Foot and Ankle Sports Medicine Share Tweet Pin Share A lot of runners seek that minimal shoe; running barefoot is centuries old. Today some of the best long-distance runners are from Africa, and many present-day runners run in bare feet. Runners also do other activities in their running shoes, like jumping into water, hiking, and climbing. This activity challenges the classically constructed running shoe. A lot of runners want a truly minimal shoe, not unlike huarache sandals (a rudimenatry shoe made of strips of rubber). The well-known Tarahumara tribe of Mexico ran in the sandals. This video is by Barefoot Ted, running in Huarache Sandals like a Tarahumara Tribesman would. The Vibram Five Finger shoe has been getting a lot of good feedback. Here is a brief video that demonstrates how quickly the leg muscles develop with the five finger shoe. They are called five fingers because each toe is encased, like a glove for feet. They also recognize the need for five finger shoes for various activities, so they have running shoes, kayaking shoes, etc. Features of the Vibram Five Finger Shoe: The following points are attributed to Benita DeWitt: Movement is not limited while the sole is still protected The muscles of the leg and ankle help supply shock absorption These same muscles help supply support, instead of just the feet Five Finger shoes have a lot of fans, who wear them for everything from gardening to tree climbing. Barefoot Sites of Interest: Barefoot Rick Barefoot Ted Hard-core Barefoot
