Everywhere you look, its as if a runner is getting injured which begs the question: are running shoes really necessary? Popular explanation for the link between running shoes and increased injury-risk is that standard cushy running shoes encourages a damagingly forceful heel strike landing of which the list of injuries linked to this style of running (heel striking) is long as compared with forefoot running. Even worse, the thicker the under-heel padding of a running shoe, the harder you plow your heel into the ground, causing more impact to ripple out from the foot, up the leg. Many experts strongly agree that a way around these problems is to adopt the forefoot running technique in footwear (or by running barefoot) that gets you close to the ground to enhance a more natural, lightened, balanced stride. Read more here about the effects of barefoot vs shoes on stride mechanics and injury in running.
Are Cushioned Running Shoes Really Necessary
