barefoot Running is a must read!

I give Barefoot Running my highest rating — 5 Toes Up  

Links:

Michael Sandler’s Barefoot Running site

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Barefoot or Shoes?

Running barefoot may seem odd and even dangerous, but a new study published in the prestigious Journal of American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found that barefoot running puts less damaging torque on our hip, knee, and ankle joints than wearing supportive running shoes.

The study was written by D. Cassy Kerrigan, M.D. et al and titled: The Effect of Running Shoes on Lower Extremity Joint Torques.” The researchers compared barefoot to shoe running and found a remarkable 54% increase in the hip torque and 38% in knee varus torque in running shoes. The study used the most technologically advanced non-invasive techniques to asses the biomechanics of running.

For thousands of years Man ran without supportive footwear. It is only in the last few decades that some people, mostly shoe companies, told us our feet needed support, control, and stability. This research shows a huge reduction in joint torques on the main weight-bearing joints of our lower extremities. Could the barefoot runner have been on to something?

Interestingly, I have not found one published study showing any detrimental effects to running without shoes or in just minimalist footwear.

The paper says, there is no clinical evidence to support that  modern running footwear promoted long-term health in runners. That line is worth reading again!

The running shoe business is huge and yet none of these billion dollar companies can provide ANY clinical evidence that running shoes promote long-term health!

And now this paper supports less torque on runners’ joints when they wear nothing—just running barefoot. Who would’ve thunk it?!

To be clear, Dr. Kerrigan’s study found that the effect of the typical modern-day running shoes is to increase joint torques at the hip, knee, and ankle. This doesn’t mean every running shoe will increase torque, but given the huge difference in torque between barefoot and shod, it is reasonable to expect that just about every shoe will have some increase in joint torque over going barefoot.

The good news is that Kerrigan’s study advocates that running shoes should encourage or mimic the foot’s natural function. Thankfully, she is in the shoe design business! This is what the shoe industry needs—someone who backs up their work with sound research. It is time runners demand clinical evidence a shoe works; not million-dollar ads!

I am sure the shoe, insole and arch support lovers (and business people), will find ways to discredit this research or try to simply dismiss it.

These studies are rarely perfect and ultimately, just because there is more torque, does that mean there will be more injury or damage to the joints? The answer is obvious–of course! But, this study hasn’t proven that. To show actual damage to a joint, a long-term study would need to be done with MRIs or CAT Scans or some such technology. Regardless, this study is a huge first step, and all the hole-poking in the world will not negate the magnitude of this study’s findings.

Final Thoughts on Proof Running Shoes Increase Torque on Our Joints

This study is but one. I hope that more scientists will begin to investigate the effects of running with shoes or barefoot. It is time for a rational discussion on the proven benefits and hazards of running in hundred and eighty dollar trainers or just your bare skin.

References:

Science Daily

Better Health Research

Telegraph

Medical News Today

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Is this the Barefoot Walker’s Dress Shoe?

Vivo Barefoot Gives Balances Protection with Barefoot Benefits

More importantly, the Vivo Barefoot shoe provides basic protection for your foot, decent grip against the ground and mild foot support, but still lets your foot “feel” the ground. The best way to transition to minimalist or barefoot running or walking hasn’t been defined, but for those looking to make the leap, Terra Plana’s Vivo Barefoot may be the best way to go.

Vivo Barefoot Shoe's Removable Insole

To help with the transition to barefoot, the shoe is incredibly flexible to let your foot bend and flex naturally, has no added heel to throw your body forward, a thin sole, and the Vivo’s insole is removable. I recommend that those people who are new to barefoot activity wear the Vivo with the insole for a while, and then, as their feet adjust, they remove the insole.  As an aside, I removed the insole within a day or two to improve that great barefoot feeling (though, the insole was very comfortable).  

Vivo Barefoot Shoe's Sturdy Tread

A Minimalist Shoe that Feels GREAT

Speaking of comfort, this shoe has what it takes! It feels great on your feet. And, as a podiatrist, I liked the nice wide toe-box (that area at the front of the shoe). Plus, the roomy shoe let my foot breath (something that most shoes do not!).

Final Thoughts on Vivo Barefoot Shoe

The Vivo is a great shoe for stimulating barefoot activity that you can wear unobtrusively while at work, weddings and shopping. It is also a great intermediate shoe to help you on your journey toward barefoot walking or running. 

I give the Vivo Barefoot my top rating — 5 Toes Up 

Links of Interest:

Barefoot and Grounded Vivo Review

Barefoot Runner Vivo Review

Barefoot Walking Lifestyle Vivo Review

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What is the best shoe for children?

Myths and false information abound about children’s shoes, and the footwear industry and even some pediatricians are not much help. The good news is once you understand what makes children’s feet unique, finding the right shoes—often inexpensively—for kids is easy.

At birth, the newborn’s foot is soft and flexible, and is loaded with fat. That fat cushions and protects our feet, but when we start to walk, the fat begins to disintegrate. In the coming decades, due to everyday walking—not to mention, perhaps tight fitting shoes—that fat will wear away allowing our foot bones and their rough edges to dig into our skin, often causing corns, callouses, blisters and other painful conditions. Ironically, feet are the only body part that loses fat as we age, yet it’s the one place we need it. I’ve often mused that perhaps some day we’ll go for a tummy tuck and walk out with plump, happy feet.

Besides fat, a newborn’s bones, muscles and ligaments, are incredibly soft and pliable. This is good and bad. It’s good because a baby that is born with a deformed foot often doesn’t need surgery. A brace or a cast can “push” the foot into its correct position. The downside of such a flexible foot is that if parents choose the wrong shoes or footwear for their children, they could create a deformity for their child.

Don’t be in a hurry to buy shoes for your child; wait until your children begin to walk, usually at 11 to 15 months of age. Even then, the MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO IS KEEP SHOES OFF YOUR CHILD’S FEET AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

I cannot emphasize this enough! The best “shoes” for your children is no shoes!

Allowing kids to walk barefoot on various surfaces, especially mildly uneven ones like you find in most backyards, fosters development of their foot’s muscles, ligaments, and balance.

Shoes Can Harm Your Child’s Feet

To see the effect shoes have on feet, scientists compared American feet to those of African natives who had never worn shoes. Most natives’ had a straight big toe, whereas the Americans’ big toe tilted toward the second toe, often causing a bunion—a bump on the inside of the foot. This deformed big toe is due, in part, to shoes curving inward at the toes, presumably to give feet a slender, pointed appearance.

Am I saying shoes are bad for your child’s feet? Yes! However, we need them though to prevent injuries and for warmth. The key is to make sure children only wear them when absolutely necessary.

Socks can also be a deforming force as well, limiting a baby or toddler’s ability to spread and wiggle their toes, and develop their toe muscles. Young children should only wear socks when in shoes. If you need to keep your child’s feet warm, use soft, loose fitting booties.

When shopping for shoes, choose a shoe with ample room for the child’s toes to move. I recommend a finger’s width of space at the tips of the toes, and to help your child avoid developing bunions, the shoe should have as little curvature as possible at the big toe. Look for shoes made of natural, breathable fabrics such as leather or canvas that are soft and pliable—just like your child’s feet. You want the foot protected but it should also “feel” the ground.

The traditional baby shoe with its stiff upper and hard sole is the worst thing for young feet. 

Parents notice when their child outgrows a shirt, but not always when their shoes are too small. Children’s feet grow at different rates so the time to buy new shoes varies greatly. I’ve seen kids grow an entire shoe size in a month. If your child starts pulling off their shoes, it could mean they’ve outgrown them.

Lastly, consider shopping at a shoe store that specializes in children’s feet and has the expertise to ensure a proper fit.

Final Thoughts on Children’s Shoes

Shoes are not healthy for your child’s foot. However, they are necessary. The key is to make sure you buy a barefoot-friendly shoe and keep it off your child’s feet as much as possible.

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2009: Year of the Barefoot Runner!

Historians will remember 2009 as the year barefoot running surged in popularity. Google Timeline reveals the huge increase in 2009 in barefoot running on the Internet.

Many factors account for this recent explosion of interest in barefoot running: runners realizing that running shoes are mostly hype/advertising, a general interest in alternative medicine and holistic healing, and a dedicated group of barefoot runners educating the public with websites, online discussion forums, and even barefoot running clubs. However, the biggest factor, in my opinion, was Christopher McDougall’s book Born to Run. 

McDougall’s book was released in May, and according to Google Timeline the dramatic burst in barefoot running occurred in July. Clearly, this isn’t just a coincidence. McDougall went on a one-man marketing mission to sell copies of his book and in the process, whether he had intended to or not, sold barefoot running. 

McDougall talked to any reporter who would listen. A Google search on him and his book brings up nearly a million hits (yes, I like Google). 

More than sell books, McDougall gave barefoot running credibility. He made running barefoot respectable, and he backed up his claims with first hand accounts of the Tarahumara Indians and their “running” way of life. His book is not scientific fact, but a compilation of interviews and observations with the Tarahumara and others, including respected scientists. It was also his journey. 

Runners and even non-runners will find McDougall’s transition to barefoot running fascinating. Clearly, if there is a barefoot education superstar in the fight to spur public interest, scientific research, and barefoot running credibility, it is Christopher McDougall. He is the barefoot runners’ Man of the Year.

Barefoot Runners' Man Of The Year

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Dr. Oz Promotes Barefoot Running

Barefoot running is gaining in popularity. Recently, Dr. Oz promoted barefoot running on his new TV show. He went as far as demonstrating the proper technique for barefoot running. Watch the video HERE. I am thrilled to see one of the most trusted and respected physicians of our time promote barefoot running. However, not everyone is happy about all this interest in barefoot running.

Late last month the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) released a position paper on the barefoot running:

APMA Position Statement on Barefoot Running:

“Barefoot running has become an increasing trend, and a possible alternative or training adjunct to running with shoes. While anecdotal evidence and testimonials proliferate on the Internet and in the media about the possible health benefits of barefoot running, research has not yet adequately shed light on the immediate and long term effects of this practice.

Barefoot running has been touted as improving strength and balance, while promoting a more natural running style. However, risks of barefoot running include a lack of protection–which may lead to injuries such as puncture wounds–and increased stress on the lower extremities. Currently, inconclusive scientific research has been conducted regarding the benefits and/or risks of barefoot running.”

I would love to hear your thoughts on the APMA’s position statement and/or Dr. Oz’s comments.

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Everywhere you look someone is telling us the benefits of exercise. Of course, exercise can help our hips and gut, but could it also be the answer to foot and ankle pain and problems?

Anecdotal reports from people who regularly engage in barefoot activity—particularly barefoot running—reveals that exercise can improve abnormal biomechanics in our feet and ankles. Many barefoot runners claim that they have actually seen the arches of their increase in height.

Dr. Nirenberg “Experiments” on Himself

Fascinated with these claims, I decided to do a simple “experiment” on myself. I took a weight-bearing x-ray of the side of my foot prior to embarking on barefoot running and then after a few weeks, took another x-ray. Before I talk about what I discovered, I want to touch on some other important points.  

Podiatrists Debate Benefit of Exercise

The debate on whether strengthening and/or stretching foot muscles can affect the biomechanics of the foot was reinvigorated in recent days in the podiatry community. Within this group of doctors, there are those who advocate muscle-strengthening activity,  those who don’t, and those who fall inbetween. As a result, the arguments can be very heated.

Dr. Stephen Pribut, Past President of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine and writer of the blog 98.6, was interviewed for the Jewish Exponent article, Is Barefoot Better for the Sole. Pribut stated that over-pronation–or excessive rolling inward of the foot–happens because of bone structure and will not be corrected by strengthening the feet. In reply, Dr. Ray McClanahan, inventor of Correct Toes and president of Northwest Foot & Ankle, posted a lengthy reply on PM News.

McClanahan asserts that shoes are the cause of some biomechanical – not the cure. He explains that as shoes push the great toe inward (toward the other toes), pronation is increased. He advocates moving the great toe outward (away from the foot) to limit pronation. To achieve this McClanahan recommends avoiding shoes which taper inward at the big toe and using Correct Toes, a device he invented to move the big toe outward. Read his full article HERE.

(McClanahan has said that scientific proof is not required to prove his theory (that moving the great toe away from the foot limits pronation) because it is easily observable by simply trying it on your foot.) I commend McClanahan for thinking out-of-the-box and having the courage to pursue a new, cheap device that may prove more beneficial than expensive, complex orthotics.

Pribut replied by explaining that his quote in the article was essentially a sound bite and that this complicated subject matter does not lend itself to sound bites. He explained that injuries in runners he believes are multi-factorial with overuse being the primary cause of injury. Read his full reply HERE. (Pribut has taken a rational, middle of the road approach based on known factual science while recognizing a potential possible benefit of foot strengthening.) As of this writing, this debate continues to rage on.

A common argument against muscle strengthening exercise is that the there is not enough scientific proof of the benefits of exercise or barefoot activity. This is true, but initial research is leaning in the direction that muscle strengthening is beneficial.

Preliminary Research Leans in Favor of Muscle Strengthening Exercise

In 2008, breakthrough research was published that proved muscle fatigue (or muscle weakness) results in a lower arch. Specifically, fatigue of the plantar muscles of the foot cause flattening of the foot (worsening pronation) (Headlee et al).

Further, Dr. Benno Nigg, one of the world’s foremost experts on biomechanics of the foot, has said that strengthening muscles can, in principle, increase the arch of the foot, though he hasn’t seen a clinical study to prove this yet.

In my own foot I noticed changes with barefoot running. Clinically, the arch of my foot increased. The foot looked stronger, more robust. I then took an x-ray of the side of my foot while bearing weight and compared the x-ray with the one I took before barefoot running–the height of the arch had not changed. 

Is this proof barefoot activity fails to increase the height of the arch? Not at all. In fact, this little “experiment” is not proof of anything. Interestingly, there were other radiographic changes on the side-view x-ray of my foot: my foot shortened in length ever so slightly. Specifically, the metatarsals (the bones in my forefoot) had become more angled downward (more plantarflexed) and as a result my foot shortened. This finding has occurred with other barefoot runners and was documented in a research paper by Steven Robbins as an incidental finding in a barefoot-related paper.

Final Thoughts on Foot Strengthening

Without the strength of our foot muscles, the mechanical stress of walking is borne solely by our bones, ligaments and connective tissue, and without good muscular support, these structures become more likely to sustain injury: foot or ankle strain or sprain. An alternative to maintaining strong, supportive muscles is using a strong supportive arch support, shoe or orthotic.

The scientific literature recognizes the value of orthotics and arch supports, and is starting to recognize the value of foot strengthening exercises. In 2006 Jam states: Efforts should be made to address the dynamic control of pronation through neuromuscular exercises rather than purely through mechanical means. In 2003 Fiolkowski et al and Franco in 1987 advocated: Strengthening of the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles may help to increase muscular support of the arch.

If you are going to start barefoot activity or foot exercise, be sure to start slow and build up gradually. Feel free to peruse some introductory foot exercises HERE.

References:

Fiolkowski P, Brunt D, Bishop M, Woo R, Horodyski M. Intrinsic pedal musculature support of the medial longitudinal arch: an electromyography study. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2003 Nov-Dec;42(6):327-33.

Headlee DL, Leonard JL, Hart JM, Ingersoll CD, Hertel J. Fatigue of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles increases navicular drop. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2008 Jun;18(3):420-5. Epub 2007 Jan 8.

Robbins SE, Hanna AM. Running-related injury prevention through barefoot adaptations. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1987 Apr;19(2):148-56.

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