Barefoot running has become quite a popular trend over the past few years, with more and more people ditching their shoes altogether, or spending money on the latest 'barefoot' runners, shaped like feet.
Not only is there a growing trend, there is also a growing debate around whether barefoot running is a great new way to run, or a fad that does more damage than good.
On the negative side, the Daily Telegraph wrote an article recently calling barefoot running 'foolishness' and asking why people would suddenly want to ignore the technological and scientific developments in footwear over the past decades.
Runner's World gave a balanced point of view, in their 2010 article called 'The Naked Truth about Barefoot Running'. In it they speak of the benefits, including the benefits for people who have hip and knee problems in their normal shoes, but also that without the right posture, or the right running technique barefoot running will do more harm than good.
On the other side though, there are plenty that say that if done in moderation barefoot running can give greater feedback and that it allows the body to run as it was originally designed. One fan is Colin Seymour, a keen barefoot runner who found great success after ditching his shoes for light-thin soled shoes and occasionally nothing at all.
So, how do we feel about the debate?
Well, if you are thinking of going barefoot, don't rush into it, and definitely do it in moderation. Dunlop Volley shoes have been a hit in the sport of parkour/freerunning because the sole is thin and very grippy, so why not give them a try to ease you into barefoot running too.
Image courtesy of Flickr
