Thick cushioned running shoes were found to result in higher impact landings that were perceived as low-impact, indicating a perceptual illusion as compared with barefoot running which was found to produce the biggest reductions in all-around impact levels and other physical stressors,
Research shows if you run barefoot on harder surfaces, the only way it can be done most safely is if a forefoot strike is used, not heel strike. Because forefoot running eliminates the burst in collisional impact, reduces high brake forces while reducing all-around impact forces, allows anyone who runs barefoot to run safely on the hardest of surfaces.
The best foot strike technique for running is the forefoot strike because it reduces nearly all the forms of impact linked to injury, even if you run barefoot on the hardest surface, you will not produce any more impact if you land forefoot-first. Conversly, landing heel-first sets off a shockwave that damages the shins, knees and even lower back!
Contrary to popular belief, more cushioning, especially under the heel, in a running shoe was alarmingly found to increase joint loading on the hips, knees and ankles to the degree of enabling arthritic conditions to potentially develop as compared to runners who run barefoot or in barefoot-type footwear.
Ankle pain in a new forefoot runner is adaptive pain as the ankle, which is used more functionally in forefoot running thanin heel strike running, is just gaining more developmental strength to the new running condition. The pain will vanish once the ankle has adapted to forefoot running. Why does this pain arise in the first place? Its because the ankle has a bigger role to play in balancing the body, which significantly eases mechanical strain off the knee. In contrast, in heel strike running, the ankle is not used in this functional way but the knee is, which is why over-use knee injuries are higher in heel strike runners, since the additional mechanics engaged by landing heel-first was found to mis-use the knee in ways that causes loss of cartledge to the joint!
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