The confirmed reasons barefoot running is safer than running in thick cushioned running shoes is that running barefoot is the only way to fully activate the high density of sensory nerves in the bottom of the feet, which in turn, activate key reflexes in both the leg and feet. These reflexes are responsible for engaging significantly low impact mechanics in the form of a forefoot strike (see here what a proper forefoot strike looks like), a shorter stride, higher cadence and more controlled foot step stability.


On the flip side, sensory problems at the feet are known to affect movement behavior (Smith et al. 2015) whereby the complete lack of ground-feel in a thick cushioned running shoe can lead to sensory processing impairments which translates into misaligned, rigid and force-intensive movement behaviors during running.

Evidently, thick cushioned running shoes with more cushioning under the heel than the toe-box unintentionally causes a runner to land high up on the heel (shown below), whereas barefoot runners land with a forefoot strike. The big distinctions between these two foot strike patterns are forefoot running produces less net impact, joint torque and braking and there’s less forces acting across the foot.


But, when you run barefoot, the surplus in sensory cues alone keeps you from heel-pounding, and instead, encourages a forefoot strike which also encourages safer, more functional use of the knee, enabling it to bend properly at landing. This directly facilitates a shorter stride and a higher cadence, which taken together, are the only proven ways to reliably prevent impact from exceeding normal.


The Take Home Message
For some, its hard to believe that running without shoes is actually significantly safer than running in the most cushy, comfortable running shoes. This is because cushioned running shoes prevent certain neuromotor commands that actually enables us to land safely.
What we do know is nothing seems to improve sensory motor performance during running then when the bottoms of the feet are greatly stimulated by directly connecting with the ground, like when you’re barefoot. We need to understand that barefoot running leads to enhanced sensations in the feet that elicit the strongest functional adaptive responses (i.e. a forefoot strike landing) that always leads to less impact.
Need more convincing that cushioned running shoes cause more harm than good? Here are all the evidence-backed reasons cushioned running shoes can be a major source of injury!
If you’ve enjoyed my post, you’ll also love my YouTube channel, here, where I show why forefoot running works and why heel strike running hurts!

References:
Smith et al. A systematic review of sensory processing interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism, 2015; 19(2):133-148.
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