Barefoot Running Research at UNH

Link to the studies results: scholars.unh.e...
Runners are increasingly ditching their shoes for the trendy and controversial practice of barefoot running. But will it make them faster? That's what UNH exercise science professor Tim Quinn, assisted by graduate student Corie Mae Callaluca and undergraduate Neil Baroody, is trying to learn. The researchers are putting competitive runners, shod and barefoot, through their paces to determine whether shedding shoes improves running economy, the amount of energy used at a given pace, and, ultimately, performance.
Produced by Scott Ripley UNH Video Productions

[@lgarcia67]

From the results looks like they don’t get too much of difference. My own experience, I run with both barefoot and shoes. I record my runs in a garmin watch and save every run. I have noticed that, in average, running barefoot, my heart rate is about 5% lower than shod.

[@vipinkanoujiya9582]

Yes .....that why I shift my run with shoes to barefoot running.....this is very imp for me

[@ibandribew]

Results, and a test about injury. All research I know of says barefoot has fewer to no injuries, but it would be nice to see numbers

[@mikemaclean3519]

Awesome Study! only thing point I'd bring up is that the women in the shoe group was wearing a pair of shoes from the Brooks Pure series, which is a series of minimalist nerutral trainers to try and recreate the barefoot feel with some support. Was this done purposefully? Awesome video!

[@pilootdotcom]

Results: www.unh.edu/inquiryjournal/spring-2013/effect-barefoot-training-program-running-economy-and-performance

[@frannieOh]

Results? Please?

[@7solrac7]

When can we see the results? :D

[@goaliedude32]

My study in high school was my best friend has about a good 6" of height on me so his strides were much longer. Any time that we both ran with shoes on he would smoke me. He would run with shoes and i would run barefoot and I was right on his ass and I was personally able to run longer than I could with shoes on.

[@downbntout]

Distance wins go to those with faster turnover, bro

[@7solrac7]

You can see that the woman in shoes is actually landing on her front/mid end of her foot so I guess you are right, she is more or less running with barefoot technique.

[@juicyclaws]

economy is negligible. Injury is long lasting, You cant be a persistence hunter and not be able to run, thats life or death.

[@downbntout]

Why was this vid put up before the results came in? I'm here for the numbers. Pls add a link. The lady hasn't read BTR.

[@UofNH]

Here's the full report: scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1202&context=honors

[@downbntout]

Thank you!

[@livefreeNH603]

1:08 and even Maine haha! Love it :)

[@dwb345]

Interesting study, sort of odd that running barefoot is considered “controversial” given that humans are of course bipedal animals. In the light of current footwear trends yes, but on the timescale of millions of years not so much. Is not wearing hats or gloves controversial? In a society that always wears them the I guess so. Thats the same kind of logic. Its worth noting that persistence hunters stop, rest and change paces to keep the hunt going, they clearly aren’t going to risk exhaustion and injury/death, whereas a modern competitive runner probably runs way more on the limits and has access to modern food, medicine and aid, and therefore shoes could maybe provide a benefit to those pushing beyond the normal comfort level of the body.

[@marcofemto9417]

He's doing it wrong. We are supposed to run on the balls of our feet. Like the Tarahumara

[@thomascunningham8234]

Balls

[@zackfreeman6873]

lol to that bling on the doc

[@CyprinusCarpioDiem]

250,000 years of evolution....results inconclusive.

[@guy5140]

Treadmill running is the worst thing on the world!

[@teerak4841]

we can produce endless amount of energy through sea water electrolysis .then we take hydrogen alone to high altitude ,where we combine it with atmospheric oxygen, and drop the formed water on hydraulic turbines as in dams.

[@williamchanningreis]

Barefoot running >

[@kristiina005]

How come this equipment strapped on their chest and back is SO HUGE. It should be just an iPhone or something at that scale. Unbelievable who develops this piece of crap!