If you run barefoot on concrete, it may actually be more good than bad. According to some research and most barefoot running advocates, running barefoot on concrete activates the foot’s mechanical and pressure sensors more fully in ways that may lead to more immediate improvements in enhancing your forefoot strike placement and stride control, thus averting an over-stride and high impact forces! Equally important, running barefoot on concrete may also help you develop stronger, more tolerant, more energy-efficient feet for when you run in shoes. The truth is, the facts don’t stop about the benefits of running barefoot on hard surfaces! In my post (here), I discuss in detail about how barefoot running on concrete helps you make more efficient use of the elastic power structures in the foot/ankle complex, making your stride more spring-loaded and responsive (i.e. more springy), which may in turn shore up more elastic strain energy for the benefit of improved running economy.
Bretta Riches
BSc Neurobiology; MSc Biomechanics candidate, ultra minimalist runner & founder of RunForefoot. I was a heel striker, always injured. I was inspired by the great Tirunesh Dibaba to try forefoot running. Now, I'm injury free. This is why I launched Run Forefoot, to advocate the health & performance benefits of forefoot running and to raise awareness on the dangers of heel striking, because the world needs to know.
Latest posts by Bretta Riches (see all)
- Does Foot Strike Really Matter in Running? YES! - 17/04/2024
- Heel Lifts Increase Injury in Runners - 16/04/2024
- Are Minimalist Shoes Good for Seniors? YES! - 14/04/2024