Run Barefoot, Chuck the Trainer

Harvard biologist and runner Daniel Lieberman says that since the 1970s, widespread use of the modern running shoe has changed the way we walk and run.

Harvard biologist and runner Daniel Lieberman says that since the 1970s, widespread use of the modern running shoe has changed the way we walk and run. And the change hasn’t been for the better. In a study published in Nature, he says running barefoot produces up to three times less impact on the foot than running in cushioned ‘trainer’ shoes. Running barefoot is painful on the heels and therefore, teaches you to land on the front or middle of the foot. While fancy running shoes cushion the impact created by bad walking habits, this bad gait will still produce the stress and attendant injuries.