Going on a jog barefoot is good for you

Question

This article by Scientific American claims that wearing cushioned sneakers makes people hit the ground harder than running barefoot, and how it is more beneficial to run without shoes on.

Comments

The claim being made here is that jogging barefoot is good for you so I decided to do a web search of the downsides of going outside without shoes and found that there is a higher risk of injury from the ground and the environment. You are expossed to rusty nails, glass, thorns, and bacteria. And there's a loss of stability, support, and grip, making it easier to slip. (https://wellness.ucsb.edu/walking-barefoot). Therefore, though there are many benefits to jogging with sneakers has its negative impacts, the claim that jogging barefoot is good for you is misleading and untrue because it puts you are even more risks that could impact your health.

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The claim that running barefoot is good for you is a broad and inaccurate claim.  Running outside barefoot could lead to cuts and leave runners injured. That being said just walking around and being barefoot more often than we currently are as a population is not a baseless claim.  Walking around barefoot could strengthen the muscles in ones foot and legs and lead to better overall foot-mechanics, it could also possibly relieve foot pain. Remember those ugly foot shaped shoes with the rubber sole and toe outlines, turns out there is a science behind them and their support for human health! (https://www.popsci.com/diy/barefoot-shoes-benefits/)

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The claim that running barefoot is good for you is misleading. The article fails to mention that there could be dangerous materials on the ground that could cut or puncture the foot. The feet could get exposed to harmful bacteria. Not to mention weather conditions, like rain or snow could make it harder to get a grip on the ground while running and putting the runner at risk of injury. While there may be benefits to being completly barefoot on runs, you may be able to obtain these benefits and decrease risk by wearing barefoot shoes instead. https://www.popsci.com/diy/barefoot-shoes-benefits/

Answer 1

I agree with your claim. While the article doesn't have direct sources, one can google some of the summaries of studies that are mentioned such as the Daniel E. Lieberman's western Kenya feet study. On top of this, I can find other articles that seem to agree with the article. There even is an article that adds more stating that it even decreases risk of injury.

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/06/harvard-evolutionary-biologist-daniel-lieberman-turns-his-attention-to-walking/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0021929018303683?fr=RR-2&ref=pdf_download&rr=727057e4a9342ab1

https://www.scienceforsport.com/barefoot-running-game-changer-or-fad/

Comments

By highlighting the the article doesn't have a direct source you did emphasize the lack of reliability on article itself.  Though since much of the claim is backed on science I do think that agreeing with the claim could be better phrased as saying that the claim is true. Keeping ones opinion away is best when fact checking. I do find value on the resources provided to support the original claim as most of them are factual and reliable. I overall think more emphasize on this fact check could have gone on the reliability of the article and author of it.

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I really liked how you highlighted that the article does not have any solid evidence to back up their claim and turned to actual studies done on the topic. However I think if anything you could've dove deeper into the actual truth of the claim rather than just linking articles.

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I agree that barefoot running can be great for improving form and foot strength, but saying its more beneficial for everyone is a stretch. Not all bodies are built for it, and most of us aren't running on soft, natural ground.

I like that it makes people more aware of how they move, but its not a one-size-fits-all thing. It really depends on your body and where your running.

Answer 2

While their claim is true that jogging barefoot has benefits to your physical muscle health, the downsides outweigh the benefits as it can be incredibly dangerous in terms of injury risk while running on dangerous surfaces. In a safe environment on a track it might have health benefits.

https://www.scienceforsport.com/barefoot-running-game-changer-or-fad/#:~:text=When%20done%20correctly%2C%20barefoot%20training,to%20stay%20consistent%20with%20it.

Comments

Both the original source and the source provided seem heavily based on anecdote and not so much on studies or evidence. While there may be benefits, it would best be supported with data and evidence as neither source really provides it.

Answer 3

The claim that going on a jog barefoot is good for you contains truth, but is oversimplified. The article linked is based on a study by Daniel E. Lieberman, whose study found a statistical difference between the force of impact on runners who use a forefoot strike (FFS), defined as landing on the ball of the foot, and those who use a rearfoot strike (RFS), landing on the heel. Barefoot running encourages a forefoot strike and therefore minimal impact on the runner's joints, while cushioned, running shoes make it easier to land on the heel. This study shows, however, that it is the form of the runner, specifically the foot strike pattern, rather than simply the absence of the running shoe. Concluding that adopting a forefoot strike pattern is the beneficial aspect, not just running without shoes. Other studies, such as Hamill et al., investigate impact characteristics in shoe and barefoot running and draw the same conclusions, explaining the statistical difference between barefoot and shoe conditions on the footfall pattern.  

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19424280.2010.542187#d1e307

Comments

This is a very good response. I like how you articulated the fact that while barefoot running does have its benefits, its more so the technique of the runner that can cause or prevent the injury. I agree that the reason many people see benefits from barefoot running is because of the strike pattern and not because they don't have shoes on. It is quite common to hear from people who have a heel strike pattern that they suffer from more injuries compared to those who have a forefoot strike pattern.